What can I say about last week? It is over. I am healing. I got some rest and I continue to try to not over do. That is so hard for me! I did finish one of the projects that was taking so long.
I have dining room table that I love. But sixteen years of life, it needs some care and attention. I have never refinished anything in my life. I found the above teak table on the side of the road. Someone wished to get rid of it.
This is how it looked in the beginning. Scratched but not gouged. There is one place in the top with a divot. It looks almost like a bb was pressed into it. It was made in India but it is solid teak. I decided if I was going to learn to refinish this was a good place to start.
I took about eight hours to sand the table. Even as I was sanding it, I realized that the original finish hid the beauty of the wood. I did go back and work on the legs more from here. I also went back and resanded everything again after the table sat overnight. The humidity in the air brought up more of the grain.
Then I stained it. The top is a Jacobean and the legs are a New Colonial. The top stain color gives some black without it being black to it. I thought this might hide dirt and crumbs a bit better. The New Colonial stain actually makes the wood look very similar to what it looks like naturally when covered in finish but you can see the wood. I really think the original creators used a colored polyurethane to finish the table.
Four coats of polyurethane went on the top. Three on the bottom. I sanded between layers.
It is just a beautiful thing. And the top is so smooth. My Beloved told me I did a wonderful job.
I really enjoyed refinishing this. I now know I can refinish the dining room table. A Pottery Barn table that was purchased for about half off. Actually more. If I were ever to replace it, it would be because it dies a gruesome death somehow. In this house, that is not out of the question. Next time, I am building my own table. It will be probably the same shape and size. Maybe a touch larger.
This table? I do not have a place for it. I am going to sell it. It is four feet long, 18 inches high, and 14 inches wide if anyone is interested. If you are interested, email me.