Wood veneer can be sanded and stained, though you need to be gentle with your electric sander to avoid damaging it. Another alternative to refinish veneer tops besides the wreck Lisa suggested above, would be to lightly sand the surface with a fine grit, 220-250, going with the grain to avoid scratches, apply one or two coats of gel stain, then two or three coats of poly. Several brands offer Gel Stain, but my favorite by far are the ones by General Finishes. You can go to their website to find a retailer near you, or buy their products from Amazon. This one is my go-to https://goo.gl/rJFA3t. A half-pint can is enough for 3 to 5 tabletops.
Ginger, hi! I think you must sand the wood veneer, even if only to remove years of wax, polish, and dirt. But use a fine grit for a light touch. If you want to try to get deeper into whatever the base is, then use a sturdier grit first, then medium, then fine. Then you can restain or paint the color you want. You can even paint in wood grain with special scrapers or a fork tine. Good luck! ☺️
Yu may wreck it. Try Restore-A-Finish . Comes in colors to match all woods.
Wood veneer can be sanded and stained, though you need to be gentle with your electric sander to avoid damaging it. Another alternative to refinish veneer tops besides the wreck Lisa suggested above, would be to lightly sand the surface with a fine grit, 220-250, going with the grain to avoid scratches, apply one or two coats of gel stain, then two or three coats of poly. Several brands offer Gel Stain, but my favorite by far are the ones by General Finishes. You can go to their website to find a retailer near you, or buy their products from Amazon. This one is my go-to https://goo.gl/rJFA3t. A half-pint can is enough for 3 to 5 tabletops.
Good luck!
Ginger, hi! I think you must sand the wood veneer, even if only to remove years of wax, polish, and dirt. But use a fine grit for a light touch. If you want to try to get deeper into whatever the base is, then use a sturdier grit first, then medium, then fine. Then you can restain or paint the color you want. You can even paint in wood grain with special scrapers or a fork tine. Good luck! ☺️