Refinishing my Table Project

So I have this Kitchen table.  I inherited it and I don't like it very much.  I thought about just buying a new one, but I don't have any money, and this one is really a good quality table. I just don't like it.  So I decided to refinish it.  I didn't have anything to lose because It wasn't my favorite anyway.  So, here is the before pics.  I forgot to take them before I hauled it to the garage.  But it is this orange oak look.  Don't mind the messy garage.

Fg

So I started reading how to refinish a table.  There is plenty of resourses out there.  I decided to Strip the old finish off.  I used some citristrip to do that. It sat for about 7 hours to let it do its thing.  Then I scraped all the finish off.  It is super cool to strip this gross black stuff and see what is below.  Some people recommended to just sand the finish off.  But I kindof liked the stripper idea because then my sanding was less.  

So after stripping, I had to wipe it down with Mineral Spirits.  This step was also only suggested by some.  But it got off the excess stripper and finish.  Because if you have excess old finish, the new stain won't look right.  

Then I used Wood Conditioner.  This was only used by a few websites too.  But I think it made the wood look much better.  

 Finally it is time to Stain. I used this Dark Walnut stain from Minwax.  Here is the table with the stain on.  I wiped it off and here was the result.  I decided to make it darker because most recommended two coats.  So I added another coat.  Then another for good measure.  Because then I was out of stain and that had to be the color.

 This is the color after the stain. I absolutely love it.

I also used some protective layer on the top of the stain so it would hold up to all the wear and tear.  That's why the top is shiny in the below pictures.  That was three coats of painting it on and drying.  

Now onto the base.  There was a million suggestions for what to do.  Most people just painted the base white.  Some used Chalk Paint which is expensive and others didn't.  I decided to just use  Behr paint with primer.  If you buy it over July 4, you get a $10.00 mail in rebate.  All over that.  So, I washed it really well (probably the first time since we have had it)  and sanded it so the paint would stick.  I had to paint it a bunch of times because the stain would bleed through.  I didn't have that trouble on the top because I took off the stain.  Most of the suggestions were to use primer.  So I just used more of my primer paint.  I think finally I got all the spots covered.

.

 That is the final product for the table.  The pics are not very good because I realized I didn't have an after pic.  Here it is.  I really am proud of myself.  I can't believe I actually did that.

Bountiful Ridge Golf Club

Jack and Nick are playing in the Bountiful Ridge Golf Club that plays Mondays at 7:00 am.  There are like 150 kids that play every Monday.  Here is Jack walking in.  Nick wasn't there this day.

These pics are stupid, except I was driving along Bountiful Blvd and saw Jack playing from the street.  He is in the blue shirt and dark socks.  Just fun to see him.  

Nick The BatBoy

Nick was the Bat Boy for the Orem Owlz again.  He does a great job and it is fun to watch.  Since he has done this a few times, I didn't get many photos but thought since I have some photos on my phone I should at least post them here...This is all I took.  I didn't even get any of the supporters that were there....Michelle, Marti, McKenna, Brooke, Trey, Abi and Jack.  That was it.  But it was super fun to sit outside on a summer eve and watch some Baseball!

He is on the far left in the gray pants

Tear A Part and a New Handle

I have been so busy this summer getting all the odds and ends accomplished.  It has been so fufilling.

We had a fender bender in the Green car from Grandma a few months ago. It would have cost around 7,000 to fix it.  So decided it needed to go.   I finally got around to getting rid of it.  I couldn't remember to do it except when I was driving in or out of the driveway and forgot as soon as I got inside.  I had Tear A Part come and get it.  I had to have the title and ID.  Got both.  Got 100.00 for it.  Plus they towed it away.  Win.  So glad to have it out of my driveway.

We also broke the door handle off the shower door in my bathroom.  It just broke and left a sharp edge a few of us have encountered.  I couldn't find one at the local stores so I had to order one.  Ordered it and it was too small.  Dang.  I also paid 6.00 for shipping.  I hate to pay shipping.  So, I was thinking of ordering one again, and this time I ordered from Home Depot.  If they ship to the store, there is no shipping, and its easier to return.  It was there before the morning.  Yahoo.  Installed 10 minutes.  Plus it was a total of $5.50.  Well, if you add in the one that didn't fit it is around  20.00.

Hogle Zoo with Jim

Abi, Jack and I went to the Zoo when Brooke was working the Bird show.  We wanted to make sure and see her in action.  She controlled the crowd very well.  Got everyone seated.  We watched the bird show which is fab.  One of the birds flew up in the tree instead of his perch during the show.  Then after that, he flew out of the zoo and got run over.  Wow.  We were the last to see that bird perform.

This was not the bird, not sure why I have a pic of this Bald Eagle.  Jack I think took this.

4th of July

Fourth of July started on Sunday.  We went to a free concert in Layton at the Ed Kenley Ampitheater.  It was pretty good but hot.  

I didn't go to fireworks because there is not a really great place to go since our usual fireworks place closed a few years ago in South Salt Lake.  Plus I don't want to be hot.  So I made a Fourth of July treat instead.  Here are Red, White and Blue Rice Krispy Treats.  They Kindof look like yuck here but the were better when you got more in the middle.

That night I decided to take a bath.  I used the Bath bomb that Brooke gave me for Christmas.  It was a great and relaxing idea. However, there were soo many fireworks close - more than I have ever heard - that went on forever and I kept thinking if  my house starts on fire, I will have to run out naked!  

Here is your lunch

I teaching Summer School and didn't have a lunch.  Brooke went to the store and get something for me.  I woke up and here was the note in the fridge.  Made my whole day.

Scout Camp for Nick

Nick spent a week at Scout Camp just one day after returning from Trek.  This is him after he got home.