Old, Round Maple Table. Need advice, please. . .

This table was at a thrift store for $20.00. Someone sprayed it with green paint so amalgamation was out of the question. They used a natural color stain and I can see why. This thing was like painting on gold when I refinished it. Stunning to say the least. I never knew maple wood could look like this. Like polished jewelry. I guess it must be old to get this kind of patina. I wouldn't know though. It has a tag that says it was made by the Northwest Chair Co., who went out of business in the 50's. It's too bad about the original finish. The top coat was like an avocado green it was so old and oxidized. Yeah, , , old. But when I don't know.

Anyway, in the first photo there's a cig burn on the top about 1/4" deep.

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v3...Round%20Table/

Should I color putty it? It's the value, if any, I'm worried about. I scraped out all the char with a butter knife. Stayed inside the concave of it never touching the top. I put a natural stain on it and that's it. Don't want to lacquer it until I get this cig burn fixed, , , or should I leave it?

One more thing. What would anyone use a table like this for? I'm stumped. Sure is Beautiful, but I can't figure that one out.



Thanx.

What you really want to do with that table is remove the old finish entirely. Its not a collectible or valuable table, so do only as much work as you care to put into it.

If that were my table, I'd have some fun with it and paint the legs, base and center spindles all black paint, then do the top surfaces with an aniline/shellac Golden Amber finish to build color, and finish with a wiping polyurethane. But first you have to get the old stuff off. Easiest way is to sand it off, but I would personally use a scraper because I its faster and makes a better cut through the old finish (helps to know how to use a scraper, however). The scraper would take off the material to flush out the burn mark, and sanding can do it as well but will just take you longer. Fill any dips and depressions with Sanding Sealer. Putty won't work on a top surface if you intend to stain it. It will shrink, crack and look unsightly under the topcoat.

I like Duane's suggestion to have some fun with your table. Do something unexpected!! I have refinished a lot of furniture over the years. I just hate sawdust/glue faux wood and stapled/glued joints. If I had any artistic ability, I would have painted designs on some of my refinished treasures to create a bit of whimsy in my guest room, eat-in-kitchen or sun porch.

There is a store in New Bern, NC that highlights Carolinian but also offers national and international artisans. Visit their website: http://www.carolinacreationsnewbern.com. See "sticks furniture" for clever ideas to decorate items. I've seen this design style painted on toy chests, end and coffee tables, kitchen tables, even TV cabinets.