Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Help Needed!!! Paint a Dining Table

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littleyatou
03-01-07, 01:42 AM
I bought this old dining table set recently and would like to paint it to have a modernish look. The table is really heavy and sturdy, but that's all I know. I'm not sure what type of wood it's made of and I don't know anything about wood painting either. Here is a picture of the table's surface (http://www.flickr.com/photos/7154502@N07/406583880/). This is my first DIY project ever and I'm looking for some detailed 101 help here so that I can finish it smoothly without destroying the table :) Many thx in advance!

marksr
03-01-07, 07:03 AM
The table appears to be made of oak. Are you wanting to paint it or refinish, maybe with a darker stain?

To paint you would first clean it to remove any wax or oil and then sand. Use a solvent based primer and then finish with 2 coats of enamel.

To just make a darker shade of wood you have 2 choices. Strip of the finish, sand and restain, then apply 2-3 coats of poly. You can also use minwax polyshades to darken the finish that is already on the table. Prep, lightly sand, wipe off dust and apply the polyshades. Because polyshades is tinted it needs to be applied evenly to keep the color consistent.