How to Refinish an Antique Cherry Table

Open windows for proper ventilation. Lay newspaper or tarps on the floor. Make sure the antique table is on a flat surface, with room to work around it. Put on a chemical fume or dust mask and disposable gloves. Strip the surface of the table with wood furniture stripper made for cherry wood. Apply the chemical stripper with a large paintbrush in smooth, even strokes.

Wait five minutes, and before the stripping agent fully dries, scrape away the top layer of the table with a large putty knife. You'll easily remove old paint or varnish with the stripping agent. Sand the table with an electric sander to even the surface and grain of the cherry wood. Remove wood dust with a clean paintbrush. Inspect the table for damage.

Inspect the surface of the cherry wood table. Fill in gouges or hairline cracks with wood filler. Re-glue raised surfaces back into place with wood glue. Allow the filler and wood glue to dry for four to six hours. Re-sand lightly by hand with 150-grit sandpaper. Remove wood dust with a clean paintbrush.

Use a gel-based stain on cherry furniture. Gels are thicker than liquid stains and richer in color, yet won't detract from the natural cherry color of the wood. Apply a coat of stain with a clean paintbrush. Let dry, and apply a second coat to bring out the rich cherry color. Make sure the stain dries evenly. Apply a third coat if necessary.

Apply two coats of clear furniture finish over the dried gel stain with a clean paintbrush. Let the first coat dry. Sand the table with 150-grit sandpaper, so that the second coat of finish absorbs into the grain. Remove wood dust with a clean paintbrush before applying the second coat.