Walnut sideboard--refinish or not??

[germdoc]

I have a walnut sideboard table I use for a dining room table--about 4x10 feet or so--very nice piece. The stain is a dark stain with a reddish tint which might be similar to a red mahogany.

I really have no idea of the age--could be 20 years old, could be 60.

The finish needs reworking. There are a few areas with water stains, and also an area that was damaged by a hot item--finish dulled. There are also a few pockmarks where the finish chipped off. The legs are in excellent shape, it's just the top that has troubles.


I don't know what the finish is--shellac? poly? lacquer? My question is whether most people would try to buff out the dulled areas and fill in the pockmarks, vs. stripping and restaining the whole top. And, if you do redo the top, what stain and finish would you use for a piece that will get a lot of abuse and water exposure?

Any thoughts? (I will try to post a pic later this week when I pry the digicam from my kids' hands...)

[poolhound]

Would be interesting to see pics when you can get them. To completley strip and refinish seems like a heck of a lot of work. If you are considering both options it seems like a good idea to at least attempt to repair the top first. If it works - great, but if you dont like the result you can still resort to the total strip and re-do.

[Russianwolf]

If it were going to be sold, I'd say strip and refinish (with a good penetrating oil finish).

If it were an antique that you wanted to maintain, I'd say leave it be.

If, as you say, it's a functional piece that will continue to be used everyday, I'll say try the simple repairs. No sense going through a lot of trouble that may be messed up again in a couple months.

[Pappy]

The finish I used on the bar I built a while back is still hold up to the abuse. I'll have to check the can and get the name for you. You might be able to scuff the top without breaking into the wood and add a top coat but that wouldn't address the water stains.

[germdoc]

Here are pics showing full-length view of table and close-up of "pockmark":

[Knottscott]

From an antique/collector perspective, it might be taboo to refinish it, but from an owner/user perspective I definitely would.

[poolhound]

If you have ever watched the way David Marks does inlays you could use a similar technique to patch this.

[germdoc]

I would like to just fill in the pockmarks, go over the "old finish" with steel wool, then add another coat or 2 of finish. I'm just not sure what kind of finish.

I'm guessing shellac because it gets watermarks with just about any water exposure, which usually go away with time. A couple of times hot dishes have been placed on towels which have led to persisting dulling of the finish.

On the other hand, maybe I should just rub in some more Old English scratch cover? Then I can put off a decision for awhile...