Sanding? Staining? Top coating?

It is sometimes not easy to make a decision - do I paint or do I stain? If your thrift store find is still in excellent condition, or you just like to keep the natural look of wood, staining is a great way to preserve the beauty of the wood instead of hiding any imperfections with paint. I picked up a wood coffee table the other day and the tabletop was much worse than I thought: stains, scratches, very deep dings all over, patches of spray paint etc. No way to hide any of THOSE imperfections without stripping and sanding it down to the bare wood and start all over again.

Step 1: This one needed a good cleaning with TSP and Water.

Step 2: I was assuming that there were several coats of old varnish on this table and therefore decided to strip the table first. Get some GOOD furniture stripper and depending on the size of your project, GET A LOT, because you have to apply a VERY THICK layer to your piece of furniture with your brush. I used "Circa 1850" furniture stripper and I wasn't too impressed to be honest. I used Super Eco Strip in the past and liked it much better. Citristrip is the most popular product among DIY enthusiasts, but it is fairly difficult to get here in Canada.

Step 3: After you are done with stripping, it's time to remove the last bits of finish with your palm sander. I am using a Mouse Sander (Black & Decker) and started off with 120 grit Sandpaper before I switched after a while to very fine 220 grit Sandpaper to get a nice and smooth surface. Remove all the dust with a tack cloth or a slightly damp rag.

Step 4: I have always used oil-based stains in the past (not sure why) and tried a water-based stain on this coffee table for the very first time...and I was sold right away!! I picked SAMAN water-based interior stain (color: colonial stone) - other than the oil-based stains this one is odorless, low VOCs, cleans up with water and dries in less than an hour. The coverage is outstanding and you usually do not need more than 1 coat. Make sure you only slowly stir the stain and not shake the can. I applied the stain with a staining pad (always following the woods natural grain), waited a minute or so and then wiped off the excess stain with a lint free rag. I waited until the next day before I applied the top coat.

Step 5: I needed a durable topcoat for this one and therefore decided to use an Acrylic Polyurethane Wood Finish rather than a wax or oil finish. The fairly inexpensive Home Hardware (water-based) Beautitone Wood Shield product worked surprisingly well (I actually planned to use General Finishes High Performance - one of the top products on the market but it was sold out at Lee Valleys). Make sure you look for a product that is NON-YELLOWING (I learned that the hard way in the past). Wood Shield was VERY EASY to work with, very thin (which makes it easy to apply) and almost odorless. You can either use a good brush (e.g. Wood Shields Acrylic Polyurethane Paint Brush) or in this specific case (=table top) I like using a paint pad from the Dollar Store and simply put a nylon tootsie over the pad (I usually do this when applying the very last coat) - this gives you a super smooth finish without any visible brush strokes. Make sure you very lightly sand in between coats with a 220+ grit sandpaper to knock down the swollen fibers to maintain a smooth surface. For a table top you need at least 3-5 coats.