How To Refinish Wood Table

Depending on the table top and finish you're working with, you could get away with lightly sanding or repainting it to give it a new look. To refinish a table top considerably worn by time, you likely need to strip the clear varnish top coat since varnish tends to get yellowed or irreparably cloudy.

How do you refinish a wood table without stripping it?

The key to re-staining a wood dining table top without having to strip off the original factory finish is to create a soft, faux wood grain appearance with gel stain. Followed by several coats of a durable clear sealer. It's actually not that hard to do. The main thing you will need, beside supplies is TIME.

Can you sand down a table and refinish it?

Starting with the roughest sandpaper (60-grit), sand in the direction of the grain. You can sand by hand, but a mechanical sander makes the job go, ahem, much smoother. Finish by wiping down the table with a tack cloth so it's free of dust, then sand the surface again, this time with your 120-grit, to polish the wood.

Can you refinish a solid wood table?

While painting a wood table in need of a refresh is always an option, refinishing the surface will bring out its natural beauty and character. Here's how to make your table look new again.

What is the fastest way to refinish a table top?

1. Clean the Surface. Use gentle soap and water to remove dirt and oils from the table's existing finish.
2. Apply Stripper. If the table is painted or varnished, you'll need to strip the surface. ...
3. Clean With Mineral Spirits. ...
4. Sand Table Surface. ...
5. Apply Stain. ...
6. Apply Finish.

Is it better to paint or stain a table top?

Furniture pieces with mild to moderate flaws that you can sand out are great to stain—the right stain can cover the imperfections and make the item look new again. For furniture with severe flaws that you cannot easily fix by sanding, paint will better cover these issues and make the piece look new again.

Should I sand or strip my table?

It's almost always better to strip than to sand. To begin with, except in cases where the old finish is flaking off, it's a lot more work to sand than to strip using a paint-and-varnish remover.

Do you have to sand before restaining?

The best way to stain wood is to prepare the wood surface by sanding it with a sanding block or orbital sander. Sandpaper with a lower grit number will make wood rougher, allowing more stain to absorb and creating a darker color. Start with 120-grit sandpaper on refinished pieces.

Do I need to strip varnish off table or can I sand it off?

All you need to do is start with 150-grit sandpaper and sand the entire surface. Once you've done that, move onto 220-grit sandpaper and repeat. This should remove the varnish. An orbital sander will make this job much easier and quicker if you're removing varnish from a flat surface.

How long does it take to sand and refinish a table?

All in all it probably took us 2 to 3 hours to sand both tables, especially because of all of the legs and aprons we had to get too. But I was happy to have discovered the new heavier-duty sander and even MORE happy about the results.

How much should I sand my table before staining?

Begin sanding the entire wood surface with coarse-grit sandpaper (80 grit), then progress to medium-grit sandpaper (150 grit), and then to a fine-grit sandpaper (220 grit) before you stain. When sanding, sand the entire table with each grit before moving on to the next grit.

What grit sandpaper for dining table?

Sand the table, beginning with the coarsest-grit sandpaper (100 grit) and sanding in the direction of the wood grain. Next, sand the table with the 150-grit paper, and finish by sanding with the 220-grit paper. Wipe the surface of the entire table using the tack cloth.

Is it worth refinishing a table?

Refinishing isn't for every table. It's not for mass-produced, low-quality tables—those are meant for the fire pit. If your table is made of quality material, is a family heirloom, or has sentimental value, it's an excellent candidate for refinishing.

Can you refinish wood without sanding?

Chalk paint is the best way to paint practically anything without sanding. It offers a gorgeous matte finish and no need to prepare the surface. Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint was the cornerstone of the painted furniture industry as we know it.

Can I refinish hardwood without sanding?

Yes, you can restore hardwood floors without sanding. In many cases, it's the better alternative, anyway. A full restoration is only really necessary if your hardwood floors are significantly worn, stained, or damaged.

Do you have to remove old stain before restaining table?

You don't need to remove all of the old stain to apply darker stain. But you do need to remove all of the lacquer, varnish or anything that will prevent new stain from absorbing into the wood. It's easy to see the shiny edges of old lacquer, or the scratched surface of old lacquer.

Do you have to sand a table to repaint it?

DO sand the furniture before applying the paint. Furniture comes in a variety of materials and nearly all will require some level of sanding to make sure paint adheres to the surface, since it removes any imperfections or dimples.

How much does it cost to refinish the top of a table?

It costs an average of $250 to refinish a table, with a typical range of $150–$400. The minimum cost to refinish a wood table is $80. The maximum cost is $700. Your project's cost will largely depend on table size.

Is it better to stain or seal wood?

Applying a stain is a bit trickier than sealers, and is best left to professionals. Although a wood stain is more expensive than a sealer, it can last up to 5 times longer and looks more professional. So you certainly get your money's worth.

What lasts longer wood stain or paint?

A quality paint job, finished by a trusted professional, can last for ten years before needing repainting. Conversely, stains need reapplied every few years because they don't offer the same protection against outdoor elements.