Kitchen Table and Chairs Makeover with Light Greige Stain and White Paint
Step-by-step guide made from Black Sheep House's YouTube video.
Refinish an oak veneer dining table and chairs by hand-sanding the tabletop, applying a water-based whitewash pickling stain, layering an oil-based grey-brown gel stain, and sealing with wipe-on polyurethane. Paint the table base, carved skirt, and matching chairs white, then accent the carved details with a custom-blended dark decorative wax.
- Difficulty: beginner
Safety
- Wear a particulate dust mask while sanding existing furniture finishes to avoid inhaling fine wood and finish dust.
- Oil-based gel stains and wipe-on polyurethanes are flammable; lay stained rags flat to dry outdoors or submerge them in water before disposal to prevent spontaneous combustion.
- Wear disposable gloves when applying stains, waxes, and oil-based polyurethane to protect your skin.
Must know before you build
- Hand-sand oak veneer with a block, always with the grain, to avoid sanding through.
- Allow water-based whitewash to fully dry before applying oil-based gel stain to prevent lifting.
- Use gel stain, not liquid stain, over whitewash for even color; liquid absorbs too differently.
- Ensure oil-based gel stain is fully cured before applying wipe-on poly to prevent stain lifting.
- Wipe back all excess gel stain thoroughly to avoid a sticky tabletop finish after drying.
- Lay oil-soaked rags flat to dry or submerge in water to prevent spontaneous combustion.
Tools
- Dust mask (disposable particulate respirator)
- Sanding block (hand sanding pad)
- Bench brush (hand dusting brush) (optional)
- Disposable gloves (clear plastic gloves) (optional)
- Plastic cup (disposable cup) (optional)
- Applicator sponge (hand sponge)
- Chip brush (disposable bristle brush)
- Paintbrush (angled sash paintbrush)
- Mini foam roller (small paint roller) (optional)
- Drop cloth (protective floor covering) (optional)
Materials
- Oak veneer dining table and chairs (1 table with chairs, wood furniture, oak veneer tabletop with carved apron and pedestal base)
- Sandpaper (abrasive paper, 80, 120, and 220 grit)
- Water-based wood stain (1 can, water-based pickling stain, Minwax, White Wash Pickling, 32 fl oz (1 US qt / 946 ml))
- Gel stain (1 can, oil-based gel wood stain, Varathane, Briarsmoke, 1 US qt (946 ml))
- Paper towels or shop towels (disposable wiping towels)
- Wipe-on polyurethane (1 can, oil-based polyurethane topcoat, Minwax, Wipe-On Poly)
- Cotton t-shirt rags (lint-free wiping cloths)
- Interior acrylic latex paint (1 can, acrylic latex paint and primer in one, Sherwin-Williams, Cashmere Interior Acrylic Latex, Pure White, Low Lustre, 1 gal)
- Paste finishing wax (1 can, furniture paste wax, Minwax, Natural / Special Dark, 1 lb (454 g))
- White decorative wax (1 can, chalk paint decorative wax, Behr, White, 8 oz)
- Ebony furniture wax (1 can, tinted furniture wax, Briwax, Ebony)
Step by step
Step 1: Hand-Sand the Veneer Tabletop
Sand the existing finish off the oak veneer tabletop by hand using 80-grit to 220-grit sandpaper, following the direction of the wood grain so you do not sand through the thin veneer.
- Hand-sand along the radial veneer grain. Wrap 80-grit sandpaper around a hand sanding block and sand off the old orange finish following the direction of the wood grain on each radial section of the tabletop.
- Tip: Sand by hand rather than with a power sander when the veneer grain radiates in multiple directions so you can stay parallel to the grain.
- Common mistake: Sanding aggressively with a power sander on thin veneer and breaking through to the substrate underneath.
- Finish sanding up to 220 grit and inspect the bare wood. Progress from 80-grit up to 220-grit sandpaper across both halves of the tabletop and the center leaf, then brush away all sanding dust to expose the bare oak grain.
- Tip: Start with 80-grit sandpaper to strip the finish and work up to 220-grit to smooth the bare oak.
Step 2: Apply Whitewash Pickling Stain Base
Wipe water-based whitewash pickling stain onto the bare sanded tabletop with a sponge and remove the excess with a towel to neutralize yellow tones and create a light base.
- Wipe whitewash pickling stain onto the bare oak. Pour Minwax Water-Based White Wash Pickling Stain into a cup and wipe it onto the bare tabletop in the direction of the wood grain using a sponge.
- Tip: Apply a whitewash pickling stain over bare sanded oak to neutralize yellow and dark undertones before applying a grey stain.
- Common mistake: Skipping the whitewash base coat on oak, which allows the natural yellow wood tone to show through the grey stain.
- Wipe off excess whitewash and let dry. Let the whitewash sit briefly, then wipe away the excess with a paper towel, shop towel, or cotton t-shirt rag until the entire tabletop has an even, brightened white-tinted grain.
- Common mistake: Applying the next stain layer before the whitewash has fully dried, which causes the whitewash to pull off when wiping the top stain.
Step 3: Stain the Tabletop with Briarsmoke Gel Stain
Brush oil-based Briarsmoke gel stain onto the whitewashed tabletop in sections using a disposable chip brush, then wipe away excess stain with paper towels along the wood grain.
- Brush Briarsmoke gel stain onto the center leaf. Use a disposable chip brush to apply an even coat of oil-based Varathane Gel Stain in Briarsmoke across the whitewashed center table leaf, brushing in the direction of the wood grain.
- Tip: Use a disposable chip brush and paper towels when working with oil-based gel stain for easy cleanup.
- Wipe away excess gel stain along the grain. Wipe off the excess gel stain in long, straight strokes along the wood grain using folded paper towels until the whitewashed oak grain shows through in a light greige tone.
- Watch out: Oil-based stain is flammable and wadded rags soaked with stain can spontaneously combust; dispose of stained rags safely according to the can instructions.
- Common mistake: Leaving wadded-up oil-stained rags or paper towels in a pile, which can spontaneously combust.
- Stain and wipe the leaf edges and remaining tabletop. Brush Briarsmoke gel stain onto the beveled outer edges of the leaf and the remaining sections of the tabletop, wiping each section even with paper towels.
Step 4: Seal the Tabletop with Wipe-On Polyurethane
Pour oil-based wipe-on polyurethane onto the stained tabletop and rub it evenly across the surface and edges using a cotton t-shirt rag.
- Pour and rub wipe-on poly across the tabletop. Pour a small puddle of oil-based Minwax Wipe-On Poly directly onto the dry stained tabletop and spread it in long strokes following the wood grain using a piece of cotton t-shirt.
- Tip: Apply oil-based wipe-on polyurethane with a piece of cotton t-shirt for a level finish without brush strokes.
- Tip: Apply several more coats of wipe-on polyurethane than standard brush-on poly because the formula is much thinner.
- Common mistake: Applying only one or two coats of wipe-on poly without accounting for how thin each wiped coat is.
- Common mistake: Applying wipe-on poly before the gel stain has fully cured, which dissolves and lifts the dark stain.
- Seal the outer rim and build up multiple thin coats. Wipe polyurethane along the rounded outer rim of the tabletop and repeat the application across the entire surface for several coats, allowing each thin coat to dry between applications.
Step 5: Paint the Table Base and Chairs White
Paint the table skirt, pedestal base, and matching dining chairs with pure white acrylic latex paint using an angled paintbrush and a mini foam roller.
- Brush white acrylic latex paint onto the chair seat and base. Dip an angled paintbrush into Sherwin-Williams Cashmere Pure White acrylic latex paint and coat the table skirt, pedestal base, and contoured wooden chair seats in long, even strokes.
- Paint and roll the carved chair backs and spindles. Stipple and brush white paint into the carved details of the chair back and spindles, then roll over the flat panel with a mini foam roller for a smooth finish.
- Tip: Follow up brushwork on flat carved chair backs with a mini foam roller to eliminate brush marks while keeping paint inside the grooves.
Step 6: Accent Carved Details with Decorative Wax
Rub a blended grey-brown wax into the carved recesses of the painted table skirt and chairs with a cloth, then wipe the raised surfaces clean using white decorative wax.
- Mix waxes and rub into the carved scrollwork. Blend Minwax Paste Finishing Wax, Behr White Wax, and Ebony Briwax on a cotton t-shirt cloth to create a grey-brown paste, then press and rub it thoroughly into the carved scrollwork on the painted table skirt and chairs.
- Wipe excess dark wax off raised surfaces using white wax. Dip a clean cotton t-shirt cloth into Behr White decorative wax (or clear wax) and buff across the raised areas of the table skirt until the surrounding paint is bright white again and only the recessed carvings hold the dark grey-brown wax.
- Tip: Use white wax or clear wax on a clean cloth to lift excess dark wax smudge off the raised white paint while leaving the carved recesses dark.