I recently refinished a bunch of bar tables for my local pub, and they looked great for a while. However, after a couple of years of heavy use, the edges are starting to wear down, and the dark stain is rubbing off, leaving them looking lighter. The bar manager asked if there's an easy fix for this since these tables get a lot of traffic. I'm wondering if using a chamfered or rounded edge would have been better. Any suggestions on how to fix or improve the durability of the edges?
2 Answers
I've been in a similar situation! To fix the worn edges, you might want to sand the damaged areas lightly and then restain those spots. After restaining, seal them with a good poly. Going forward, rounded edges or even edge banding could really help with durability, making it harder for that wear to happen in the first place. It's a good compromise between looks and longevity!
It sounds like you did a great job initially, but the wear on those edges is definitely common in busy places. You might want to consider applying a more durable finish, maybe a high-quality polyurethane, for better protection in the future. If you're looking for a quick fix, you could try touching up the stained areas with a matching stain and then applying a couple of extra coats of poly over them for added protection. Just ensure everything's clean and lightly sanded before you apply the new finish. Good luck!
Definitely agree with adding a tough finish! Also, rounding those edges might help reduce wear from bumps and scrapes in the long run.
That's a clever idea! Sanding and restaining seems like a solid plan. I've noticed that rounded edges also make it easier to clean, which is a plus in a restaurant!