HAND-ME-DOWN RE-DO

I inherited this old round table from my parents in college, they didn't want it because the cherry finish was outdated and after feeding 5 kids off of it for years it was pretty scratched up. I forgot to take a before picture so this one from Christmas is the best I can do. 

I love how it turned out!

This was my inspiration.  I found it on Pinterest, but sorry I don't know the exact source. 

For the chairs I spray painted them first to get into all the nooks and crannies and then hand painted over them with a black satin, latex paint.  I still need to put a polyurethane coat on them to help protect them but I ran out of weekend.

The table was a little trickier but much easier than I expected.  I wasn't sure how the paint stripper would work since I am pretty sure this isn't solid wood and the pretty part on top is only a veneer.  But, I figured if it didn't look good I could always paint the whole thing.








Step #1-Spray. I am in love with a new product for all of my future paint/stain removal projects.  Citristrip paint stripper was so easy to use.  Make sure to wear rubber gloves and coat the entire piece (you can get it in a spray or paint it on with a brush/roller, I used the spray).  Follow the directions on the can to determine how long you need to let it sit, I only waited 30 minutes but should have waited a little longer.

Step #2- Scrape.Use a plastic scraper to remove the stain, (still wearing the rubber gloves).  It should scrape off really easily, if it doesn't then wait a little longer and try again.  This part is pretty messy, you should either have a drop cloth down or do it somewhere where it won't kill your grass or stain your driveway.  Definitely DO NOT DO THIS INSIDE!  The fumes may not seem too bad (another reason I like this product) but it is still powerful stuff and you don't want to get it on anything that you don't want the paint stripped off of.


Step #3- Sand. To get the last layer of stain and make sure the finish is uniform give the table a light sanding.  My husband's latest birthday present was an orbital sander, (we get pretty cool presents around here) and it really makes sanding a lot easier.  If you think you will have more sanding projects in the future it would be worth the small investment.  A small electric sander or hand sanding works too, it's just way more time consuming.

Step #4-Clean. Wipe the table with mineral spirits on a soft, lent free cloth to remove the dust.


Step #5- Stain.  Pick your stain color and follow the instructions on the packaging.  We used Minwax Driftwood but keep in mind that it will stain differently depending on the type and color of the wood.  I let the stain sit for about 5 minutes before wiping it off to just give it a light color.


Step # 6- Seal. Protect the finish with 1 or 2 coats of Polyurethane.  I used Minwax Fast-Drying because I am super inpatient but regular will probably give you a more uniform finish.  Once again, follow the instructions on the can and sand between coats and clean with mineral spirits before applying another coat.

When my mom saw the table, she asked me "where did you get your new table?"  Since it was once hers I am pretty sure that means the project was a success.