The Perfect Table

The perfect table... do you have one of those? The kitchen table that fits perfectly in your room. The table that feels like it was made for the spot it sits in?

But how does it look? Has the stain yellowed over time? Or maybe it's faded from sitting near a window?

And how about those kids... what kind of damage have they done to your table? Smiley face with a sharpie marker? Got a little too excited using a knife?

Or, maybe there is nothing wrong with your table except it just no longer matches your décor.

That was the case for the owner of this table. 

The table, which was normally used without the leaf, was the perfect table for their kitchen nook except for the finish!

Remember when the popular stain and finish technique was to splatter specks of brown paint all over the stain? That was the finish this table had.

Not only did it not match their décor, they had purchased new chairs and they definitely clashed with the table.

Table Rescue

My job... make the table match the chairs!

I started by stripping all of the existing lacquer and stain from the table top and base. Once I removed the stripper, I proceeded to sand any remaining stain.

As this was a veneer top, I needed to be very careful with the amount of sanding I did. Veneer is thin and can easily be sanded all the way through to the wood underneath.

I started sanding with 80 grit paper and gradually increased the grit size, ending with 220 grit.

The sanding took extra time due to the different grain pattern in the table. When sanding wood, you always go with the grain or you will end up with scratches in the wood.

The Fun Part

With the existing stain removed and the table nice and smooth, I was ready to stain.

Trying to match existing stain is very tricky, especially when you are working with different types of wood.

The same stain on two different varieties of wood will look different. The difference is found in the color of the wood and the amount of stain it holds.

I knew I wanted to use Fusion Stain and Finishing Oil as it's an amazing all in one product. It seals the wood and stains with one application. If you haven't tried this yet you must! It's durable enough to use on floors.

The finishing oil is available in 6 colors, Natural, White, Golden Pine, Espresso, Ebony, and Driftwood. I ended up custom mixing 3 colors: Espresso, Natural and Driftwood, to get a color which complimented the chairs.

When trying to achieve the right color, I didn't have an extra piece of oak so I used a pine board to practice.

Once I was happy with the the color match I was ready to apply it to the table.

The Final Step

Applying Fusion Stain and Finishing Oil is simple. I like to a chip brush and brush it all over the surface. After it sits for a few minutes, I use a lint free rag and wipe away the extra stain, pay attention to wipe in the direction of the grain. 

Once I have removed the extra stain, I let it dry overnight. The more coats applied the darker it will become. I decided to apply one more coat using the same technique.

Once it was dry to the touch (12 hours), I felt the table top and noticed there was some raised grain. I took 300 grit sandpaper and lightly sanded the wood so it was buttery smooth.

Tip: If you are using the product, you may lightly use the item you applied  stain to after 12 hours and it is fully cured after 7 days.

Completed Transformation

We delivered the table to the customer's home and moved it into place. I was so amazed at how beautiful it looked in their home.

The new chairs coordinated so well with the table. 

I am glad they didn't have to buy a new table to go with their new chairs. Their perfect table is still a perfect a table!