08/29/2026
I waited almost a YEAR to tackle this table⦠and it nearly broke me. š
My dad's friend had been waiting patiently for me to refinish their M.F. Co. Strathmore mahogany dining table, so I finally decided to take it onāwith one big disclaimer: I'd never refinished a table this size, and I wasn't sure I could recreate the original finish.
And then I discovered the biggest challengeā¦
They only gave me the tabletop and leaves.
So I had to colour-match the top to the existing base⦠without actually having the base in my garage. š³
I stripped away years of cracking lacquer, repaired scratches and imperfections, used Mohawk Blendal Sticks for a few stubborn marks, and mixed a custom stain using Fruitwood, Mahogany and Dark Walnut.
Then came Mohawk sanding sealer, Perfect Brown toner around the edges, and four coats of pre-catalyzed lacquer.
And let's just say⦠the lacquer stage did NOT go as smoothly as this video makes it look. š
I battled some blushing along the way, and 400-grit sandpaper, blush retarder andāmost importantlyāTIME became my best friends.
The final colour ended up a little brighter and lighter than the original, but once everything came together, it blended beautifully with the existing baseāand thankfully, they were thrilled with it. ā¤ļø
And this project reminded me exactly why I've decided not to take on commission work anymore.
I love restoring furniture.
I just don't love having someone else's furniture sitting in my tiny garage while I'm worrying about every single step. š