Expert: Greg Scholl - 3/8/2010

Question
QUESTION: First of all, I am a novice but I don't expect professional results. Just good results!
I have a casual kitchen dining table, that was inexpensive when I bought it 20 years ago. It needs refinishing badly. I believe it's a soft wood, and it looks like basswood ( very light, no knots, not much grain ) or possibly poplar?  Could it be mechanically sanded, or should I have it hand-sanded? I'd like to finish it myself, using something like Watco Danish Oil, because I strongly dislike lacquer or polyurethane finishes, I prefer a natural looking finish. I want it to be fairly simple to do, yet with nice results. How many coats of Watco D.O.would I need? How about Tried-and-True instead, or another easy to apply Danish Oil product? (I'd like to avoid any wet sanding.)Any hints or advice will be much appreciated. Thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Katrina, it's likely not Basswood, but Maple, or something similar, but the best way to prep any finished table top is to strip it with stripper. Sanding does not remove the old finish completely enough at the pore level,( the only exception there is a floor sander which removes almost an 1/8" of wood), which is important if you want to use a penetrating finish. The best of these oil finishes is WaterLox, and the "original" will give you a Satin finish with the best durability...better than Watco. 3-4 coats with 24hours between each should give you good protection with the 'look' you're after, just make sure to follow the directions and apply it properly, wiping each coat off well leaving thin applications per coat.Post back if need be- regards- Greg

http://www.citristrip.com/

http://www.waterlox.com/desktopmodules/fathomecom/Catalog/ProductDetail.aspx?ct=

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Greg, I have a hunch it's not maple.......softer woods are generally cheaper and it wasn't expensive enough to be maple!Maybe poplar, or something else as you say.  However, I'm very glad to know about the stripping method, as dust and fumes do bother me.  This Citristrip sounds excellent for my purposes.
I'm reluctant to use Waterlox because I have just read that it creates a lot of strong fumes.  Is there another choice that would have fewer fumes? That is more important to me than getting the most durability. Again, I do not want to be sanding in between coats of anything. I thank you for your very helpful advice.  Best wishes, Katrina

Answer
All of the oil finishes will be fairly stinky because of the solvents. It's hard to get the look of an oil finish without using an oil finish, though. You could use a wipe on urethane, which will 'build' less than a conventional poly...and offer decent protection. Minwax makes a decent wipe on,( and a new waterbased one), but my favorite is Generals Gel Wipe On Satin urethane. A table like this will wear rather rapidly as  it will get a lot of use, so a urethane will give you better protection and durability, and the General in particular, has a very low odor compared to many others..no sanding between coats, either. Hope that helps- Greg

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2005555/16557/Clear-Satin-Topcoat-Gel-Stain--Qu

http://www.minwax.com/products/water_based_clear_protective_finishes/water_based

http://www.minwax.com/products/oil_based_clear_protective_finishes/wipe_on_poly.