I have a very nice solid wood dining room table(oak i think), with veneer top. Can I stain without sanding ?

Question

The table top is in great condition, the wood is about 4inches in thickness. Hard to find a table these days of this quality, but I need to update the style. Do I have to sand if using a gel stain, or just clean top well with something like mineral spirits?

Answer 1

If you sand LIGHTLY, just enough to remove finish, you'll be fine, and can use regular stain.  Gel stain will work, but you'll need a graining tool and a poly top coat.  Gel stain chips.

Answer 2

Light sanding with an orbital sander just enough to remove the FINISH you wont get the stain out because it is soaked into the wood. where there are profiles you will have to hand sand with the paper wrapped around something to fit go with 100 grit to start and then finish up with 220 by hand sanding with the grain. there are several "one step" stain and finish together products available do your first coat with a lint free rag for your color then very light scuff sanding to get rid of "bugs" and finish with a second coat of clear.

Answer 3

Most likely there is a coat of lacquer, varnish or polyurethane on top of it,. If this is the case you will have to atleast sand if not strip the finish off prior to  re-staining it. Do not use mineral spirits at all! If you are going to sand it, use 180-220 grit sandpaper.100 grit will ruin the table top! If you chose to strip it brush the stripper on let it sit for awhile then take a scrapper and carefully scrape off the majority of the stripper and the finish.  Mix 1/2 lacquer thinner and 1/2 denatured alcohol together soak 000 steel wool in it and scrub it really good. Let it dry thoroughly sand lightly and it will be ready to stain. Be careful not to over sand, you can burn through the veneer easily. If stripping always wear gloves and a mask and only use in a well ventilated area.

Answer 4

First I have to question what your speaking about, you say "solid wood" then with a "veneer top" two different animals.

       If it's solid "Oak" then  check for marks and scratches. If it's clean you can sand it lightly or not, up to you.  If  I were doing it, I wouldn't want different shades to interrupt the color so, I think, without seeing it, I would take the stain out as much as possible, then re-stain to get an even coat.

        If it in fact has an veneer, then this is a different story. You'll have to judge for yourself if taking the stain out will bring out the veneer and make it look like an "add on" maybe it's best to test it first, see what happens with the veneer.