Refinish a Dining room table

[sgrammel]

So my dining table isn't in terrible shape but it has multiple chips and dings along with what I will call body oil/food residue 'stains'. I've tried to clean off the stains with different wood cleaners but still there...So planning in refinishing it. It's a decent quality table (from Ethan Allen...but pretty low end stuff for them).

Plan is to strip either with stripper or just sandpaper..then patch the dings, and sand down to 220 or so. Looking at water based General Finishes stain and their semi gloss top coat. Probably two coats of stain and 2 or 3 top coat. It's a relatively small table. (3ft x 5ft or so)

Not an experienced refinisher so looking for input from those with experience..

 

[The Cobbler]

I would suggest watching some videos of Johns Furniture Repair on You tube. Trena has take over her fathers business and in my opinion is remarkable . she gives a lot of great pointers .

 

[MikeK]

In addition to John's Furniture Repair, I can highly recommend Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration:

Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration

Tom Johnson of Thomas Johnson Antique Furniture Restoration in Gorham, Maine offers videos that document his restoration of a wide variety of antique and fine furniture pieces. Tom has been restoring furniture professionally since 1979. Visit our website at...

www.youtube.com

 

[DGersic]

So my dining table isn't in terrible shape but it has multiple chips and dings along with what I will call body oil/food residue 'stains'. I've tried to clean off the stains with different wood cleaners but still there...So planning in refinishing it. It's a decent quality table (from Ethan Allen...but pretty low end stuff for them).

Plan is to strip either with stripper or just sandpaper..then patch the dings, and sand down to 220 or so. Looking at water based General Finishes stain and their semi gloss top coat. Probably two coats of stain and 2 or 3 top coat. It's a relatively small table. (3ft x 5ft or so)

Not an experienced refinisher so looking for input from those with experience..

The chips and dings will be a huge pain in the ***. Filler doesn’t take stain the way wood takes stain.

 

[jar944]

The chips and dings will be a huge pain in the ***. Filler doesn’t take stain the way wood takes stain.

Assuming more ding than chip, and solid wood vs veneer; water and a iron will take most dents out.

 

[PCustoms]

So my dining table isn't in terrible shape but it has multiple chips and dings along with what I will call body oil/food residue 'stains'. I've tried to clean off the stains with different wood cleaners but still there...So planning in refinishing it. It's a decent quality table (from Ethan Allen...but pretty low end stuff for them).

Plan is to strip either with stripper or just sandpaper..then patch the dings, and sand down to 220 or so. Looking at water based General Finishes stain and their semi gloss top coat. Probably two coats of stain and 2 or 3 top coat. It's a relatively small table. (3ft x 5ft or so)

Not an experienced refinisher so looking for input from those with experience..

The oil "stains" are potentially the old finish failing.

Pictures?