A refinish project - table top

Rick Prosser

Member
Messages
377
Location
Midlands of South Carolina
A friend of mine asked if I could refinish an old table top. This is not an heirloom piece, but I want to do a decent job with it. I have not done a project like this before. I have some idea of what to do, but I can always use good suggestions and guidance.:thumb:

I just picked up the top - no frame or anything.

TabletopWeb.jpg

The top is about 30x44x1.25 is size. It is pretty heavy, and I think it is heart pine.

tableCloseWeb.jpgtableEdgeWeb.jpg

The coloring on the back is about the same as the front. I don't know what kind of finish was applied. (Any ideas?) As you can see from the photos, it has been used. It has some scratches and gouges in it, but none appear to be more than 1/16" deep.

The request was to remove the scratches and refinish. (I don't know yet if he wants gloss or satin)

I can sand it down with the orbital sander, but maybe a hand plane would be an option? Don't have a drum sander to use.

I kinda like the way it looks now, but I think he wants it to look like new. Once I get the top smooth, I need to apply some type of finish. Any special considerations for pine (if that is what it is)?
 
If you have to sand to 1/16", keeping it flat would be the trick. You might think about making some block sanders that you can use by hand. Yeah, I know, hand work is a PITA. But it can be a safe way to do it. These sanders are made with belts from handheld belt sanders. The substrate for the insert can be anything really, as long as it's flat. The insert should be tight.

As for finishing, that would depend on your skills and equipment. Do you have the ability to spray?



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