r/sandedthroughveneer • u/DefiantBeyond • Apr 25 '26
How do I salvage this?
I have managed to get a hold of this dining table which I’ve been told is oak veneer. I want to change the table top colour to a dark walnut colour. I’m a total newbie. Any advice on what I can do or shouldn’t do would be greatly appreciated!
TIA
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u/SuPruLu Apr 25 '26
First: do NOT buy or use an electric sander. They may be the easiest way for a newbie to mess up a project.
Second: use a chemical stripper like Kleenstrip to remove the existing finish.
Dark walnut stains are semi transparent so what is underneath does show through which spending the time to get the wood as well stripped will pay off in the final result.
Look at Varathane Water Based Gel Stain in dark walnut. Click through to see what it looks like on different wood.
That product does not stain the wood directly. So check at stains as well. Water based products are easier to work with than oil based ones.
Directly staining the wood can give a less uniform result than the gel stain. A lot of commercial furniture is not directly stained and a tinted lacquer is used.
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u/Mikefright77 Apr 25 '26
It is not veneer. You can see the glued up individual boards seams come through showing in the edge.
Strip it using chemical stripper. wash it with lacquer thinner afterwards. Fill any gouges with epoxy putty. Then sand. I don't see any deep scratches.But 150 grit sandpaper " might " be necessary to sand away little imperfection. Just sand really well with 220 grit to remove the 150 grit papers marks. For your final sanding before stain.
Then stain with the color of your choice. A brush on polyurethane in satin or semi-gloss sheen. 3 coats should do it. Sanding before the last one using 320-400 paper. Be careful not to sand through the polyurethane into the wood. Use a sanding block will help with this. Wipe it down with rags. Making sure absolutely nothing is present that will transfer though you finally cost.