Restoring worn tabletop (with burnmarks)

In this thread about restoring the ladder steps I wrote that I might start a thread on doing the same to the table top on my 342 and here it is. I hope it will be useful for somebody sometime.

I treated the table top the same way as I did the steps but with the following issues attached to the project:

the surface is veneer
there are burn marks from when I was careless when the boat was just new
the top has to be gloss to an extent that the step don't need to

The top looked like this before I started the project:



I realised that I could actually sand quite aggressively without damaging the veneer but the grosser burn mark would still be visible.

I put on 5 coats of two pack polyurethan varnish after treating the veneer with magohany stain. When I had finished painting I sanded with wet paper down to 1200 grit and then I buffed the surface with my polisher. The result is to be seen below:



The lesson learned is that the result might have come out a bit lighter than before. I can't wait to get the table assembled again.

I also see that my boat is getting a more personal touch. Nothing ends up perfect and long gone are the days when my boat looked the same as any other 342. She is getting her wrinkles as we all do with age.

Johan

That looks really nice!

Making a new table top was an idea I had for a while and it is still a possible option in the future should I not be happy with the one I just refurbished.

What kind of wood did you use?

Johan

This is very inspiring. And to work in a workshop rather in a garden, as I do, must make the job so much easier.

I am very pleased with the result from sanding and varnishing my table but it is apparent that I could have been more diligent when doing the corners, which are the more difficult to access with the sander or handheld sandpaper. There is indeed a less forgiving light on my boat than in my garden so my mistakes become visible.

This leaves me with three options: leave it as it is (it does the job whatsoever), re-do the corners next spring, or make a new table top. The latter would be something I would do for fun and not out of neccessity. I might let the forum know what I decide in the future.

Johan