How to refinish a table easily
- Mild soap
- Wood filler
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Paint stripper
- Paint brushes
- Plastic scraper
- Steel wool
- Sandpaper
- Wood stain
- Cheesecloth
- Wood polish (or polyurethane)
- Drop cloth
- Rubber gloves
1. Clean the furniture.
Cleaning is the first thing you should do while learning how to refinish a table. Before applying the stripper, thoroughly clean the table with a solution of gentle soap and water to eliminate any oil or grime that might get in the way of its effectiveness.
2. Fill any holes with the wood filler
Fix any holes or cracks in the table using wood filler. If you want the repaired area to look like the rest of the tabletop after you stain it, use wood filler that can be colored. Insert the liquid filler by squeezing it into the hole and then pushing it in with the tip of a flat head screwdriver. Wood filler must be allowed to extend past the sides of the hole because it shrinks as it dries.
3. Apply the paint stripper
Put an even coat of paint stripper on the wood with a paintbrush. Let the stripper do its work—generally it will take about 15 to 20 minutes for the solvent to loosen the finish. Don’t rush the project.
4. Scrape off the finish with the plastic scraper
After the time is up, start taking off the finish with a plastic scraper. It’s best to use a plastic tool because a metal one could scratch the wood’s surface.
Try to get as much of the finish off as you can. If some of the finish is harder to get off or if you need to get off more than one coat of paint or varnish, just repeat the steps of applying stripper, waiting, and scraping until all of the finish is gone.
5. Sand the grain
Once the finish has been stripped away, a pad of fine steel wool soaked in paint remover should be rubbed into the wood in the same direction as the grain. Any remaining finish will be scrubbed away.
The next step is to lightly sand the surface in the direction of the grain using fine-grade sandpaper. If there are any uneven colors or bumps on the surface, this will help smooth them down.
6. Apply the stain
It is important to evenly coat the table with stain depending on how dark you want the table to be.Stain will adhere well to the wood because it has been sanded.
If you want to avoid dark, blotchy marks on your table after applying the stain, wipe off the excess with cheesecloth as soon as possible after brushing it on. If you want a darker color for your table, just repeat it.
7: Cover it with a protective clear coat.
Once the table is stained all the way through, you can use polyurethane(wood polish) to protect the wood.
Even though polyurethane is a popular modern finish for almost everything and protects wood very well, a paste wax finish is beautiful and old-fashioned. Wax will warm up the finish and keep most water damage from happening to the wood, especially if it is applied often.