Refinishing Conference Table

[John Mark Lane]

Hi Folks,

I don't get over to this part of the Creek that often, but I'm hoping some kind soul(s) will be able to give me a little advice.

We were given this conference table. It's pretty decent (replaces the one in the background, which one of my partners bought and I always hated). The finish is a bit old, a little cracked in places, some minor scuffs and scrapes and dings. I was initially thinking I would just give it a light sanding and a couple of thin coats of poly. When I wiped it down with windex, it looked pretty nice all wet. So then I started thinking maybe I would just buff it with some paste wax.

What would you do?

Thanks!

Mark

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/jmarklane/IMG_0211.jpg

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/jmarklane/IMG_0214.jpg

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/jmarklane/IMG_0213.jpg

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/jmarklane/IMG_0212.jpg

http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/jmarklane/IMG_0216.jpg

[Scott Holmes]

Stay far away from poly.

Poly has a nasty habit of not sticking to itself or anything else for that matter. Also poly is tough, not hard. Hard is better on a table. Wax probably will not last long since the finish has cracked. Cleaning to remove all dirt grime polish etc will be very important. Silicone polishes are a real problem for the new finish; especially for poly.

Stripping and refinishing would be a reasonably strait forward job. You need to determine what finish is on there now.

Here's a link to an article a buddy of mine wrote...

http://www.hardwoodlumberandmore.com/TipSheets/WhatIsThatFinish.html

[John Mark Lane]

Thanks, Scott. But what the heck is xylene?

Mark

[Scott Holmes]

Xylene is available at the big box stores or auto paint stores.

Nasty stuff.

It's used to work auto finishes most often.

[John Mark Lane]

OK, thanks.

[Tony Bilello]

More than likely it is a lacquer or conversion varnish finish. I would clean it several times with a good wax remover and shoot a vinyl sealer over it as a test area approx. 2' X 3'. Wait about 2 hours and take sandpaper to it and also a cabinet scraper. If it scrapes off and sands off but DOES NOT peel off, then you are in luck. Just clean the whole thing again with wax remover (several times), shoot the whole thing with vinyl sealer and then top coat with a pre-cat or post cat lacquer.