
- Place a clean, white cloth over the area to be repaired.
- Set a steam iron to mild heat and gently run it across the cloth in the direction of the grain for one or two passes.
- Check the condition of the damaged area to see if it is still there. Repeat as needed until there is no further white or cloudy area.
- Polish the table with regular furniture polish to finish. Apply a small amount of linseed oil to the area of heat damage and buff it with 0000 steel wool.
How to refinish an old dining room table?
Supplies:
- Dining table and chairs
- Fabric in an updated print and color (If you have upholstered chairs.)
- Staple Gun
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Satin or Gloss paint
- Foam brush or good quality paintbrush
- Optional: Clear water based polyurethane
How much does it cost to refinish a dining table?
It costs an average of $250 to refinish a table, with a typical range of $150–$400. The minimum cost to refinish a wood table is $80. The maximum cost is $700. Your project’s cost will largely depend on table size. The project may cost as little as $20–$120 if you do it yourself.
How to redo my dinning room table?
- Stripper & putty knife (for painted tables)
- Oil-based stain
- Oil-based polyurethane
- Sandpaper (100-, 150- and 220-grit)
- Cotton rags
- Stain brush
- Rubber gloves
- Steel wool
- Dropcloth or old bed sheet
- Tack cloth
How to finish your dining table professionally?
- Working time 2 days
- Start to finish 4 days
- Difficulty Hard
- Involves Drilling, Power Tools, Sanding, Sawing, Staining/sealing

How do you fix the finish on a dining room table?
1:242:33Quick and Easy Wood Furniture Stain Fixes - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd moisten it with some oil such as a tung oil or a wipe on Polly. Put the oil on the pad. And veryMoreAnd moisten it with some oil such as a tung oil or a wipe on Polly. Put the oil on the pad. And very gently try to buff out that white ring that'll release the moisture back out.
How do you repair a table finish?
How to Repair Table Top Varnish With Heat DamageCover the Area With a Cloth. ... Run a Steam Iron Over the Area. ... Look for Evidence of Damage. ... Polish the Tabletop. ... Buff With Steel Wool and Linseed Oil. ... Go Over the Area With a Damp Cloth. ... Apply Furniture Paste Wax and Buff the Area. ... Create a Paste Made of Oil and Ashes.More items...
How do you restore a dining room table?
Step 1: Clean the Surface. Use gentle soap and water to remove dirt and oils from the table's existing finish. ... Step 2: Apply Stripper. If the table is painted or varnished, you'll need to strip the surface. ... Step 3: Clean With Mineral Spirits. ... Step 4: Sand Table Surface. ... Step 5: Apply Stain. ... Step 6: Apply Finish.
How do you fix a worn table top?
0:012:11How to Quickly Fix Table Top Stain Finish - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I'm gonna fix up the top for her legitimate way is to square strip the whole top you get allMoreSo I'm gonna fix up the top for her legitimate way is to square strip the whole top you get all these little divots out of here these little dents out from the of the varnish.
How do you repair clear coat on a table?
Lacquer clear coats can be amalgamated using lacquer thinner. Shellac clear coats can be amalgamated using denatured alcohol. If you think your piece has both lacquer and shellac on it, you can use a mix of 3 parts denatured alcohol, to 1 part lacquer thinner.
How do you fix worn finish on furniture?
0:231:52How to Restore a Worn Wood Finish : Furniture Restoration & General CareYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo what I like to use is I like to use a product called Howard's restore a finish you're gonna putMoreSo what I like to use is I like to use a product called Howard's restore a finish you're gonna put the restore finish on with a rag. You're gonna just pour it on your rag.
How can I refinish my dining room table without sanding?
Step 1) Prepping the original top coat for gel stain. ... Step 2) Applying and the first coat of gel stain to the table top. ... Step 3) Adding a second and third coat of gel stain using a soft, faux wood grain application. ... Step 4) Sealing the surface with a durable top coat.
How do you restore wood furniture without stripping it?
How to restore wood furniture without sanding and strippingRemove any hardware. ... Wipe on mineral spirits. ... Clean the surface. ... Fix the white rings. ... Fill small cracks and imperfections. ... Try to fix the dents. ... Restore the colour with gel stain. ... Renew the lustre with a wipe-on finish.
What is the best finish for a dining room table?
The best finish for dining tables is lacquer. This finish will both bring out the beauty elements of dining tables and provide needed protective properties. Lacquer is applied in thin coats which allows a natural accent of the wood itself. This finish is durable and water-resistant.
How do you restore a veneer table top?
How to refinish veneer furnitureWipe down the piece with a damp rag. ... Remove all hardware, handles, drawers, doors and legs. ... Starting with 100 grit sandpaper, sand the entire piece lightly to remove stain and finish – legs, drawers, sides and around trim. ... After the initial sanding, vacuum with a soft brush.More items...•
How do you resurface a laminate table top?
4:346:44DIY with Formica Group: How to Refurbish a Worn Laminate TableYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAlong your cut line to avoid chipping during cutting and cut base up with the jigsaw. Remove theMoreAlong your cut line to avoid chipping during cutting and cut base up with the jigsaw. Remove the tape. Clean the surface with a dry cloth. And spray the laminate and the tabletop.
How do you fix peeling varnish?
If you can see flaking varnish with dark-stained wood underneath, you just need to restore the clear finish. Rub the loose varnish with fine steel wool or fine synthetic steel wool until you have removed the flaking varnish and slightly roughened a small area of the finish surrounding the scratch.
How do you repair a wood table top?
1:483:29HOW TO REPAIR DAMAGED VENEER ON A TABLE TOPYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThis is a really easy fix all you do is you take a steam 10. And then you're gonna go ahead andMoreThis is a really easy fix all you do is you take a steam 10. And then you're gonna go ahead and color over all of the spots where the veneer is chipped off and where the particle.
How do you repair a polyurethane tabletop?
How to Fix Cratering of Polyurethane Finish? To fix cratering of polyurethane finish you need to sand the surface lightly and wipe the surface with a clean cloth and re-apply a thin polyurethane coat. Once it is completely dried, you won't notice any craters on the surface.
How do you fix peeling varnish?
If you can see flaking varnish with dark-stained wood underneath, you just need to restore the clear finish. Rub the loose varnish with fine steel wool or fine synthetic steel wool until you have removed the flaking varnish and slightly roughened a small area of the finish surrounding the scratch.
How do you fix a water damaged table top?
The extent of water damage to wood will determine the mode of repair. Simply clean the tabletop with a bit of baking soda, white distilled vinegar, toothpaste, or even mayonnaise using a fiber-free cloth to remove water stains. Rub in the direction of wood grain in a smooth motion until discoloration disappears.
Why add a durable finish to a dining room table?
Adding an attractive, durable finish to a dining room table will improve its ability to withstand future damage, preserving it for future generations.
How to make a table smoother?
Dip a clean cloth into paint thinner. Rub into the table gently and evenly to smooth the surface. Allow to dry.
How to get rid of excess lacquer on wood?
Roll a piece of clean cotton cloth into a roll that fits in your hand. Dip the cloth into padding lacquer and squeeze to remove excess. Apply to the furniture with short, back-and-forth motions with the grain of the wood. Maintain a constant motion that generates heat.
How to get rid of bumps on wood table?
Pour ground calcium carbonate into the small jar until it reaches the halfway mark. Pour boiled linseed oil into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch of room toward the top. Cap and shake. Dip the 0000-grade steel wool into the mixture. Abrade the table gently and evenly in the direction of the wood grain. This should remove any remaining bumps ...
How to apply a thin coat of finish?
Apply a thin coat of finish, using long, even, overlapping strokes. Thin the finish if necessary with a thinner appropriate for the finish type -- follow manufacturer's instructions. Use the 4-inch paintbrush for the tabletop and the 2-inch brush for the legs. Allow to dry.
How to protect wood table legs from splatter?
Spread an old sheet across the floor to protect it from splatter. Furniture Knowledge recommends a gel stripper, as it will remain on the table legs. Use "White China" paintbrushes for oil-based products and soft, nylon-polyester bristles for water-based finishes.
Why round the edge of a putty knife?
Round the edge of the putty knife to prevent damage to the wood.
Repairing the finish on a table
There are places on the top of my dining table where the finish has come off. Is there any way to repair this without having to remove all the finish on the table top?
Comments (3)
It depends on what the current finish is. If it's lacquer or shellac, you can repair it to "like new" without having to remove the old finish. Lacquer and shellac supposedly do not change their chemical composition when they dry, unlike other finishes. All that happens is that the liquid solvent evaporates and the solids dry.
How to restore shine to satin finish?
After the polish dries, sand flush with 600-grit sandpaper. To restore the sheen on satin finishes, rub with 0000 steel wool and paste wax; for gloss finish es, use auto polishing compound and a rag.
How to get sheen on a drywall repair?
Apply a coat of paste wax over the repair and the entire adjacent surface to impart an even sheen.
How to remove white ring from wood?
White rings, caused when water vapor penetrates into a finish, can be removed by wiping them gently with a cloth barely dampened with denatured alcohol. (Black rings indicate damaged wood and require complete removal of the surrounding finish before any repair can be attempted.) Too much alcohol can dull the finish. If that happens, restore a satin sheen by rubbing with extra-fine 0000 steel wool and paste wax. To bring back a gloss finish, use auto polishing compound applied with a rag. To make the repair blend in, go over the damaged area and the entire adjacent surface.
How to get wax off of a gouge?
The wax should just fill the gouge; rub off any wax on the surrounding surface with a piece of a brown paper bag wrapped around a flat block.
How to restore satin sheen?
Too much alcohol can dull the finish. If that happens, restore a satin sheen by rubbing with extra-fine 0000 steel wool and paste wax. To bring back a gloss finish, use auto polishing compound applied with a rag. To make the repair blend in, go over the damaged area and the entire adjacent surface.
What is the best soap to clean furniture?
For routine cleaning, diluted dishwashing soap or furniture cleaner such as Murphy Oil Soap is gentle and effective. Avoid strong alkaline- or ammonia-based detergents (like window cleaners); they can harm some finishes. And never use scrubbing cleansers, which contain abrasives that will dull almost any sheen.
Do you need to clean furniture to keep it looking good?
The truth is that although none of them will do your finish any harm, none is absolutely necessary to keep furniture looking its best.
Why is my lacquer sticky?
Lacquers can suffer a problem caused by plasticizers migrating through the resins . One way or another, your finish surface is done.
Does pledge furniture have wax buildup?
Tim Inman: Pledge, and products like it, do not add "waxy buildup" to furniture. In fact, the solvents commonly included in these products actually help wipe away a little of the "real" finish every time they are used. That dreaded "waxy buildup" phenomenon helped sell gallons and gallons of "pledge-y" products, though.
Can you use polyurethane on a cherry table?
Chr is Marshall: Once the old finish is stripped and you're ready to apply a new one, I'd definitely use polyurethane. I finished our cherry kitchen table with oil-based poly nearly a decade ago. We've got two kids at home that are constantly spilling on it, dragging their laptops across it when doing homework or otherwise doing their level best to challenge the durability of that finish. On top of that, it gets wiped off repeatedly with a wet rag every day, and the finish is still going strong! When it finally wears thin, I'll strip and recoat the top with the same, or I'll use one of today's cross-linking waterbased polys instead, like General Finish's Enduro Var.
How to clean a table with mineral spirits?
Continue Steps 1 through 4 until the entire cloudy surface of the table has been cleaned with mineral spirits, then dried with a clean rag.
How to get wax off of a table?
Setting hot dishes on the table, having too much moisture in the air or having conditions that are too dry can all cause the wax to lose its shine. Removing the cloudy layer of wax and replacing it with a fresh layer will get your table shining again. Soak a clean, soft rag in mineral spirits. Wipe the cloudy area with the cloth, using long strokes ...
Why is my dining room table cloudy?
It can be caused by time and exposure to sunlight, but more often than not, a cloudy finish on your dining table is caused by mixing different types of cleaners and polishes. What might look like cloudy wax buildup actually is the wax softening and separating. Using cleaners that just soften the surface of the wax are the main culprits.
What does wax finish look like?
The wax finish should start to look hazy and dull as it is being removed. Work in small sections if there is a large area of cloudiness to be removed.
How to clean a heat damaged surface?
Rub the heat-damaged surface with the rag until the white area disappears, then wipe clean with a slightly dampened cloth and let it dry.
Can you fix a varnished table top?
Anyone who has ever had a varnished or lacquered tabletop has probably experienced the sheer horror of picking up a hot dish to find a ghostly white image appear like magic beneath it. Relax. As awful as it may seem, the damage done is usually both slight and repairable. Before paying out a bundle to have it refinished by an expert, try a quick fix in an inconspicuous area. If all goes well, finish the rest yourself and save.
