Occasional table

Smarten up an old varnished occasional table with this effective combination of Resene products.

Ways with wood with Mark Rayner - Project 40

Difficulty level: Moderate

You will need: An old varnished occasional table, a clean cloth, detergent and water, nylon pot scrubber, paintbrushes, paint scraper, paint stirrer, sandpaper, solvent resistant gloves and protective goggles. Resene Strip-Off paint stripper, Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, Resene Aquaclear waterborne urethane varnish (satin), Resene Colorwood Enhance in Resene Jarrah and Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Brown Pod.

To get the look: Mark painted the background wall with Resene SpaceCote Flat tinted to Resene Trinidad.

Other ideas: For a pale effect use a combination of Resene Aquaclear mixed with Resene Colorwood Enhance White and Resene Lustacryl tinted to Resene Colonial White.

Step one
Lightly sand the old varnish with sandpaper.

Step two
Wearing gloves and goggles, apply a generous amount of Resene Strip Off to the table top and leave for at least 30 minutes.

Step three
Once the old varnish has softened, carefully remove with a paint scraper, running in the direction of the grain. Repeat if necessary.

Step four
Remove any stubborn residue with a nylon pot scourer, rubbing in the direction of the grain. Scrub down with a weak mix of detergent and water to completely remove residue. Allow to dry for 24 hours and lightly sand, wiping off any sanding dust with a clean cloth.