2011 July

Refinishing the Buffet

27 July 2011

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So the project is in full swing. It’s my very first time attempting to refinish a piece and not just paint it. So far, so good!

With no idea about what I was doing, I headed into the wood finish department and did what I do best: asked for advice. I had two guys going back and forth, helping me figure out how I was going to best breathe new life into my priceless treasure. After much discussion, we decided it would be best if I left the bottom of the buffet untouched and simply used a wood pen and polish to spruce it up since the majority of the issues were on the top. We figured that I can always go back and do the bottom if I find it necessary. I do think that one day I’ll have a professional redo the entire thing, so for now, I’m focusing on the top.

I came home with all the supplies the guys told me I needed and referred to my notes that I had taken. I was soon hard at work, sweating away, breathing in heavy fumes. Seriously, my head was ACHING afterward. But besides the headache, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it really didn’t need quite as much elbow grease as I had thought. Soon the varnish was gone, and the results were already looking spectacular!

before....

in the middle....

There were a couple of stains, one of which is right in the middle and because if its purplish hue, I assume is wine. I couldn’t get it out, but I figure it’ll add a bit of character, right?

Stripped!

Although I hadn’t bought stain because they had told me that there was a chance I wouldn’t need it, there was no doubt that a simple coat of polyurethane wasn’t going to cut it. I left the Refinisher/Conditioner to dry overnight, and the next morning I headed down to Fred Meyer and to pick up a tub of mahogany wood finish. While Ellie played with Daddy, I set back to work. I finished within an hour, and was surprised again: with one coat of stain, the top matched the rest of the piece – it was awesome!