This is a nice solid oak table with an 18″ leaf that was in need of refinishing. The clear finish on the table top had worn through from years of use. It did not come with any chairs so my plan is to paint it in a clean white to make it as neutral as possible.
I am getting better at remembering to take before pictures but I did not get a ‘before’ picture of this table. This picture does give you an idea of the condition of the table top finish.
I began this project by washing it with TSP and sanding to remove the finish. The pedestal base is made up of a straight 6″x6″ piece of solid oak and I want to add some interest to the shape. Using some leftover pieces of molding I miter cut them to fit around the base, then glued and trim nailed them in place.
I caulk all the joints of the trim pieces and prime the base with BIN. Using primer will help the white paint have better coverage over the different types of wood in the base.
Time now to work on the table top. I give it a good wash with TSP to remove dirt and oil build up from years of use. Using my orbital sander I sand the table top and skirt to bare wood. Now is a good time to give the table top a second wash with TSP to remove any remaining oil from the wood that could cause the new finish to fail. Let it dry overnight before painting the table skirt in GF Snow White and stain the top with GF Ash Gray. After the stain has dried a minimum of 24 hours, apply the first coat of GF High Performance Semi-gloss. The top received 3 additional coats of GF HP, allowing time to dry between each coat.
For this Restyled White Pedestal Table, the combination of the GF Snow White with the GF Ash Grey stain work well together for a more modern and up to date style.