How to Refinish Your Wood Picnic Table
Eating lunch on a picnic table in your backyard can be an extremely refreshing and relaxing experience. But over time your beautiful wooden picnic table is bound to suffer from constant exposure to the elements. The good news is that by simply refinishing your wood picnic table it can look brand new again, if not better. With a little bit of effort, you can transform your old picnic table into something really great. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Wire brush
- Paintbrush
- Chemical stripper
- Putty knife
- Steel brush
- Turpentine
- Sandpaper
- Sanding sealant
- Wood stain
- Polyurethane finish
Instructions
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1
Examine your picnic table for any rough spots and splintering. Scrub out the rough spots with a wire brush.
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2
Use a paintbrush and apply a coat of chemical stripper over a portion of the picnic table. Refer to the instructions provided on the chemical stripper for how long to leave the stripper on the table.
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3
Remove the old finish with a putty knife. You may have to apply two or more coats of chemical stripper to some areas. Use the steel brush to remove any stubborn finish.
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4
Cover the entire table with chemical stripper in this manner, working on a small area at a time until all of the old finish has been removed.
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5
Wash the remaining chemical stripper off of your picnic table with turpentine and water. Let your picnic table sit until the wood is thoroughly dry.
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6
Use sandpaper to smooth over the entire picnic table. Make sure the edges are even and the tabletop is relatively smooth. Don't skimp on this step, because this has a major influence over how your picnic table will look after it has been refinished.
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7
Spread a coat of sanding sealant over your picnic table, allow it to dry and then sand the table once more.
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8
Brush a thin coat of stain over the picnic table and allow it to set and dry. For a darker stain, use more coats.
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9
Examine your picnic table and sand down any spots where excess stain has accumulated. This is particularly a problem near the corners and end pieces of your picnic table.
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10
Brush on a polyurethane finish over your picnic table. Allow the finish to dry and apply a second coat if necessary. Use more coats for extra protection.
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