# Refinish antique



## paulf615 (Sep 12, 2015)

So I'm looking into refinishing this antique table. Ive done many simple refinishes by using paint stripper and then using matching stain and poly but on this table there is a painted on ring that goes around the table. I was wondering after the table is all stripped down and restained how do i repaint this ring?
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## mako1 (Sep 12, 2015)

I doubt that ring is painted on.It is a wood veneer inlay.The whole table top is a wood veneer and is starting to lift  at the edge of the wings.You can strip and sand as usual but sand carefully.Veneer varies a lot in thickness and you don't want to sand thru it.Pay close attention while sanding where it is lifted.


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## paulf615 (Sep 12, 2015)

mako1 said:


> I doubt that ring is painted on.It is a wood veneer inlay.The whole table top is a wood veneer and is starting to lift  at the edge of the wings.You can strip and sand as usual but sand carefully.Veneer varies a lot in thickness and you don't want to sand thru it.Pay close attention while sanding where it is lifted.



Im pretty sure its a solid wood table and that it is painted on but ill check again.


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## mako1 (Sep 12, 2015)

Some better pictures may help but from the pics you posted I believe I am correct.


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## slownsteady (Sep 12, 2015)

If the wings fold, you may get a better look at the edge to see if it is veneer.


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## beachguy005 (Sep 13, 2015)

Given that it appears to be pretty uneven, and you can see some of the wood grain through it, I don't think it's an inlay.  I would suspect that someone stripped the original finish and used tape to create the circle, then stained over it.  Much like painting a pinstripe on a car. The lighter color is just the unstained wood.


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## mako1 (Sep 13, 2015)

I did not scroll over and see the third pic.It does look like paint.I've refinished a lot of those old tables and they are usually inlay.Still looks like a veneered top.


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## bud16415 (Sep 13, 2015)

The table doesn&#8217;t look like a real valuable antique but it looks like a nice piece worthy of fixing up. If it was very valuable I would advise you to do nothing but clean and polish it as doing more would just take away value. Stripping it and staining and finishing it is the most extreme method of refinishing and if it is a veneer chances are the veneer will lift and you will be left with a lot of work. They sell a product that used to be called Formby&#8217;s furniture refinisher now you can get that or others have copied the idea. 
https://www.formbys.com/products/refinisher/
I would use that as it keeps the closest to the original finish. Then I would go over it with tung oil. 

You will most likely lose the circle as it was masked and stained on the surface I believe.


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

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K so heres some better quality pics of the table. First let me tell you the back story of how i got this table. So my brother was helping an older women move into a new place. They came across this table and my brother offered her for me to redo the surface. She went on telling him how it was passed down from her grandmother and its been through some wear. So she told my brother she would pay what it takes to get it redone. Ive stripped down a couple tables before but i don't know how to go about the stripe and i want to return it to her looking as if its the first day she bought it so id like to keep the ring or make a new one when i strip the table top (as long as its not veneer)


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> The table doesnt look like a real valuable antique but it looks like a nice piece worthy of fixing up. If it was very valuable I would advise you to do nothing but clean and polish it as doing more would just take away value. Stripping it and staining and finishing it is the most extreme method of refinishing and if it is a veneer chances are the veneer will lift and you will be left with a lot of work. They sell a product that used to be called Formbys furniture refinisher now you can get that or others have copied the idea.
> https://www.formbys.com/products/refinisher/
> I would use that as it keeps the closest to the original finish. Then I would go over it with tung oil.
> 
> You will most likely lose the circle as it was masked and stained on the surface I believe.



I looked it up and lowes actually carries that exact product. i have two concerns with using this product. ; one i do want the ring back if its possible; two will this stuff be strong enough to remove the big white blotch in the middle of the table.


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## beachguy005 (Sep 13, 2015)

If you're going to strip it down to bare wood, the only thing I can suggest is to use autobody pinstripe tape, unless you can get painters tape that thin.  I would also make a jig with a couple of scraps of wood to use as a guide along the edge of the table to lay out the circle.
Once you start to restain, don't load up, just use a light touch and a damp stain cloth when you go over the tape.
I'd also practice on some scrap wood to check for any stain bleed under any tape you try.
Of course....you could also ask her if she still wants the stripe.


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

beachguy005 said:


> If you're going to strip it down to bare wood, the only thing I can suggest is to use autobody pinstripe tape, unless you can get painters tape that thin.  I would also make a jig with a couple of scraps of wood to use as a guide along the edge of the table to lay out the circle.
> Once you start to restain, don't load up, just use a light touch and a damp stain cloth when you go over the tape.
> I'd also practice on some scrap wood to check for any stain bleed under any tape you try.
> Of course....you could also ask her if she still wants the stripe.



That seems like a pretty good plan but I'm just wondering if i can use normal stripper


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## beachguy005 (Sep 13, 2015)

Depends on what the existing finish is.  Try doing a small area.


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## elbo (Sep 13, 2015)

given its presumed age, I wouldn't sand or strip the table. I would get a good wood cleaner ( I believe that Formby's makes one ) and clean all the crud that built up over the years, then touch up any bare spots , then wax the table with a hard wax like "Johnson's paste wax"
If is still not acceptable then all bets are off and you can do whatever you think best


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

elbo said:


> given its presumed age, I wouldn't sand or strip the table. I would get a good wood cleaner ( I believe that Formby's makes one ) and clean all the crud that built up over the years, then touch up any bare spots , then wax the table with a hard wax like "Johnson's paste wax"
> If is still not acceptable then all bets are off and you can do whatever you think best



Im on a bit of a budget so i don't want to be trying things that might not work to get what i want. Now im thinking of using the formbys furniture refinisher but my biggest concern is removing that big old white spot in the middle of the table and I'm not sure if it will remove it.


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## beachguy005 (Sep 13, 2015)

What is the white spot?  Is it on the finish or in the wood?  Everything is going to revolve around that spot.  The refinisher you want to use may not even be the right one....again, depending on the existing finish.

Per Formby's website: 
The Cotton Ball Test


Not sure what type of finish you have?

There's an easy way to tell whether an old finish is going to need Formby's® Furniture Refinisher or Formby's® Paint & Poly Remover.

1) Dampen a cotton ball with acetone-based nail polish remover.
2) Choose an inconspicuous test spot and dab it with the cotton.

If the cotton sticks or the finish softens, it's varnish, lacquer or shellac. Use Formby's® Furniture Refinisher.

If there is no effect, it's a polyurethane finish. Use Formby's® Paint & Poly Remover.
--------

If the white spot needs to be sanded off, you're probably going to need to take it down to bare wood and refinish it completely.


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

Ya i actually already did that test and it is a lacquer. I think the white spot just effects the surface, hopefully


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## bud16415 (Sep 13, 2015)

When you use the refinisher it melts the old finish and lays it back down. So what you will get is a perfect match over the area that&#8217;s bleached out and white. The stuff in your coffee can you ring the steel wool out in will become the new stain. You will however loose the circle.


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> When you use the refinisher it melts the old finish and lays it back down. So what you will get is a perfect match over the area thats bleached out and white. The stuff in your coffee can you ring the steel wool out in will become the new stain. You will however loose the circle.



Could i paint on a new circle after i use the refinisher. And then use tung oil to finish it


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## bud16415 (Sep 13, 2015)

paulf615 said:


> Could i paint on a new circle after i use the refinisher. And then use tung oil to finish it



I don't see why you couldn't. mask off the top and then rig a razor cutter to score the tape and spray the circle.


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## paulf615 (Sep 13, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> I don't see why you couldn't. mask off the top and then rig a razor cutter to score the tape and spray the circle.



Spray? Do you think i could just paint it on with a brush because i don't think i could find a close color match with spray paint. Also would tung oil be a good finish for a table or should i use something more protective like a polyurethane.


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## bud16415 (Sep 14, 2015)

Yes you could brush it on. The finish is determined by the usage. If this is to be a show piece an oil finish would be perfect if it&#8217;s going to sit in the kitchen and have stuff spilled on it daily a tough poly sounds right.


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## elbo (Sep 14, 2015)

is your hand steady enough, is your eyes good enough, is your hand / eye coordination good enough to make the circle of tape absolutely true ? If your answer is no, then you are going to screw it up royally.
I would try every alternative suggested here before you consider paint


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## paulf615 (Sep 14, 2015)

elbo said:


> is your hand steady enough, is your eyes good enough, is your hand / eye coordination good enough to make the circle of tape absolutely true ? If your answer is no, then you are going to screw it up royally.
> I would try every alternative suggested here before you consider paint



Well once the table is stripped then ill use a 2in tape around the aproxamite area of the ring then ill mark out a perfect circle on the tape and cut it out with a razor. This way ill have a perfect ring if my hand is steady enough to cut it which i think it is. No one has really suggested a better way of redoing the ring.


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## oldognewtrick (Sep 14, 2015)

Go to a craft store and see if they have a little paint roller pen/brush. Make a jig to hold the roller and use the edge of the table as a guide.


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## nealtw (Sep 14, 2015)

Get a large peice of thick paper and a peice of plywood bigger than the table. Make a jig out of something like a yard stick with a screw in one end and a knife set at the radius of the table.. Staple the paper to the plywood and cut the paper the same size as the table. Carefully cover the outer few inches of paper with doubles sided table and move the screw 1/2 the distance to the line and replace in the same screw hole in the plywood and cut a peice that will stick to the outside of the table, move the screw again 1/2 the width of the line and stick the center of the paper to the table and sprey the line.
Or head down to the vinyl sign shop and tell them what you need and they can make it for you.

It will not be an antique when you are done. It will be a table circa 2015


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## paulf615 (Sep 14, 2015)

nealtw said:


> Get a large peice of thick paper and a peice of plywood bigger than the table. Make a jig out of something like a yard stick with a screw in one end and a knife set at the radius of the table.. Staple the paper to the plywood and cut the paper the same size as the table. Carefully cover the outer few inches of paper with doubles sided table and move the screw 1/2 the distance to the line and replace in the same screw hole in the plywood and cut a peice that will stick to the outside of the table, move the screw again 1/2 the width of the line and stick the center of the paper to the table and sprey the line.
> Or head down to the vinyl sign shop and tell them what you need and they can make it for you.
> 
> It will not be an antique when you are done. It will be a table circa 2015



75% of the things you say, i have no clue what your talking about, and the other 25% is brilliant. I think ill start with the refinisher and see if i have any problems up to then then we can talk paint.


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## nealtw (Sep 15, 2015)

Just order a stencil from someone like this.
http://www.modellodesigns.com/general.asp?idno=1287


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## beachguy005 (Sep 15, 2015)

I'm going back to one of my earlier suggestions. Find out if she even cares about the stripe.  It's not inlay, it's not even, it detracts from what's a nice little table, and clearly it's not something you're very comfortable with doing.
Strip the finish off and sand it down to bare wood, then refinish it.


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## paulf615 (Sep 16, 2015)

beachguy005 said:


> I'm going back to one of my earlier suggestions. Find out if she even cares about the stripe.  It's not inlay, it's not even, it detracts from what's a nice little table, and clearly it's not something you're very comfortable with doing.
> Strip the finish off and sand it down to bare wood, then refinish it.



So she just wants to resell it once its done so she'd prefer for the stripe to be there but i don't think I'm going to bring it back. I just need to make it look as good as possible so I'm also probably going to use tung oil


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## slownsteady (Sep 18, 2015)

She's going to sell it? What's your cut of the profit?


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## paulf615 (Sep 18, 2015)

slownsteady said:


> She's going to sell it? What's your cut of the profit?



Haha shes just giving me 50$ to do the job


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## paulf615 (Sep 21, 2015)

So i used the formbys refinisher today to refinish the surface of the table and i think it looks good (ring is gone and stain lightened A LOT). However i did go through a lot of the refinisher using 1 quart to refinish the top surface and it took some work. I will definitely be getting another can to do the base. Just wondering if there were any recommendations on using the refinisher more efficiently so i don't go through as much. Should i be using steel wool instead of the fine refinisher pad, and how should i apply it to the table because i was sort of just pouring it on which could have waisted a bit


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## elbo (Sep 22, 2015)

I've never used it, but if I did, I would have followed the directions, and if I still had questions, I would contact the mfgr.


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## paulf615 (Sep 22, 2015)

elbo said:


> I've never used it, but if I did, I would have followed the directions, and if I still had questions, I would contact the mfgr.



Well the directions said to use steel wool but i just figured that would make a mess and wouldn't work well idk


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## bud16415 (Sep 22, 2015)

I use steel wool and put the refinisher in a can or dish. As I told you before it becomes infused with the old stain and finish and that is good because when you return it into the can ring it out and it will darken the mix. By the time you are done the stuff will be almost like stain and you can blend in light areas by going over them more. The steel wool also helps get the finish off with a slight cutting action. Once you get it where you want it you can wipe it down with a soft cloth and then let it dry and go at it with the oil finish.

Can you post a picture show us what you have now.


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## paulf615 (Sep 23, 2015)

bud16415 said:


> I use steel wool and put the refinisher in a can or dish. As I told you before it becomes infused with the old stain and finish and that is good because when you return it into the can ring it out and it will darken the mix. By the time you are done the stuff will be almost like stain and you can blend in light areas by going over them more. The steel wool also helps get the finish off with a slight cutting action. Once you get it where you want it you can wipe it down with a soft cloth and then let it dry and go at it with the oil finish.
> 
> Can you post a picture show us what you have now.



What type of steel wool (course medium or fine). I will try getting pictures tomorrow


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## paulf615 (Sep 23, 2015)

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Heres a decent picture of the table top


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## paulf615 (Oct 4, 2015)

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Here's the finished product. I think it came out great but I couldn't have done it without your recommendations so thanks for the help.


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## beachguy005 (Oct 4, 2015)

Great job...looks much nicer without the racing stripe.


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