We really like wood furniture. We generally prefer dark wood finishes, but many of the second hand pieces we’ve found have had light finishes. Thankfully, some patience, a sander, and some stain can solve this.
Recently, over the course of about a month, I refinished our bedside tables. Previously, I refinished the coffee table and the living room end table.
The bedside tables started out a with a finish I’d describe as ‘honey colored’.
I quickly realized that my belt sander was not well suited to these tables. So, I acquired a Black and Decker Mouse sander. This little guy was much better suited to the job. Also, you can clearly see the difference between the already sanded areas and the yet to be sanded parts.
It took a long time to strip off all the old finish. Once the old finish was off, though, subsequent sandings went quite quickly.
Once the sanding was done, I started in on the stain. I used the same stain I used on the coffee table and end table. I think the color is ‘Espresso’. I’ve gotten decent coverage — four pieces of furniture out of only one quart, and there’s still some left.
The color is especially striking above, when you compare the table with a coat of stain to the table that is still raw.
It took three or four coats of stain before I was satisfied with the color.
After I was happy with the stain, I applied the top coat. I used a spray on, ‘satin’ finish.
And there you have it!