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		DO turn trash into treasure. Refinishing is a great way to spruce up an old piece of furniture that would otherwise end up in the junkyard. If the piece is too large or too complicated for you to handle, consider professional furniture restoration. DO allow enough time for your finish to dry before you use the item. If the table feels sticky, it’s not ready yet. DO get the number of the best pizza place in your neighbourhood, in the event of a dinner party emergency. DO make sure they deliver. Have them enter by the back door. DO sprinkle flour on your face and hair to make it seem as if you have been slaving over pizza crust all day.

Lessons in stripping!

1. You will need a can of liquid stripper, a tray to put it in, a small paint brush, and a scraper. Your wardrobe for stripping should be safety goggles, heavy-duty rubber gloves, and a long-sleeve shirt. (If you want to wear a g-string, please be aware that the chemicals in the liquid stripper can do nasty things to bare skin. Also, be aware of what the sight of you in your backyard wearing safety goggles and a g-string can do to your neighbours.)
   
2. Pour some of the stripper into the tray and dip your brush into it. Make sure the brush is loaded with stripper. Lay it on thick and spread it evenly over the area with a brush. Then the chemicals will start to do their thing.
   
3. Take your scraper and gently scrape the old finish off the wood. Go with the grain of the wood and let the stripper do all the work.
   
4. Using medium and fine-grade steel wool with your scraper will help you strip all parts of the table.
   
5. Sand the table several passes each with medium and then fine grit sandpaper. Use a dry brush to remove the dust. Now your can stain the table! Yipee!
   
6. Dip a clean cloth into a bucket of stain and wipe it onto the table. Go with the grain of the wood. This is not a time to be a non-conformist!
   
7. Before you apply the finish, make sure the stain is completely dry and your table is dust-free. Any dust or lint particles will end up in your table permanently if you finish over them. Same thing with bubbles in the can of finish. A can of finish is not a tambourine. It doesn’t need to be shaken, just stirred. (Apologies to James Bond.) If you shake it, you run the risk of creating bubble that will end up in the finished table. As Brigitte tells us “Bubbles in finish equals tears.”
   
8. Apply it evenly and allow three hours for drying time between coats. Lightly sand between coats as this will help the finish adhere to the table. Just watch out for dust/sand particles. Three coats will give you a nice finish.
   
9. When you are finished… with the finish, enjoy your “new” heirloom, sure to be featured on “Antiques Roadshow” in the year 2103
   

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