re-finish/ re-stain coffee table questions

[Doc]

After getting my bookcases set in my family room it is painfully obvious that I need to re-stain my coffee table.

Pretty much everything in the family room is dark wood stain. Think mahogany... The coffee table is golden oak.

So- how do I go about doing this?

Do I NEED to remove every bit of the finish on the coffee table currently? Can I just hit it with some medium grit and start staining. Since I'm going over a lighter finish with a darker finish- it should be OK, right?

Never refinished anything- so thanks for the input.

And yes, I'll need to paint the room a more dramatic color as well. We'll do that in the spring when I can open some windows.

You can see the coffee table in question in the lower part of the photo below.

Yes, I already have matching stain for the bookcases. I've already used it to touch up some dings and it blends perfectly.

 

[ardentyota]

You'll want to sand the table down to bare wood so it takes the stain. Also, keep in mind that the stain that matches the bookshelves might not be the same color on the oak. Different woods absorb stains differently. I would try the color on the bottom of the table before jumpin in.

Good luck.

 

[john_eckels]

It may be worthwhile to look into Minwax Polyshades. This can be found at Lowes, Home Depot etc. It has stain and finished mixed together. I would recommend using the satin version. I re-finished my piano bench using dark mahogany