I'd like to refinish my med. oak dining table top? Can I do it myself?

Kathleen Sole
by Kathleen Sole
  7 answers
  • Peg Peg on Oct 06, 2017

    Sure you can do it yourself.

  • Jay Paden Jay Paden on Oct 06, 2017

    A light sanding and you can put a new topcoat

  • FL FL on Oct 06, 2017

    Yes: Make sure the surface is clean. Remove current finish via sanding (and a mask) or chemical removal, Clean again. Dry. make any repairs to gouges or deep scratches on the surface using wood putty. Let dry, sand and wipe clean.

    Stain. Let dry. Apply a clear, protective seal. Enjoy your handiwork!

  • Kathleen Sole Kathleen Sole on Oct 06, 2017

    Thanks, everyone! You've given me the confidence to tackle the job this winter. Your step-by-step directions were fabulous, Ficher. Thanks so much!

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Oct 06, 2017

    My father did it by himself into his sixties. Hubby and I did a whole kitchen full of cupboards together, but that was so it would go quicker and we could get the kitchen stuff out of the bedroom and basement. If I can do that, you can do it with a table. We used a stripper and decided the color was so great, we just cleaned them up and used clear polyurethane coats on it and we were done. They had darkened over time and were almost black. You could finally see the gorgeous wood underneath!

  • Emily Emily on Oct 06, 2017

    I would not do either sanding or stripping in a finished room. If you can take the table to a cellar or yard, that is the place for refinishing. Painting would be o.k. in a finished room.

  • Diane Weldy Tavegia Diane Weldy Tavegia on Oct 06, 2017

    I used chalk paint and it was lovely, until I would wipe it down. Paint would come off on the cloth and it began to look 'dirty'. I tried the wax suggested by the paint department in Home Depot, but wasn't satisfied. We ended up painting it white latex enamel.