On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 02:11:26 GMT, "Aden Lynds"
wrote:

Do I need to concern myself with the type of protecive coat that is alreay
on it?

Yes. Some finishes (all the good ones) will be fussy. A finish strong
enough to survive in this application will place mechanical stresses
on a finish beneath it. If that finish isn;t the same, then you're
likely to get crackling or crazing. Some (cellulose lacquers) are
just chemically incompatible and will wrinkle.

Do I sand down to to bare wood
everywhere and then re-stain and then apply varnish

Yes.

How many coats...

Depends on your finish.

Do I need to sand between coats.

Not usually. Most finishes have a "window" where they can be
re-coated without sanding. After this window closes, you have to wait
much longer until they're really cured, then sand.

..I basically need a really good "How to"

This situation sucks, especially the tiny time window. The best way
is to remove a few tables at a time, do them off-site, then bring them
back in. However you might not be able to do this.

If you have to do it in situ, then your _only_ option would appear to
be an acid-cure formaldehyde. In the UK I use Rustin's Bar Top finish,
a heat-resistant version of their Floorcoat that I use for stripped
and sanded floors.

This is tough, hardwearing, resistant to mnost spills and works well
in service. It also has _very_ fast curing. In a couple of hours it's
ready to re-coat, and in six hours you can walk on it.

On the downside, it _STINKS_ when it's curing (I wear a full-face
mask). You'll need to ventilate the room well afterwards. In this
weather that could be difficult. It also needs a reasonable "room
temperature" to cure.


Your time window is very tight for getting the tables sanded, and
having two coats on them in this window. I'd want two teams of people
(one sanding, one painting) and a dust curtain to section off the dust
from the sanding area. You might also need to leave a few tables with
just one coat, then re-coat them in the afternoon when trade is slack.
Sort out your sanding machinery too.

I'd certainly remove one table from the bar beforehand, and do a trial
run on it.

--
Smert' spamionam