To finish, I buffed the surface with wax, creating a smoother, more satisfying result. Refinishing this table has been an ongoing experiment, but seeing it restored, and knowing I did it myself, makes it all worthwhile.

Fast forward a couple of years, and the finish had dulled and worn again. This time, I stepped up my game. Armed with a proper paint scraper and a spray bottle for the thinner, I stripped the lacquer much more efficiently.

Then, I sprayed on new lacquer with an aerosol can. Lacquer is fascinating to work with—it fuses with previous layers, so you can touch it up with thinner alone. The result was decent but left noticeable spray marks. The table was protected, but it wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for.

My first attempt, two years ago, was a learning experience. After figuring out it was lacquer, I picked up some lacquer thinner and got to work. Back then, my tools were basic. I wiped off the old lacquer, lightly sanded the surface, used steel wool, and cleared the dust with a tack cloth.

Join me on the journey of breathing new life into our well-loved second-hand table 🧵

oops 🦷😬

did you know press and hold unlocks the en/em dash on iphone — today I learned