Wanting to topseal a kitchen table?

9 years ago

I've never posted in this forum before.

I have an old kitchen table I want to topseal. I think. It's a big ole slab with a couple leafs that are always in place.. and it is the table I grew up with, has a lot of pings and dings I want to keep intact if I can.

The old varnish on it is old, from the 80's I think. My sister regularly wetmops it and it turns the varnish murky while it's wet... and that won't stop till around October or so, and I want to take time this fall to clean up the table and seal it so it's nice again.

I know I'm going to need to do some sanding for cleanup, but I'd like to keep it kind of in the state it's in, just with a topcoat to preserve and resmooth the table surface with something clear.

What should I use to topseal my table?

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Comments (4)

User
9 years ago
First, use a stripper to get the old finish(probably varnish) off.

Then use a random orbit sander(Hook and loop is the better choice) pads and start with 100 grit. Work up through 120 grit to 150 grit. If you are going to apply a stain, stop at the 150 level and apply the stain. Then lightly(hand sanding block) remove the nubbies raised by the stain with 220 grit.

The best water resistant finish will be polyurethane. But poly chips and is difficult to repair without sanding and applying new to the entire top.

Non poly varnish is easier to repair(as in fixing small spots) but can be water stained easier of wet dishware/vases are left in place long term.
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lindac92
9 years ago
If it turns murky when wet it's shellac...take some denatured alcohol and a bunch of very fine steel wool and paper towels and scrub off all that old varnish. No sand paper if you want to preserve all the sighs of loving...like the nicks and dings.
And I know the purists shudder, but I would use a polyurethane with a semi gloss or eggshell finish. Use at least 3 or 4 coats and steel wool between coats....and it will be impervious to water alcohol, grease and all but hot dished out of the oven.
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AnnKH
9 years ago
I refinished my grandparents' dining table 3 years ago - stripped to bare wood, sanded, 4 coats of poly (as Linda described). It is silky soft to the touch, and cleans up like a dream. We do use placemats, but there are still spills, and they wipe right up. My goal was not restoration, but function, and it's both beautiful and practical.

Here's a photo in progress - I don't have a final one on this computer.
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beesneeds
Original Author
9 years ago
I so rarely post in this area, I had almost forgotten I posted about this.

Thank you folks for responding. Right now it's looking like I will be able to get the table out of regular use by the end of the month. And we are hosting Thanksgiving this year, so I have till then to get this project done.

lindac92, you probably understood what I meant best by my OP. I don't want to strip or refinish the table- I want to preserve the table the best I can with a good cleaning and topcoat/sealant. When you say take off the old varnish- I assume you mean the shellac layer? Or do you mean all the base stain color too?

I think I'll probably want to go semi-gloss for the topcoat. What are recommendations for what to use for this? If I looked for polyurethane at the big box hardware place, I wouldn't know deck sealant from table finishing stuff.