Bringing family pieces back to a new life are some of my favorite projects to take on.  Several years ago, my grandmother passed away, and my parents brought back several of her pieces of furniture among the other items left to us.

One of those pieces was this sweet little table with the beautiful edge detail and cabriolet legs.  Over the years, the veneer top was damaged and worn through, requiring the special care of replacing the veneer.  A bookmatched set of walnut burl was the selection, to match the rest of the table.  We used a special product to remove the curling and ripples in the veneer that were present from the growth patterns of the burl.  We carefully trimmed and matched the 4 sheets to create a perfectly matched top, then applied wood glue to the tabletop, and placed the veneer atop that.  Secured with blue tape, we then placed the tabletop in a caul and gingerly placed it into our vacuum press.  Sealing carefully and extracting the air to provide even pressure, we left it for 24 hours.

When we removed it from the press, we were delighted to see a smooth surface ready for stain.  An antique cherry stain was applied to the table in its entirety, followed by 4 coats of semi-gloss polyurethane.  A hand buff and polish completed the table, and it was delivered to my parents as a Mothers’ Day gift.  They were finally able to put the glass top back on and now have this gorgeous piece on display in their living room.