Back to my dining room table, which I can apparently not stop making over! Well, here’s the deal on that. There are only so many times I can sand the top down to bare wood and start again. For one, it is exhausting and challenging to keep the top looking even with so much sanding. And it makes my arms hurt! But also, it was just not practical this time around. I got tired of the dark wood as it felt like it needed constant dusting! So I went looking for an alternative solution to a full refinish, and I was glad I did!
Enter Retique It Tabletop Wood’n Finish Kit! I have always loved the brand Retique It! They have a liquid wood technology that allows you to transform almost any surface into a beautiful wood look complete with the wood grains on top! Their Liquid Wood (made of 60% real wood) can even be used to make plastic look like wood. This is the real deal – fun, easy, exciting and a true transformation. And the best is there is no need to strip anything – you can go right overtop your previous surface. Just be sure to clean it really well!
Like everything I used, these are gentle products. There are no odors, it is friendly to the environment, and water-based which means easy clean up! I just needed a little time as multiple coats are needed – they have a whole step-by-step process you can follow. The graining step using the tools is optional but I think necessary to get a nice wood look. This part is tricky, but there are in instructions on their website and once you get the hang of it, it is pretty fun to do!
What I used:
I used The Retique It Wood’n Finish Tabletop Finish Kit in French Oak. Of course, I had to be difficult because I chose the one kit with the extra step of whitewashing to get the look I wanted. It consists of Wood’n Primer, Wood’n Stain, Gel White Wash, and a gentle sealer. The primer and stain actually already have sealer, but for a tabletop you want to have that extra durability so the Tripletique topcoat is included. You can get different finishes in your kit, but I chose Satin which is the most common and provided the perfect amount of sheen for the table. The coolest part? You also get two sizes of Graining Tools with your kit to create the faux wood grain that makes the whole project look like real wood! (Ironically, my table is actually real wood, just wood I did not feel like prepping or sanding)!
OK so what’s next? It is so fun to have a project, and even better to enjoy the rewards of your hard work! Go back to Home and see some other fun ideas!
