Giving a previous fail a chance

So 8 years ago, my husband and I started dating, then after a while we moved in together, and I disliked most of his furniture. So we set about buying new furniture that we both liked. Enter Barewoods Furniture. They had a mission style table set that I liked, and for 4 pieces it was $300 or so. One hitch...they were unfinished. Well even back in the day, I said I can finish it. So I did, and I hated it. Polyshades by Minwax was a new product back then, and between a combination of inexperience, conflicting advice about how stains should be applied and not doing the proper prep work I did not like the finish on the new tables. They only lasted about 8 months until I stripped them down and refinished them. I am proud to say, however; that the tables are still in use with that 2nd refinishing still looking pretty darn good. :)

I know this is an old picture but there are 2 of the tables that I refinished.

So if you visited the link to Barewoods, you'll have noticed that they are closing the Warrenton store, and I just happened to be in Warrenton on Sunday. I was actually looking for a dresser to use as a bar in the basement, but I found these saddle barstools instead and when they start out at $44 and have 25% off....well you just can't get much better than that. $66 out the door with two brand new unfinished barstools is a pretty good deal, IMO. :)  I also found that barbed wire boot at the store...it was $7. :)

As I said yesterday, I had been planning on painting these guys an antique white and then distressing and glazing them. I bought the paint to do so as well, and then I changed my mind. I decided that I would like to tie them into the kitchen table and chairs, which coincidentally are also from Barewoods. We got the table for $100 marked down from $800 at their annual garage sale last year, and it was already finished!

I did not want to spend a lot of time on these stools. I wanted them done, so I went back out and got some Polyshades. I figured I'd give them another shot. They have several shades too choose from. I went with Pecan. It matches the seats on my chairs perfectly. I picked up the satin sheen along with the wood conditioner, and then headed home to start my project.

The barstools came sanded, so I didn't need to do that. I just went ahead and added the wood conditioner per the directions and then did a light sanding after it had dried. Then I added the stain. It went on very nicely. It doesn't say what type of brush to use, but I had some natural bristled chip brushes so that's what I used. The first time I used polyshades, I used a foam brush and the foam started disintegrating, don't do that. I put on two coats, but unfortunately I don't have any pictures between the coats, because I put on the 2nd coat at 1 am this morning, and really I wanted to get it done and then go to bed. :-)

 Sorry for the bad pictures, but the picture on the left is before any work was done, and the picture on the right is after the wood conditioner was put on. 

One of the only irritating parts to the polyshades is that it takes 6 hours of dry time between the coats, and yes, I know that if I had done proper stain and then poly it would take the same amount of total time, but still. I was being impatient. I know you gals are shocked by that statement. ;-) Oh, and watch out for drips. You want to make sure that you put on a very light coat and spread it evenly. You will notice any runs that are left so make sure to get all of them.

 

Overall, I am quite impressed with the job that the polyshades did, and I will be using it again. What do y'all think? I want to put beadboard around the backside of that island. I am envisioning it being antique white with a mocha glaze. Just another thing on my list along with adding a coffered ceiling to my family room. :) Why do the lists seem to grow?

Have a wonderful day and enjoy!