A Ravenswood man who prides himself on bargain shopping found a 7-foot-long pine dining-room table and chairs with the style and price he wants ($250 for the table, $50 to $60 for each chair), but he’s not thrilled with the white crackle finish on the wood. Is it worth it to buy the dining set and refinish it in the shade he wants, he asks, or should he keep shopping?
“Whoa. I’d keep shopping,” says Jamie Bennett, of Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse store in Rockford. “It’s more economical to keep shopping no matter how inexpensive the set. I could see it if it was a great historic find at the flea market, but to buy a new piece and refinish it-no way. Your labor will cost you more than the products you will buy.”
If the shopper is determined to see this through, however, Bennett says he should plan on spending between $85 and $100 for the needed refinishing supplies, and set aside about 60 hours for the refinishing process (see below), depending on how intricate the design is.
Bennett says it’s harder to refinish soft woods, such as pine and cedar. It’s easy to get blotches when staining because the stain soaks in more in some spots than in others. Hard woods, such as oak and cherry, are easier to work with, he says.
The refinishing process includes: removing the old finish with chemical strippers or paint removers (you may have to bleach the wood); sanding (choose wet/dry 240- or 320-grit sandpaper that has a stronger backing); staining the wood with an oil-based or water-based gel (allow about 24 hours for stain to dry before sealing); sealing wood with at least two to three coats of urethane (allow about 24 hours for urethane to dry before applying next coat); sanding between urethane coats; and wiping dust away. If dry spots are noticeable after the second or third coat, that’s your signal to add another coat of urethane because the finish should be smooth.
For more information on furniture refinishing, check out Lowe’s step-by-step guide at www.lowes.com.
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