~Operation Table Top~

It took a little elbow grease but the tea table has a new finish.

This is an old refectory/butterfly/extending table which we have had for decades and it always sat in the kitchen. It is still very sturdy. Now it sits in the corner at the sunny side of the windows and it just needed a bit of a makeover.

Sanding was the only trying part. Using an electric sander and it seemed to go where it wanted to. My back didn’t like it. *ugh*

Sanding Tip: After sanding, tack sheets worked great as the dust was everywhere. One sheet goes a long way and 2 were used on this project. Use them if you sand, they really pick the dust up.

Setting up for drying was a bit bungling. These types of tables are in sections and they had to be set apart from each side so as not to stick together while drying. I finally got this one up after it falling back into place time and time again. *Repeat after me – I am too old for this –Not–Maybe…*

The last step was brushing on a protective coat. Since being water-based it dried outside within an hour and at the day’s end the table was brought in.

Discoveries: The top is not solid oak. You guessed it, I sanded a bit much in a spot and to my *woopsies* a bit of particle board was now peeping through. Wood filler worked just fine and luckily it was just a small spot. This table is very heavy so the assumption of it being solid was always there in thought.

This was an easy Mrs. Shecky project. It went a lot faster than predicted. Weather played a part in stain timing in that it needs to be wiped off quicker than I thought, but all worked out and this table is officially off my to-do list. I think this will last another few decades and hopefully never be painted over.

And now… we eat and drink tea.