Old oak table

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Wyn

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Have an old oak table that belong to my grandparents. Was beat up really bad over the yaers.
I took it down to the bare wood and filled in the dents and scares with wood filler. Made it good and smooth again. I figure it has to much filler to stain so I want to paint it, but I want it to shine like a mirror. Can someone tell me do I put some kind of clear over the paint or what. Thanks for any ideas you can throw my way.
Thanks!
 
If you used wood filler with saw- or sand-dust from the table it won't be such a problem with spots, I think.
 
If the oak has aged and turned quite dark I would be tempted to try and colour the woodstain to match the surrounding wood. Even if the colouring isn't so dark this might be worth doing. It seems a shame to paint it so I would use a varnish on it.

It sounds as though you've sanded it back to get rid of the dents so you would need to thin the varnish with white spirit (turpentine? - don't know the US name for this) and then give it progressive coats rubbing down with 000 wire wool between each one. This will build up a hard wearing finish that may be polished up to give a shiny surface at the end. - or you could always use french polish but that's going to be hard work and not recommended on a well used finish.
 
If you've used alot of wood filler on the table top, you'll never stain it to look satisfactory - the wood filler will always stand out especially if you use readily available stains such as oil based ones which will fade terribly over time, making the filler stand out like a sore thumb.

If you paint it and want a glass like finish, you will have to get it spray finished. Any other hand applied painted finish or finish (laquer) over paint will look awful as the brush marks will build up and give a ropey finish.
 
Thanks alot for the info. everyone. You've help me much! :)
There is alot of filler on the table. To many places on the table to ever think about being able to stain it. :( That is why I have to paint it. But I want the paint to look real good with alot of shine.
The table is really bad like I said before and I wouldn't even think of fixing it, but it was my grandmothers and she thought alot of the table when she had it and she once told me that she bought it long before I was born and I'm now 45. So maybe it's worth hanging on to. :wink:
Thanks again!!
 
Going to try to post these pictures to show you what I am up against.
I'm still thinking about veneering the top, but I can't the split post and that one leg. Even thought about making a new leg for it. But I'm still faced with fixing the center post.
100_1101.jpg


100_1100.jpg

Thanks!
 
Oh dear.
Did you know that wood filler comes in various colours? That colour match doesn't look the best that I've seen. It's probably a bit late to attempt to use a darker one now :cry: I think you'll need to get the paint brushes out :lol:
 
The paint which will give a mirror finish is called High Gloss and is more expensive than normal paint. But that table mate, well what can you say, have you ruined anymore furniture :D

On Oak being a corse grain it would have to be primed and undercoated a few times, but even then you may get a few imperfections in the high gloss finish
 
TexMex, yes I know I can get different colors but I already had that color filler and I was going to paint it a lighter color than what the table is so I figure it wouldn't matter.


But that table mate, well what can you say, have you ruined anymore furniture
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How do you figure I ruined it. I care alot about it cuz it was my grandmothers table. I wanna use it and have it looking good enough to use. Kinda hard to use with dents and cracks all over it. I knew it was to bad to ever stain it so I thought I could get help here about painting it. Not everybody knows everything there is to know like some people.
But I guess the internet has it's cuts everywhere you go. :roll:

I thank you alot to most for your help. :)
I'll move along now! :(
 
heeelllooo wyn and welcome :lol: :D

please dont take any comments personaly they are ment light heartedly
it does look a bit drastic when you first see the picture :shock:
but you are spot on with what you are doing you are refurbishing the table that has great sentimental value and using it in a way you will enjoy it :wink: :wink:
 
Freddie said:
On Oak being a corse grain it would have to be primed and undercoated a few times, but even then you may get a few imperfections in the high gloss finish
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Nor necessarily so. Depending on how the pieces were cut from the log/tree. Quarterly sawn pieces don't have a corse grain, only the tangential can have.
 
Wyn the smillie after my comment meant it was a light hearted dig, a bit of a joke, just a bit of fun remark thats all. dont take it so seriously.

As regards the grain of the wood, if you have seen a " high gloss finish " you will know it shows every imperfection up.
 
Freddie said:
As regards the grain of the wood, if you have seen a " high gloss finish " you will know it shows every imperfection up.
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Yes I agree, but that has nothing to do with 'corse' grain.
 
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