Refinish Your Favorite Table

Wehrli Furniture • January 24, 2018

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A little wear and tear is normal when it comes to the tables within your home. From family dinners with the kids in the dining room to propping your feet up on the coffee table in front of the television, the tables in your house see a lot of love – and a lot of use.

For some people, nicks, scrapes, scratches, and dings signal time to invest in a brand new table. However, this likely isn’t necessary.  Refinishing table tops  can be an easy way to salvage your existing furniture, offering an effective way to keep your tables looking great for years to come. Here’s what you need to know to making  refinishing table tops  fast and simple.

Do Your Homework

Refinishing isn’t the kind of process you just jump right into without a little preparation. Before getting out your sandpaper and smearing on some stain, do your research on the required tools, best products, and best processes. Not all woods can handle the same kind of treatment, so be sure you know what your table is made out of, the current stain in use, and the appropriate sandpaper to avoid damaging your table. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially when your expensive furniture pieces are involved.

Follow Instructions Carefully

Refinishing a table can be a big job, and a few small errors are all it takes to render a table unusable. If you decide to DIY the refinishing process, be sure you know exactly what to expect going in. While refinishing can differ slightly from project to project, in general, you will need:

  • Stain
  • Polyurethane
  • Sandpaper
  • Stain brushes
  • Rags
  • Tack cloth
  • A router or belt sander

Start by sanding the table to remove all stain. If using a belt sander, be very careful to avoid gouging the wood. Remove all dust with a tack cloth prior to applying stain. When staining, follow the natural grain of the wood. Let stain soak into the wood for several minutes, and then wipe clean. The longer stain sits, the darker it will be. Note that stain will require at least two coats. Once the final coat of stain has fully dried, apply a sealing layer of polyurethane.

DIY vs. Professional

Refinishing a table top doesn’t have to be a labor-intensive DIY process. If you’d rather leave the sanding, staining, and finishing to the professionals, that’s quite all right. Before getting on the phone with every furniture team in the metro area, take time to consider the cost-benefit breakdown. If, for example, your table is more functional than valuable, doing things on your own may be more cost-effective. However, an antique, estate, or designer piece may require a little more TLC, so if you have tables you treasure, a professional hand may be a better choice.

If you want to be sure your table looks its very best, professional refinishing can guarantee a job well done, whether your table is made of solid wood or veneer.  Wehrli Furniture has been impressing customers across greater Chicagoland for years, providing a superior experience in refinishing, custom construction, and design. Whether your antique dining table needs a spruce or the bedside table in your bedroom could use a new finish, we’re always here when you need us.

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