Apply the stripper to the tabletop with a fairly wide, disposable brush with natural bristles. Apply a thin layer so gases can escape and allow the stripper to work on the old finish.

After a few minutes, the finish will begin to bubble as it lifts itself from the wood underneath. Treat only small sections at a time to prevent the stripper from drying out and allowing the finish to become hard again.

AFter 15 minutes, lift the old finish off the surface with a wide putty knife. Use a metal file to round the corners of the blade before using it; this will protect the wood from getting gouged.

Hold the putty knife at a shallow angle and applying moderate pressure as it moves across the surface. A small box makes a good receptacle and provides an easy way to wipe off the putty knife.

Go over rounded surfaces, like table edges, with a medium coarse steel wool.

Once the entire table surface has been treated and scraped with the paste stripper, use another disposable brush to apply a liberal amount of liquid stripper to the table's surfaces. This will lift off most of the residual finish.

Medium fine steel wool will dislodge any stubborn remnants and lift them from the surface. To prevent scratches, make long straight passes in the direction of the wood grain.

These strippers contain waxes. To remove this wax before applying the new stain, use a wash with lacquer thinner. Brush on the lacquer thinner, then clean with fine steel wool.

This tabletop is oak veneer, probably only a 16th of an inch thick, or less.

A finishing sander with 220 grit sandpaper helps to even out the surface of the veneer.

To match new stain to an existing stain on the rest of the wood, try applying samples of similar shades to a test piece of wood similar to the material in the furniture you're working on.

Samples of two stains, Special Walnut and Ipswitch Pine, are on the oak board in the picture. The Special Walnut is a little bit dark and the Ipswich Pine might be just a shade light, but by intermixing the two, a perfect match can be found.

Stain can be applied with a rag or a brush, then wiped off with a cloth or a paper towel. Here too, work in the same direction as the grain, wiping in long, even, straight strokes.

Let the stain dry for at least 24 hours.

If using a semi gloss polyurethane, stir it well by lifting the stirring stick from the bottom of the can as you move it in a circular path. This will help to distribute the flattening agent that settles to the bottom of the can.

Give the table a final dusting to remove anything that might have settled onto the surface.

As polyurethane is an oil based material, use a natural bristle brush. Be sure not to skimp on the brush for this step, to ensure a much smoother finish and to diminish the chance of leaving bristles in the coating.

Pour some of the finish into a clean container, and load the brush by dipping it in and gently slapping it on the sides to remove any excess material.