How to Refinish a Tabletop

Refinishing furniture can result in a beautiful heirloom piece that will be passed down through generations. Most people are pleasantly surprised at what they find hiding under coats of old paint. One of the easiest pieces for a novice to refinish is a tabletop. Its flat surface can turn a beginner's luck into a lifelong skill.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Face mask
• Safety glasses
• Tarp
• Putty knife
• Bucket of water
• Paintbrushes
• #2 steel wool
• Brass-bristle brushes
• Wood stripper
• Sandpaper
• Wood filler
• Stain
• Polyurethane
• Lacquer thinner (if stripper mandates its use)

Choose Your Products

1. Choose the paint-stripping product you want to work with. Strippers like Citristrip Paint and Varnish Stripping Gel feature a pleasant citrus scent and don't contain methylene chloride, which can be unhealthy to breathe if not used in a well-ventilated area. If choosing a product that contains methylene chloride, like Circa 1850 Furniture Stripper or Zip Strip, always wear safety glasses and a face mask, and perform your tasks in a well-ventilated area.

2. Choose the wood stain. Oil-based stains yield the very best results, but they have a strong odor.
   
   Water-based stains are environmentally friendly, and their popularity is increasing. The drawback is that they can actually raise the wood grain during the staining process. In an attempt to prevent this from happening, first dampen the wood with wet rags and allow the water to soak in and dry before applying the stain. This lessens the chance of the grain lifting, but it doesn't always work.
   
   Gel stains work very well because of their thickness, which makes them easy to apply. But there is more wiping involved in removing them, and they are more expensive than their liquid counterparts.

3. 
    
   Luster and shine will be restored to your tabletop once it has been refinished.

   Choose your wood finish (polyurethane top coat). There there oil- and water-based polyurethanes. The likes and dislikes of these products are the same as when choosing water-based or oil-based strippers.

Refinish Your Tabletop

4. Remove the old finish using a stripping product. Follow manufacturer's directions, which almost always include spreading the product onto the tabletop and waiting the allotted amount of time before removing. Remove the stripper and old paint or varnish by first testing with a putty knife. Push the knife along a very small portion of the tabletop. If the finish comes up quickly and easily, it is time to proceed. Continue the process with a scraper or putty knife. Use steel wool on stubborn spots. The entire stripping process may need to be repeated to remove all traces of paint or varnish.
   
   Follow the manufacturer's instructions on removing any traces of the stripper from the wood. Some products may simply be wiped down with a rag soaked in clean water, while others require mineral spirits or lacquer thinner.

5. Sand the tabletop, and fill any gaps in the wood grain with wood filler. Apply the filler with a rag and allow it to dry per manufacturer's instructions. Remove the excess with a putty knife. Sand lightly once the filler is completely dry.

6. Apply the stain according to manufacturer's directions. Oil-based, water-based and gel stains are applied using rags or brushes. Let the stain sit on the wood for the suggested amount of time so the wood will absorb the color. Wipe off the excess with clean rags.

7. Apply the polyurethane using a clean brush. Allow it to harden for three to four hours before applying a second coat.
   
   Allow the entire table to dry for 24 to 48 hours before setting hard objects like dishes on top of it.
   
   For several weeks, use place mats and hot pads to prevent the polyurethane from softening. After six to eight weeks, the surface will have cured, and normal wear and tear may be withstood.

Resources

• HGTV
• Lowe's