Antique Parlor Table: From Wobbly to Wonderful (Pt.2)

When last we saw this antique parlor table, it was in pieces.

In last week’s blog post (Antique Parlor Table: From Wobbly to Wonderful), I showed how I created a new brace for the legs. Now watch how this table gets back on its feet!

Step Four: Refinishing the Top

The legs and lower shelf of this table were in shockingly great shape. But there were a few scratches on the top that I wanted to eliminate.

So, I began sanding carefully with 220-grit paper. I was 100% sure this table was solid wood and not a veneer (a thin skin of decorative wood over a lesser quality base). I may have been 100% wrong.

Despite being very careful during sanding, I ended up with some bald spots that look like I went through the veneer. Whether they were the result of a veneer issue or just a flaw in the wood, I needed to fix them. Grrr….

There were so few small spots of damage that I wanted to try to rescue rather than replace the top. So I first drew lines to replicate the wood grain with wood stain pens. Then I lightly sanded over the marks to blend them naturally with the original grain.

And here it is after the first round of stain. After the second round, you’ll never know there was damage! Every mistake is an opportunity to learn something new, right?

Here is the top in progress — look at that grain! This shade of stain is Minwax® “Red Oak.” Next, I’ll add a light coat of “Espresso” to warm up the tones. Then I’ll apply three coats of Minwax® Polycrylic in satin finish to protect the newly stained surface.

Step Five: Reassembly

As you may recall from last week, I had to replace a missing brace to hold one leg in place. Here it is in place as I’m reattaching the other legs and braces.

Then I treated the legs and lower shelf with my favorite furniture salve from Wise Owl®. Look at that century-old wood glow!