Re-finishing a Table

My Dad scored us an awesome free table back in Columbus that followed me to West Virgina. When Alex and I decided to move and discovered we had a real kitchen, we decided to use it as the kitchen table. It was a pretty sturdy old thing, but not very glamorous to look at. So we decided to give it a little rehab!

First, Alex sanded out the old finish/stains/scratches as best he could, focusing on the top and visible parts of the legs; he'll probably post something about sanding theory soon. After about 7 hours in the basement with it, he came up looking like this:

Dusty XD

 We carried the table up to the kitchen where the light is better and put the legs back on. We also put down an old shower liner for a drop cloth.

Giving the sanded table a final wipe down with micro-fiber to remove dust.

 Color was marked "Cedar".

I applied a liberal coat of some cheap stain we found at the Habitat for Humanity Restore.











We let it dry for about 24 hours. That was the hardest part!  I finished it with some Tung Oil and Shellac for good measure.

A close up of the finish.

I decorated it with some cute mushroom place mats and affordable chairs we found at the local junk shop.

Alex is pleased with the result, although he insists the wings are to be left up ALL THE TIME.

There you have it! Total project cost was about $20 for the sandpaper, brushes, stain and shellac. Everything else involved was salvaged or free. :)