How to Refinish an Antique Coffee Table

Refinishing an antique coffee table takes time, patience and a lot of care. After all, an antique is not just another piece of furniture, it usually has style, function and lots of character and you don’t want to lose any of these during the process of refurbishing something so meaningful. Use quality materials, read the manufacturer’s instructions and with a lot of care, the careful craftsman will be rewarded with a beautiful piece of the old world that will last even longer.

Step 1 - Close Examination

Under a good light, closely examine the piece of furniture being considered for refinishing. Check all joints for tightness of fit. Ensure that all wood is in good condition and nothing is rotting. Look for cracks or missing plugs, screws or furniture pieces. Missing pieces will have to be bought or rebuilt, missing screws need to be replaced and all joints should be re-glued.

Step 2 - Remember Safety

Be sure to wear eye protection, gloves and old clothes before attempting to work with paint remover. If necessary, also consider wearing a respirator face mask if using a caustic paint remover.

Step 3 - Remove Old Finish

This is probably the most important step in refinishing an antique coffee table and should be done with a high-quality paint remover and great care. Apply thin coats of remover and gently scrape off layers with a sharp putty knife. The sharper the knife, the easier the work will go. Once the paint remover has been mostly removed, use a piece of sandpaper, no coarser than 100 grit, and carefully remove any remaining old finish.

Pay very close attention to removing all of the old finish from joints and hard to reach areas. If necessary, use the steel wool in the 00 grades to get around difficult areas. The closer attention to detail paid in removing old finish, the better the new finish will look. After using the 100 grit sandpaper, work up to the 220 grit and strive for as smooth a finish as possible.

Step 4 - Apply New Finish

Although wood stains abound in the market place, most antique woods have their own unique coloring and it may be advisable to skip putting a new stain on a piece of antique furniture. This is an optional step. Next, begin by mixing a solution of 50% varnish to 50% mineral spirits. Using a quality brush with evenly balanced brush strokes, begin to apply this solution to the hardest to reach pieces of the coffee table. Do not forget to do the undersides as well as the topsides of all pieces. 

When thoroughly dry, apply a second coat of 100% varnish. Allow this coat to dry overnight. Using the 0000 steel wool rub this coat out thoroughly and wipe with a dry cloth. Apply another coat of varnish, rub out with steel wool and wipe again. Finish with an application of hard floor wax.