I would like to resurface an old picnic table. It is in good shape but the surface has weathered over the years. It has a couple of coarse areas and a couple of knots. I have a power sander but it is slow go and my hands get very numb after a few minutes. Can I run a planer and what should I be on the look out for.
- Thread starter NY 986
- Start date
First I would consider a belt sander. An electric planer would do the job if you have lots of experience with it with steady hands so you can smooth the wood without gouging - which is difficult to do. A 3X21 belt sander would be safer. Start with a 60 or 80 grit sandpaper and finish with 120 grit.
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
I have a 13 inch dewalt planer. First you would have to take table apart to run it through my planer. Then the dirty wood would dull the blades, the rubber rollers wouldn't like it either.
Using a hand planer would not produce good results especially if you hit a nail or screw, perhaps more harm than good. Never used a power planer. Can't see why dirty wood wouldn't dull the knifes though.
I had some 1 inch ruff cut cedar siding that looked bad on south side of house. I took a 13 hp pressure washer, 4000 psi, a rotary nozzle and removed all the crappy wood. In some places almost 1/4 inch. It made the wood look even more ruff cut. I filled all the cracks in wood with painters caulk. Two coats of good primer and two coats of good paint. So far the paint hasn't pealed off. Spent twice the money on the wood than it would have cost to use vinyl siding and twice the time too.
Sand it, live with it or faster to buy new wood if it bugs you that much. You may want to try a strong bleach first and see if it cleans it up. geo
Using a hand planer would not produce good results especially if you hit a nail or screw, perhaps more harm than good. Never used a power planer. Can't see why dirty wood wouldn't dull the knifes though.
I had some 1 inch ruff cut cedar siding that looked bad on south side of house. I took a 13 hp pressure washer, 4000 psi, a rotary nozzle and removed all the crappy wood. In some places almost 1/4 inch. It made the wood look even more ruff cut. I filled all the cracks in wood with painters caulk. Two coats of good primer and two coats of good paint. So far the paint hasn't pealed off. Spent twice the money on the wood than it would have cost to use vinyl siding and twice the time too.
Sand it, live with it or faster to buy new wood if it bugs you that much. You may want to try a strong bleach first and see if it cleans it up. geo
Being as how it's guaranteed to have nails, screws, or other fasteners holding it together, I'd be worried about hitting one and damaging the planer blades. Another possible way of going about it would be the larger sanders you can rent to refinish wood floors--a friend did his deck with one last summer rented from the local hardware store and had excellent results.
chucksoliver77
Well-known Member
rent an oak flooring sander.
Stephen Newell
Well-known Member
A table like that will accumulate a lot of sand and debris in the wood. If you use a planer on it better get a handful of replacement blades. It will eat them up quick. Not only that unless the planer is as wide as the table it will come out very uneven with ridges all over it you will have to sand out. You might as well only use the sander. You can get more done if you start with a 40 grit belt and work your way down to 80.
Zachary Hoyt
Well-known Member
I would look at the underside of the table top. Chances are it may be much less weathered. If it is in better shape you could remove the boards and flip them over. I did this with the treads of a long outdoor wooden stairway and they look much better and should be good for another 20 years. I would not use a planer on any kind of "reclaimed" wood, it is too expensive and you are almost guaranteed to hit something.
Zach
Zach
I use these Klingspor's "planer belts" for jobs like that. Assorted sizes and grits starting at 24 grit and on up.
Klingspor planer belts for belt sanders
Klingspor planer belts for belt sanders
I vote belt sander. Back in the day when I had no money and lots of time I used a big Sears belt sander to refinish a couple of small bedroom floors and a hallway. Have done many a table top with a smaller belt sander and finish sander when we dabbled in the antique business and the tops were roached (otherwise wouldn't touch them other than to clean them up).
Janicholson
Well-known Member
A Time Saver wide belt sander will do just fine. But finding someone with one is tough. They handle 36 inch wide material. Jim
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