in particular refinishing.

i have a oak kitchen table here that the wife wants me to get rid of the light stain on it and re stain it a much darker colour, to match the dark counters and cupboards in our new house.

I can provide pics if anyone here can help me out.

I want to "strip the stain off if I can, I would like to try to avoid sanding if possible.


thanks all.

I've refinished a couple of older radios and this worked for me.

stripping

Use a gel stripper such as Circa 1850 heavy body paint and varnish remover. Any stripper will work, but the gel strippers are easier to control than the liquid stripper. You apply the stripper, wait for the finish to blister and remove it with a scraper. Avoid contact with skin, it can burn if it gets on you. Remove all excess stripper and give the table a through wash with water.

Sanding/ prepping

Inspect the table for any residual finish, remove any with a fine sandpaper. Dremels are great for the tight spots. . give the complete table a light sanding with a fine sand paper (180 grit or better) Clean your workspace to ensure there is no dust in the air. (very important as it could end up in the finish)

Staining

Wipe your project down with mineral spirits to capture any residual dust. Let dry and apply stain. (the final finish is a stain/finish combination so take the time to really research the finish you want. Home Depot/Rona have displays on all their products. Give them a good inspection. I prefer gel stains, again because they are easier to apply) Apply the stain with a brush or cloth, let it sit as per directions, and wipe away with second cloth in the direction of the grain. Inspect and apply again until satified. Be aware the stain will not look exactly as it will when finished. To get a better idea of the finished look, wipe down your project with mineral spirits.

Finishing

Once you are satified with the stain, apply the finish. I prefer miniwax Polycrylic, but you have many options. The big thing is to know the overall finish you are looking for. For example, on old radios a gloss finish looks really nice, but a satin finish would most likely better fit your project. Apply light coats of the finish following the grain of the table where possible. I find foam brushes work best for this, as even the more expensive bristle brushes seem to release bristles into the finish. Remain vigilent of runs. Once the layer has set, apply additional coats until you are satisfied. Usually 3 or 4.

The big thing with a project like this planning and preparation.  Have a plan to deal with the bi-products, such as the used stripper and paint supplies (the stripper/paint waste will be everywhere. detailed area cleanings will be required). Also give thought to how you are going to stain/finish the complete project before starting in. ie don't paint yourself into a corner. Be aware that projects like this are not child or pet friendly and will create fumes and dust. In my opinion are best left as a summer project so that they can be done in the garage. When buying your materials, buy extra and keep your receipt. You can always return the unopened cans

thanks man.


So the Finnish is like a "sealer"?

Yes, I suppose so. I would consider it a protector, like clearcoat on a car. There are many different types, such as wax, varnish, polyurethane.

Quoted from Kingston Pete

Yes, I suppose so. I would consider it a protector, like clearcoat on a car. There are many different types, such as wax, varnish, polyurethane.

aah, gotcha.

As for the stripper, will that remove old stain? I am not 100% sure that this table is stained, but I am 99% sure.

Shall I take a pic for you?

You can if your concerned, but keep in mind I'm no refinishing expert. I've done a few projects, and they came out pretty nice. When you remove the finish you will have bare wood. So unless your table has some elaborate design stained in it, I wouldn't worry about it. You said your going with a darker stain anyways.

If you were going the other way (dark to light) there would be a reason to be concerned. You would have to removed the darker stain to reveal the original wood, which would be a challange. In your case, once you add the darker stain to the bare wood it will just soak up the color. I assume right now you have a light oak stain. Once you remove the finish, the wood will look almost white. From there just start coating with dark stain until you hit the shade you want. The key is getting the shade you want. the longer the stain sits on the wood the deeper the color will get. I end up staining two or more times because I don't want it to get too dark.

Here are some examples

Do you see what I mean? Once the original finish is removed the wood becomes much lighter in colour.

Quoted from Kingston Pete

Do you see what I mean? Once the original finish is removed the wood becomes much lighter in colour.

yup i see that, thanks. What product did you use (jelly stripper)

P.S. Kingston and Radios... U are not a Rad Op/Sig Op by chance are you?

Circa 1850 heavy body paint and varnish remover. You can get at Home Depot/Rona/Canadian Tire.

Just make sure you get the right product, the Circa 1850 furniture stripper is in a similar can and seems to make more sense to buy if you were stripping furniture, but it is a liquid.  Much more difficult to deal with.

I'm not a rad op,  but I am working for the same employer.  I was an electrical generating systems technician. working with diesel power plants and the like.

Quoted from Kingston Pete

Circa 1850 heavy body paint and varnish remover. You can get at Home Depot/Rona/Canadian Tire.

Just make sure you get the right product, the Circa 1850 furniture stripper is in a similar can and seems to make more sense to buy if you were stripping furniture, but it is a liquid.  Much more difficult to deal with.

I'm not a rad op,  but I am working for the same employer.  I was an electrical generating systems technician. working with diesel power plants and the like.

Right on, I will look into it, thanks.

I am a dirty rad op myself, I will be in Kingston for most of Feb and a bit of march doing some "schooling"

Thanks for the help, I will be getting down to business in the spring in my new garage

If you get any spare time while your down this way, your welcome to drop over for some beers and pin.

Quoted from Kingston Pete

If you get any spare time while your down this way, your welcome to drop over for some beers and pin.

Kewl, whatcha got for pins?