Refinishing a Pine Dining Table

If you have had a pine dining table in the family for a few years, it can start to look somewhat aged. The good news is that this doesn’t mean you have to throw it out. Instead, you can go ahead and refinish it. This process is fairly straightforward. If you have an antique pine dining table, you might want to have it evaluated before you make any changes to it, however. Sometimes refinishing can reduce the value of antiques.

As long as you have all of the right equipment and working area, it won’t take very long to get the job done. As with any project, it is a good idea to finish reading all instructions before you begin. You will want to have a complete understanding of the process and materials before you start. You can use a similar refinishing process on a pine sideboard or server.

To get started, you will need sandpaper ranging between sixty and two hundred grit. You will also need a tack cloth, varnish or paint, a large brush that has been thoroughly cleaned and a bunch of rags.

Start by sanding off the old varnish or paint being sure to sand with the grain. If the finish has been worn in quite a bit, you will need to start with sixty-grit sandpaper to regain a smooth surface. If it is already fairly smooth, you can start right off with one hundred-grit. Finish off with two hundred grit sandpaper to get the surface of the table as smooth as possible. If you want the table to look worn and rustic, however, you can stop with one hundred-grit.

Once you have finished sanding the table, you will need to remove all of the saw dust. Use a vacuum to remove all of it. If you are refinishing dining room sideboards or servers, make sure all of the cupboards and drawers are completely cleaned out so that the dust does not come back out during the refinishing process. Use a tack cloth to finish cleaning the surface.

Apply the first coat of varnish or paint with long strokes of the brush. Always run the brush with the grain of the wood. The first coat should be very thin, and it is not a problem if you can see through it. Allow the varnish or paint to dry for the period recommended on the container. Continue applying coats over and over until the table has the finish that you want. Make sure to leave enough time between each individual coat.

When you are done, you can sit back and relax knowing that you completed something special. The furniture will look like new, and you will have saved yourself quite a bit of money.