The table project

[Shoganai]

I've been refinishing an old table.

When I found it for $50 at Goodwill, it was in bad shape, heavily painted in white, stained and filthy.

It took a week to get it down to the wood. The stripper ate through two sets of heavy rubber gloves and I now have a few scars. Caustic burns SUCK.

1-1/4 oak butcher block top, solid oak legs, and a maple apron.

I sanded the top to 400 grit, then wiped it with a tack cloth, applied two coats of stain and then brushed on Poly.

I applied three coats of Poly and sanded and tack clothed between each coat but the finish was not as smooth as I wanted. I then Googled for help and learned I messed up several places.

One, I needed to sand down to 1200 to 1600 grit to start with.

Two, I shouldn't use a tack cloth because it can leave a wax residue that can repel the Poly. (which it did)

Three, I needed to sand between coats with no greater than 1000 grit.

Four, wipe the surface down with mineral spirits prior to applying any coats.

So I sanded EVERYTHING off to the wood!



I sanded the top down to 1800 grit and it shined like glass in the sun before staining it. Two coats of stain, three coats of Poly and I finished it off by wet sanding with 0000 steel for a satin finish.

Now I’m hand painting it with a wheat motif. I started by drawing the images of the wheat and took them to a local sign shop where he copied the images many times and made stencils of my art.

This is as far as I've gotten...
















Next, I'm going to use sign painting brushes and attempt to produce a 3D effect on the wheat and I may add some subdued shadow.

[Off the grid]

That is absolutely amazing Gwen....you know what's ironic? Wife is an avid goodwill shopper/picker/side of the road get your truck look at that chair/ type of person.....we picked up a table from the side of the road just 2 days ago.....not as nice as yours, but my wife wants to do the exact same thing to it.

She wants to get into furniture building/refinishing/interior design. I tried to tell her what hard work it is but she will not be dissuaded.

I'm going to show her this thread....you do good work Gwen. (but you already knew that!)

[Frank]

G'day Gwen

Not only do you do good work on BM's but have taken up a sideline on furniture restorations as well.

Should look good when all done.

[drikko]

You have FAR too much time.......

[Mystic Red]

Gwen, when I was in my 20's, my mother found a table that I stripped down to bare wood. It was cherry wood! I put Varathane 2 or 3 on it. It was the new water clean up variety. Turned milky in 3 months so I F'n stripped it again and spar varnished it. It was beautiful! A couple of months later, my sister brought her son to the house for Xmas. He was about 3 years old then and some dumb ass (his Dad) gave him a REAL tool set complete with hammer which he immediately took to the table top.
That reminds me, he's almost thirty now and I better kick his ass while I still can.