October 4, 2023
Your farmhouse will never be complete without a rustic farmhouse table. But before you zero in on a particular farmhouse table, you need to consider whether it will fit well with your farmhouse dining room. Since most farmhouse tables are made of natural wood, you will need to provide your farmhouse table with an excellent finish. Besides, you would surely want a finish that suits the decor of the dining room and the matching chairs.
Refinishing old farmhouse tables is essential to revitalize and give them a new and decent look. So, if you have a farmhouse table that you need to refinish, you need to know the dos and don’ts of refinishing a wooden table. Moreover, you need to be cognizant of steps to refinish a wooden table if it’s your first time doing it.
Best Finishes Suitable for Farmhouse Table
Aside from knowing the straightforward steps on refinishing your farmhouse table and providing it with a rustic look, it will also help to be cognizant of the following most recommended finishes for the farmhouse table.
1) Waterlox TB 6044
The Waterlox TB 6044 is easy to apply and goes well with a cloth roller and brush. It also works well with lambswool and spray. This finish is a Tung-oil-based finish. It penetrates well the wood fibers and can waterproof the wood surface.
Moreover, it can provide a protective finish against external moisture, spills, and scratches. You can use this finish to provide your farmhouse table with a new and natural appearance, sans sophistication.
It is easy to use. It can dry quickly within a day between coats. But make sure that when you apply coats of this finish, the place where you do the finishing is well ventilated and has proper humidity. When this finish dries, it becomes non-toxic. Besides, it offers easy maintenance compared to other finishes.
2) General Finishes Wood Stain (Water-based)
The General Finishes Stain provides quality pigments that can produce dark rich colors for your farmhouse table. You can apply it by hand using foam, or you can spray it on the wood surface. You should use this stain only for indoor furniture like an indoor farmhouse table.
It is like the oil-based stain but got a water base. Thus, it doesn’t give off a strong odor, and it has low VOC. It is also easy to clean up using water and is not combustible. You can also make your custom colors for your table surface by mixing various GF stains.
This finish is susceptible to damage from external factors like snow, rain, and humidity. Hence, if you buy this finish online during cold winter days, the shipping of this item might be delayed.
You need to wait for one to two hours for this stain to completely dry. You can also apply it using a paint pad, foam, or brush.
3) Minwax 255554444
The Minwax 255554444 provides your farmhouse table with a new look and a protective film against moisture, scratches, and moisture. It offers a crystal-clear appearance, and it dries quickly. You got four options when you choose this finish. You can go for satin, gloss, matte, and semi-gloss finish.
It provides your farmhouse table with protection against abrasion, chipping alcohol, and water. It also offers a professional finish that will provide your table with a rustic look.
The Minwax 255554444 is a polyacrylic finish that is water-based. Hence, it is less smelly. It is also non-toxic when it dries. Moreover, it is easy to apply even if you use it in a non-ventilated area.
This stain is easy to dry and work with. It also offers a durable finish to your farmhouse table.
Simple Steps When Refinishing Your Farmhouse Table
If it’s your first time refinishing your farmhouse table, you might be a bit fidgety about how to do it. But if you are familiar with the following succinct steps on how to do it, you will get by with the refinishing process with ease:
Step 1: Prepare the Surface by Sanding It
The most time-consuming aspect of refinishing is the preparation of the table for refinishing. The prep-up process of the table surface requires sanding. The reason behind the need to sand before applying a finish is to scrape away by friction the rough fiber of the surface.
The surface should be free of all oil and dirt before finishing. In short, you need to clean it. You can start prepping the wood by using progressively finer grits. Refrain from sanding using very fine sandpaper. Instead, use a medium paper at the onset. Then, transition to finer grades. Moreover, you should also not over-sand.
You can use an orbital power sander if you have one. You can also use this tool likewise to buff out in between coats. I would suggest that you hand sand the topcoats. If you are sanding a new wood, you might need to sand more to improve the finishing. After sanding, you can vacuum the table. Then, take a damp rag to wipe out the remaining dust.
Step 2: You Should Apply a Wood Conditioner
One perfect way to condition the wood before finishing is by applying Minwax’s Pre-Stain. This wood conditioner is easy to use. You need to let it soak for one to two minutes. Then, wipe the excess conditioner. You can wait up to 15 to 30 minutes before sanding the surface lightly with 220 grit sandpaper.
Afterward, you can stain the surface within two hours. The recommended time between conditioning the wood and staining the wood is around fifteen minutes to two hours. You should avoid letting the conditioner dry before staining, for it may lose its effect. Moreover, the results might even be worse than you expect if you let it dry before staining.
If you don’t use a wood conditioner before applying the stain, the stain will not evenly distribute. This is because the surface has varying porosity and density. Blotches may appear in the wood. So, it will be best to apply a wood conditioner before staining the wood.
Step 3: Then, Apply the Chosen Stain and Polyurethane!
If you want the wood to look like it did when you first bought it, you need to apply almost the same type of stain to the wood. To apply stain, you can use a staining pad. Let the stain sit for two minutes. Afterward, you can wipe the excess stain.
Allow it to dry for a day. Using foam, you can apply the polyurethane. Then, allow it to dry for six hours. Afterward, sand it lightly using 220 grit sandpaper. Then, you can apply a second coat. After that, allow the stain to dry for twelve hours.
Tips to Achieve a Rustic Look on Your Farmhouse Table
As a farmhouse owner, you would like to achieve a rustic look for your old table. You don’t want it to lose its simple look by applying a sophisticated stain. Here are simple techniques on how to keep the rustic looks of your farmhouse table:
Dry Brushing
Dry brushing is one technique that can come in handy if you want to make your table look rustic. You can use an old paintbrush that has hard bristles for dry brushing. Dip the brush onto your paint or stain.
Then, you can start brushing using rapid movement. Don’t cover the entire table surface but keep your brushing strokes in various directions. Afterward, you can use sandpaper to do away with paints.
Rinsing Technique
Another technique you can use to render your table an elegant rustic look is the rinsing technique. It works best on raw wood. It is also a removal technique. You can begin painting the surface and allow it to dry for some minutes.
Before the paint totally dries, you can swiftly rinse the surface with water. Gently wipe the table surface using a rag. Afterward, wash off the excess paint on the table surface.
Woodblock Technique
Another way to create that rustic look on your table is by woodblock technique. You can dip the woodblock’s end in paint. Then, drag the woodblock along the wood’s surface. You can paint several layers as you wish.
But before you do so, you can practice this technique on scrap wood to get the hang of it. Then, you can do it on the table surface.
Sanding Technique
The sanding technique is the most straightforward technique you can employ to get that rustic look for your table. You can use this technique on both unpainted and painted wood. You can provide the surface with a natural look by randomly sanding the areas.
Sanding, of course, can provide that organic appearance to the table surface. You can also repeat the process as you apply several paint layers. Let each layer dry before you randomly sand the surface.
Wet Paper Technique
This technique is another method worth trying to achieve that rustic look on your table. You can employ this technique by getting a piece of paper and tearing it into smaller pieces. Vary the sizes of the torn paper. Afterward, dip in water each piece.
Spread the paper across the wood. Don’t let the pieces of paper dry completely. But before they dry, paint the wood while you lift each piece with care off the wood surface. This technique will give the wood surface a seemingly rustic look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Knowing the best finish for a farmhouse table leads you to zero in on the best options. Nevertheless, it will likewise help if you are familiar with the frequently asked questions, for they might also be the questions you have in your mind:
How To Finish a Farmhouse Table?
The preparation for finishing is as necessary as the actual finishing. So, you must spend time sanding your table before applying the finish. To sand well, you need to use tools like a sander, pre-satin conditioner, stain finish, brushes, sandpapers, and water-based satin.
What Popular Satin Colors Should You Choose for Your Farmhouse Table?
The best satin color for your farm table is brown color or coffee. These two colors can blend with ease with the table surface. Thus, these two colors would look beautiful and provide your table with that nice rustic appearance.
Conclusion
Time will surely come when your farmhouse table will need a refinishing. When that time comes, you will need to confront the question as to which finish to choose from among the myriads of options at hand. However, if you know what the experts recommend, you can quickly limit your choice to the best options.
You would surely love to have a rustic finish for your farmhouse table. Nevertheless, you don’t want a sophisticated finish that would seem incongruous to the rustic theme of your farm. So, it will help to zero in on a finish that will provide your farmhouse table the rustic look that it had before. Lastly, you want something that complements well the farmhouse ambiance.
Jason is a 40-year-old woodworker, carpenter and author who have been involved in the woodworking and woodcraft industry with 17 years of experience. He is expertise in technical aspects, woodcraft and furniture building projects.