Refinish A Dining Table

Refinishing a dining table can be a labor-intensive, time-consuming job, depending on the amount of paint or stain on the original table. The good thing about refinishing a dining table is that it can be done at your leisure. Because of the chemicals used with refinishing, you should complete this project in a covered, but ventilated outside area, or in an area of the home that can be opened to the outside, yet blocked off from the rest of the house (basement, spare bedroom).

Instructions

1. Clean the dining table. Make sure there is no dust or cobwebs on the table. Lay out a thick layer of newspapers over the work surface, as the stripper will go through a thin layer and ruin the floor. Set the table in the middle of the newspapers.

2. Paint a thick coating of Strypeeze over a 2-foot section of the table. Allow the Strypeeze to set for a few minutes, then carefully scrape the old paint or stain off the table. Continue working in this manner until the entire table is stripped. You will not get all of the paint or stain off on the first go-round.

3. Lay out another thick layer of newspaper. Move the table to the clean papers. Roll up and discard the old papers. Paint the table with another coat of Strypeeze, paying particular attention to grooves and places where the original paint was difficult to remove. Go over the areas with steel wool and the scrapers, taking care not to gouge the table. Repeat this step until all of the old paint or stain is removed from the table.

4. Go over the table with fine-grit sandpaper to remove any grooves and scratches. Make sure all areas are smooth to the touch. Vacuum the table (or use a blower, if you are outside) to get rid of any sanding dust.

5. Paint or stain the dining table with the chosen color. If you are using stain, apply the first coat, then allow the table to set for 48 hours. The wood will soak up much of the stain. Apply more coats of stain, allowing each coat to dry for 48 hours until you reach the desired color. The more coats of stain you apply, the darker the wood will become.

If you are using paint, primer the table before painting. Depending on the dryness of the wood, you may need to apply one or two additional coats of paint after the first coat. If you want a distressed look, do not apply a coat of primer, and only apply one coat of paint.

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