# How to refinish a live edge table?



## svincent (Aug 30, 2010)

Greetings, my first LJ forum post! 

My wife found a beautiful old live edge coffee table in the trash in Toronto this weekend and brought it home. It's made of a single slab, 3-4 foot diameter, probably 5 inches thick. Very heavy! It's got some clear finish (I assume poly or epoxy-not sure).

Somebody used it as a crafting table-there are bits of paint over the surface.

I can sand down the top surface of the table no problem to refinish it. But the live edge needs to be cleaned up, too. I worry about sanding it, that I'll lose some of the live edge texture: should I be?

Does anybody have any experience with this?

Thanks lots!
-Shawn.


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## KentS (May 27, 2009)

I would think you could use paint remover to get the paint off, even the live edge. A stiffer brush will help get it out of the cracks in the live edge. Sometimes lacquer thinner will work, depending on the finish that is on it. When I use paint remover, I rinse with lacquer thinner. It seems to clean it up better.

A little sanding on the live edge shouldn't hurt. Stay on the flat top and don't go too far.


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## svincent (Aug 30, 2010)

Thanks! I will try that!

This one has to be my next project, since this (very heavy) table occupies most of the space in my (small) workshop. 

-Shawn.


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## okwoodshop (Sep 15, 2009)

how about a picture? sounds like an interesting piece. maybe a before and after??


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## svincent (Aug 30, 2010)

I put some pictures of the table up here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/shawn.patrick.vincent/LiveEdgeSlabTable?feat=directlink

It has a substantial check in it that developed into a crack-probably the reason somebody wanted to get rid of it.

We split it at the crack. I'm not sure if I will repair the table, or make 2 tables out of it. We're currently leaning towards the latter, since it's substantially lighter in two pieces, and smaller tables are easier to manage in our house.


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## svincent (Aug 30, 2010)

Does anybody recognize the wood?


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