Background:
So I had this table for 2 years without realizing it was mahogany underneath. Found that out when moving and it was pointed out. Here is the guide to how I refinished it. This was my first woodworking project. Unfortunately I did not take many pictures during the process. Step 1. Strip the wood: I used Citristrip to strip the wood. With the proper safety equipment, I stripped it using scrapers and steel brushes, careful not to scrape the wood underneath. I removed the drawer knobs to make sure and get everything. To clean it off afterword I used mineral spirits. Step 2: Repair: One of the drawers fell apart while stripping and sanding. I had to glue it back together. Step 3. Sanding: I used a random orbit sander to sand down the piece starting with 60 grit. For the inside corners I hand sanded the table. I slowly moved step by step to 320 grit. Unfortunately there was a small water ring from a glass that did not go away and we accidentally went a little through the veneer trying to get rid of it. Luckily both things barely showed up in the end. |
Step 4: Staining:
I got this red mahogany stain to re cover the wood. I covered the floor with a sheet to protect it and lifted the table up with bricks to avoid the sheet hitting the the painted table. I then put the drawer knobs back on. I brushed on the stain with 2 coats. Step 5: Protective finish Last step is to protect it. I used a spray on polyurethane semi-gloss. I covered it in 3 coats until the bottle ran out. |
The table is at least 40 years old with a note on the inside I found saying it was refinished in 1981. With a few minor dings, it has survived the years well. While the black paint made it an eyesore, for all I know the black paint may have helped preserve it! Now it's sitting beautifully refinished in my apartment. Thanks for reading!
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