Table Progress Happiness!

Blogging is amazing, you put something out there and you just know opinions and ideas are about to come your way. When I posted about my dining table arriving "dressed" in a moss colored finish, the solution to a problem was provided through your comments!

{Finally, a photo taken during sanding that ALMOST shows the green tone of the finish!}

Soon after the table arrived my Dad was at the house and we nimbly sanded a bit of the finish off, selecting a safe little spot on the apron of the table leaf. The wood looked great immediately, with the green disappearing and in its place a tone revealed that I had thought I was getting in the first place. Okay, so I am going to sand it all down. Then what? The character of the table nearly requires it have a natural worn finish, stain and polyurethane would most likely ruin the authentic character of the reclaimed wood. But how do I protect the wood from spills?

Well, I knew an answer would come, at least I had discovered the color was fixable!

Then after posting about the situation several of you suggested a furniture wax used by furniture makers called Briwax. After doing a bit of research I realized I (well, you...) had found my answer.

So next I got to work and sanded the entire table top. Now I am usually one brave soul when it comes to jumping feet first into a project, even if I've never done it before. I figure any surprises can always be worked around and you won't know if you like it or if it works until you try. But this time, I have to admit, putting the sander to the table top I felt fear.

Fortunately that only lasted a few seconds. When I saw the results of the first pass, wow, I could see this table was going to be gorgeous all sanded down! And it is, table top and sides done, now to just find some time for the legs...

I used a very fine grit sanding paper, not wanting to over-sand and loose the character: just the green.

Next, a trip to Home Depot for additional supplies: tack cloth and the furniture wax. The store did not end up having Briwax in stock. However, I happened upon two exceptionally helpful sales people, one who has used both Briwax and Howard Citrus Shield natural paste wax, and prefers the Howard brand. Okay, sold. But Briwax comes in many tones, and I had intended to use the clear option, to keep the table looking as natural as possible. Wanting to make sure there was no color in this brand's wax, they opened up the can to check. Don't you love it when sales people WANT to help you?!

Back home I wiped a section of the table top clean with tack cloth, removing any remaining dust...

...and rubbed a bead of wax onto a small section. At first I was pretty nervous seeing the wood turn quite orange, much deeper than seen in the photo. Oh no, I hope it "dries" clear!

It did. Table happiness for sure. Now to just get those pesky turned legs sanded down, that is probably going to be a little more time consuming than the table top. I put in a call to my Dad, "want to hang out and sand table legs?" The phone was quiet on the other end. I think I have my answer.