Rainy Morning
Rainy Morning

New Dining Table

I’ve been casually shopping for a new dining set all summer. Our old Ikea table was pitted and scratched from little kid abuse, and everyone tries to steal my chair because it’s the only one with padding. It was time to upgrade!

I looked in stores and on the used marketplace and finally landed on a green chair set with cat-proof vinyl fabric.

Table shopping was trickier - we just wanted the features and size of our current table! I asked Jack if he would refinish the table for me as a paid job and he readily agreed!

Old scratches
Old scratches
This kids used to dig their forks into it
This kids used to dig their forks into it
The old varnished had yellowed a lot too. Jack revealed the blonde wood underneath.
The old varnished had yellowed a lot too. Jack revealed the blonde wood underneath.

He spent most of Labor Day weekend sanding off the damage, then working it down to a fine grit. I decided on a dark stain to match the chairs and stand out against the similarly colored wood floor. Jack applied two coats of stain and two coats of polycrylic topcoat. After a few more days of drying the table came back inside! He did a great job!!

Final wipe down
Final wipe down
ta da!
ta da!
I love it!
I love it!
Cat approved
Cat approved

Scratch-free for now, but I declared that we don’t need to baby it. My philosophy is the house is meant to be used comfortably. It’s a soft pine, so it would be a losing battle anyway. In another 10 years Jack can refinish it for me again!