How to Refinish a Wood Kitchen Table

Sprucing up a flea market wooden table can save you a lot of money and worry. Your kitchen table is one of the most used pieces of furniture in your home. With an expensive table, you may cringe every time your spouse sets down her hot coffee mug. By refinishing an old table, you get exactly the color and finish you want without paying a high price or worrying about caring for expensive wood. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Put on a mask and gloves. Dip an old paintbrush into chemical paint stripper. Apply a -inch coat to the table. Let it penetrate the paint or varnish for 20 minutes.

2

Pull a paint scraper towards you to lift the sticky paint from the wood in long strips. Remove as much paint or varnish as you can with this method.

3

Pour paint stripper directly onto a piece of 0000 steel wool. Rub in a circular motion to remove any paint within crevices or areas that couldn't be reached with the scraper.

4

Combine 1 tbsp. of dishwashing soap and warm water. Wipe down the table with the soap and water to remove all chemicals from the surface. Allow the table to dry completely.

5

Sand the table with fine grit sandpaper. Move the sandpaper along the surface of the table, moving with the wood grain. The wood will feel soft and smooth. Remove any sanding dust with a tack cloth.

6

Dip a soft cloth or t-shirt into stain. Wipe the stain onto the furniture, applying light pressure to rub the stain into the wood grain. Remove the excess stain with a separate clean rag. Let the stain dry. Apply a second coat of stain.

7

Apply a thin, even layer of polyurethane topcoat to the kitchen table with a clean brush. Allow the topcoat to dry. Apply a second coat of polyurethane.