How to Refinish a Table

The easiest and least expensive way to change an old table and breathe new life into it is to refinish it. With just a little time and effort, you can update a boring piece of furniture with very little expense by doing it yourself. Here's how to refinish a table.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Gather up some materials to refinish the table. You will need to wear old clothes and get some chemical stripper, a putty knife, steel wool pads, fine sandpaper, mineral spirits, rags, paint brush, goggles, wood filler and a tarp to cover the area where you will be working.

2. Prepare to strip the table surface. There are many different stripping solutions available on the market to refinish furniture. Read the labels carefully to decide which one will work best for your project.

3. Spread your tarp beneath the table before you begin. Remove all of the knobs and hardware. Next, put on your gloves and goggles and apply the stripping solution, then wait for the amount of time indicated on the product you selected.

4. Scrape away the old finish using your putty knife. When the stripper is ready to be scraped away, the old finish will have a "bubbled" or "puckered" appearance.

5. Rub inside any grooves or detailed carving with a steel wool pad to get any left over finish after you have scraped away all of the old finish with the knife.

6. Wipe the table completely using a rag with mineral spirits to get rid of all traces of stripping solution.

7. Sand the table's surface to prepare it for the final stage of refinishing. As you're sanding, check carefully for any obvious nicks or chips you might see in the wood surface. Fill them in with wood filler and sand it smooth. Wipe away the dust with a damp rag and apply your new finish.

[our5kids]

on 4/2/2009 Thank you for the tips I have been trying to find all the steps to refinish my coffee table, My kids have reaked havoc on it in the last two years LOL!!! 5*.