Featured Info/ID on drop leaf table

Looking for information about this drop leaf table that belonged to my paternal grandparents. They had it when my dad was born in the early ‘40s.

I am thinking about stripping it and staining it but I have no idea of the actual age or type of wood. It has the original paint.

I would be very grateful for assistance of any kind. Thank you in advance.

 

go a head...it won't hurt the value.....and it'll look a sight nicer than it does now !!!

 

A very cheap run of the mill mass produced table. Quite frankly I wouldnt put the money and effort into scraping,sanding and refinishing it. Id just repaint it. Im not putting the table down,but unless you enjoy refinishing furniture its a TON of effort. If you love it then refinish it,I understand all about sentiment.

 

My first thought was to just paint it but when my mom told me the history of it I decided to find out more info first. There are no markings that I can see.

I appreciate you giving an honest answer.

 

Honesty is our M.O. !!
we may not 'always' be right......but we're always honest !!

 

I've always loved this style table. I always thought they were from the 1920's. Some were left natural wood with painted accents. Some have flowers or some other decal. I think they are charming in an informal kitchen.

They are great in a small space, and the drop leaf is another attraction......to me anyway!

As Johnny suggests, I don't think that they were especially expensive when new.

 

It sounds like you want to do right by it because it is a family piece. You could do that by either painting or staining, IMO. It does have some value to your family, and that is a nice thing. Do whichever you think will honor it. Long ago I did a little sanding and refinishing of smaller pieces. It does involve some work. It really depends on whether you want to put the work in, as Johnny mentioned.

 

I had a similar table given to us by my in-laws when first married in the 60s. 20-30 years old at that time was probably about right. They got a bunch of pieces out of storage to help us furnish our first apartment. I used it in various ways over the years and finally donated it about 15 years ago when moving to a smaller place.

BTW - that does not look like "original paint" - way too sloppy underneath. This would never have been painted to begin with.

 

Agree with the others. Solid wood 20s-30s kitchen table. The paint is clearly not original. Wood is likely poplar so not terribly attractive once refinished. There could also be stains or marks that may not easily come out without a lot of sanding. I would vote for repainting but I understand the urge to see what it could look like. You could always start by stripping and repaint if you are not liking the results.

 

A sweet, honest little table. It would take color well (should that be your final decision.)

Debora

 

Although I hesitate to encourage the chalk paint plague, this looks like a good candidate for a fun, quirky finish. There are tons of options, finishes and how-to videos, just Google "chalk paint ". If it were mine I would overpaint with a matching grey chalk paint, then sandpaper-distress the edges and wax. That would respect the "original" but give it a fresh update.

 

As others have said a functional drop leaf table.
I think you have many options and should choose what will best compliment the other furniture you have.

Stripping and refinishing the entire table might be quite a job if you have never done it.

You could strip just the top surface, sand, stain and clear coat, while painting just the skirt and legs.

You might look here for different options.
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=+drop+leaf+table+painted+&go=Search&qs=ds&form=QBIR

 

Many years ago I took on my one and only (so far) refinishing project. It was this family table that was covered with several layers of thick black, lacquered stuff. It was a huge undertaking for a beginner, but I have found so many uses from the entryway, to a sofa table, as well as a place to display my Dept 56 Village when I'm up for that task. However you re-purpose it, you'll find many uses. Again, it isn't an overnight job - at least mine wasn't.)

 

Thank you everyone! After reading all your posts I will probably paint it. I really appreciate all the help. I think this site is going to be a real asset!!!!

 

Argh!!! Despite Poplar opinion, Fruitwood is beautiful when stained! (See what I did there?) Fruitwood, aka Poplar, stains very nicely, it also takes paint well. It is a "softer" hard wood, but I think it's beautiful when done right either way. I will state my bias, I prefer wood grain over painted, but it's your piece, so make it a proud piece to pass onto your grandkids...

 

If it were mine I would think about leaving the painted surface as is and maybe stenciling a design lightly on top. Kind of like it was originally there and some has worn off. I’ve done that with small furniture pieces I’ve sold at the flea market. In our area, Cape Cod, a compass rose decoration is always a plus.

But that’s just me

 

Over the decades, I've done both. Stripped & stained, cleaned up and painted. I agree with Marie. It would look good with a light coat of paint and some stenciling.