• Home
  • DIY
    • DIY
    • crafts
    • Christmas
    • sewing projects
    • Weekend Projects
    • Frugal Finds
  • Fall
  • Spring
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Saving 4 Six

  • Family/Marriage
    • Marriage
    • Family
    • Homeschool
  • Recipes/Cook for a Month
    • Recipes
    • Cook For A Month
    • Freezer Meals
    • Think Tank Thursday
    • Make Ahead
  • Organization
Home » How To Refinish a Dining Room Table
This blog contains affiliate links.

September 27, 2015 · 7 Comments

How To Refinish a Dining Room Table

DIY

Tweet
Share32
Share
Pin318
350 Shares

Do you ever tell someone one thing and come to find out you couldn’t have been more wrong about what you told them?  I’m not talking about lying, just maybe speaking about something before you have all the information or about something you think you know about, when you really don’t?? WELL, this happened to me several months ago and YES, it has something to do with refinishing this beautiful dining room table.

, Saving 4 Six

So, here’s the story.  A while back a friend asked me about helping refinish her dining room table.  She was moving to a new house and her old table was in need of a little face-lift.

, Saving 4 Six

She had purchased the table used and it had come with some nicks and dings, but things had gotten worse with hot pans, toys, and everyday life.

, Saving 4 Six

The table has beautiful and practical potential …it has two leaves that slide out making the table over 10 feet long.

, Saving 4 Six

The leaves however, were a completely different color as the original table.  It was weird.

, Saving 4 Six

Anyway, my friend had seen my own table refinish here on the blog and had confidence that I could help her.  If you haven’t seen my own table refinish, you can see the post HERE.

, Saving 4 Six

Now, my table is considerably smaller than my friend’s and has no leaves.  We also used paint on the chairs and benches of my table, so the refinish job was literally a weekend project…started one day, finished the next.

, Saving 4 Six

Anywhoooo, BEFORE looking at my friend’s table, I told her I’d be happy to help, which I was!  Then came the question…  “How long will this project take?”  and me in my ever-optimistic voice, thought for a moment (much too short of a moment) and replied, “a few days for the table top and then the legs and chairs can be done in a day or two, or the chairs can really been done at your convenience.”  Yep…that was the answer…the promise…the statement that still haunts me.  Opening my mouth before I have all the facts…UGH!!!

, Saving 4 Six

One day after Jazzercise, I headed over to my friend’s house to take some pictures, consult with her on the colors for the table, and set up a time to get together to work on it.  It was at that time, I began to realize this project wasn’t going to just be a “few days” project.  The tabletop was in bad enough shape that it was going to need sanded down  and the rest of the table and chairs were going to be stained not painted.  This would require all of them to to stripped and sanded too.

, Saving 4 Six

And so began the process.  If a table has scratches or nicks or if it’s going to be stained, the surface will need sanded down.  We used a palm sander for this job.  My Better Half is just going over the table by hand with a fine grit sandpaper to make sure there are no swirl marks left from the sander.

, Saving 4 Six

The best method we’ve found for sanding a table is to use 80 to 100 grit sandpaper to get the polyurethane and stain off the wood.  Then go over it again with 120 grit to  make sure everything is off and finally 150 grit to leave the wood super smooth. We followed this process with the entire table.

, Saving 4 Six

The tabletop, leaves, legs, and  apron of the table took way longer than the few days I had said it would, but once the stain started going on, I had renewed vision.  It looked beautiful!

We applied the stain with a rag.  Following the manufacturer’s directions has always worked well for us.  After three coats of Minwax Ebony Stain, we applied a light coat of Minwax Fast-Drying Satin Polyurethane with a foam brush.  After the first coat dried (follow the drying time on the can of poly), we went over the table parts with 0000 grit steel wool.  This will get off any bubbles or residue that might have gotten into the polyurethane as it was drying. Wipe off the dust with a clean, dry rag.   Next, we applied two more coats of polyurethane, using the steel wool between the first two coats.

Ok, so here comes more confessions…the table itself (not including the chairs) took us six weeks…SIX WEEKS…not DAYS…WEEKS!! I could not have been more off on my time estimation and was honestly embarrassed to deliver the table after such a long time!!!

After the table was done, we got right on the chairs.  Now, the chairs were really going to be a time-consuming process…  I know, you’re probably already thinking that my friend is never getting her table and chairs back but you. are. WRONG!

Because the palm sander would not get into all the cracks and crevices of the chairs, we used a chemical stripper.  I’m not recommending the stripper that I used because I think it could have done a better job, but for your DIY information, it’s the most cost-effective brand available at my “depot” store.

Stripping chairs is a tedious, smelly, and hand-aching job.  BUT, it gets the job done, nonetheless!!

, Saving 4 Six

After the stripping process is done, you will still need to go over the chair with the sander.  To get into the corners, we had to sand by hand.  We followed the same process as we did on the table…start with a low grit (like 100) and smooth everything out with a higher grit (like 120-150).

, Saving 4 Six

The staining process of the chairs was the same as that of the table.  Apply the stain with a rag and follow the instructions on the can.  For this color, we applied three coats of stain to each of the chairs and then moved on to the polyurethane.

, Saving 4 Six

Because applying polyurethane with a foam brush or any other brush would be difficult…with all the cracks and crevices of a chair, My Better Half mixed the polyurethane with mineral spirits to thin it out and used his air sprayer to apply.  His ratio of poly to mineral spirits was 8.5 to 1.5… 85% Polyurethane to 15% mineral spirits.

The spraying process saved a TON of time!!!  My Better Half was my hero!!!  He could tell I was growing weary working on this project (you know, when mama ain’t happy…), and so one Saturday he worked 12 hours straight on these chairs!!!  He’s the man!!

Anyway, back to the poly process…  He sprayed a light coat on each of the chairs, let it dry, and then followed with the same 0000 grit steel wool process as we did on the table.  He applied three coats of polyurethane on each of the seven chairs.

, Saving 4 Six

We were able to deliver the chairs just two weeks after we finished the table…not because they took less time but because My Better Half buckled down with me and we committed to getting the job done!!  I love that guy!!

, Saving 4 Six

So here’s the low-down on this new, gorgeous table.  This is a process that ANYONE can do!!  Yes, YOU can do this!!!

, Saving 4 Six

My friend was told it would cost her well over $1000 to get this table refinished.  The cost of supplies for the refinishing of this table was a mere $62.11.  That is a massive saving!

, Saving 4 Six

Here’s the catch… this table took approximately 65 man-hours to refinish.  It’s a big-time commitment, but if you have more time than money…it’s a savings.

, Saving 4 Six

We have been blessed over and over again by the generosity of others and it is often a joy to be able to give back.

, Saving 4 Six

If refinishing a table is something you are considering, the process is not hard, but it IS time-consuming.

, Saving 4 Six

So, keep that in mind before you tell someone that it will only take a few days!!!

YIKES…lesson learned!!

, Saving 4 Six

 To get email updates click here

or

Follow along:

, Saving 4 Six, Saving 4 Six, Saving 4 Six, Saving 4 Six

Tweet
Share32
Share
Pin318
350 Shares
Previous Post: « Welcome To Think Tank Thursday 9/24
Next Post: Welcome To Think Tank Thursday 10/1 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sandi Rodriguez says

    September 27, 2015 at 8:57 PM

    This post made me laugh! You guys did such a great job……The table looks Brand New!!! I love the color!

    Reply
  2. Margo says

    September 27, 2015 at 9:05 PM

    Hey, do I have a job for you…he he, just kidding! It looks beautiful!

    Reply
  3. amytimco says

    September 28, 2015 at 7:45 AM

    Looks great!

    Reply
  4. Denise Costanzo says

    October 4, 2015 at 9:25 AM

    WOW! Carrie, you and Mark did an amazing job. Stunning! I laughed too, been there, done that.

    Reply
  5. carefirst insurance quote says

    January 3, 2017 at 9:55 AM

    Thanks for all of your hard work on this blog. Gloria take interest in carrying out internet research and it’s easy to understand why. My partner and i know all concerning the lively mode you produce worthwhile tips on this website and therefore cause participation from visitors about this area of interest plus our girl is in fact understanding a lot. Take advantage of the rest of the year. You’re carrying out a pretty cool job.

    Reply
  6. http://www.yesinterlove.com/ says

    February 8, 2017 at 10:07 AM

    You’ve got to be kidding me-it’s so transparently clear now!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Updating the Living Room With Rustic Charm | Saving 4 Six says:
    May 10, 2016 at 12:33 PM

    […] that we refinished for a friend…it turned out beautifully!!  You can see that full post HERE.  One night while we were at her house, My Better Half spotted some goodies in her burn […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Me

https://saving4six.com/

Welcome to Saving 4 Six! I'm Carrie, a wife and frugal mother of four. This is my soap box, where I share money saving ideas, tips, and projects. Stick around...I hope you'll be inspired to save too.

Pinterest

Categories

7 Ways I Encourage My Husband

7 ways I encourage my husband

10 Ways I Love On My Man

10 Ways I Love On My Man
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy and Disclosures
  • Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Captivating Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT