Thanks. I finished sanding it. I had to sand it because it had some raised places and some deep scratches, not just because someone decided to use it as a painting bench several times. The bottom of the table is solid and the top is veneered. I stained it tonight and have put on the first coat of tung oil. It's not perfect and I didn't dare sand any deeper. There are a few small scratches and dings still showing, but nothing glaring -- just enough for a little patina. It looks about a billion percent better than it did. I'm really happy! I sure hope my son loves it as much as I do. I think he's going to be very surprised at this gift and it will look wonderful in his home.

Here's the update. I tried brushing on the lacquer thinner to smooth out the finish, and it just didn't work very well. Some of the deeper crackled areas smoothed out a tiny bit, but certainly not enough that I would put a new layer of finish on them. So, on to plan B and stripping the whole top off. I'm still undecided about a finish. I think brushing lacquer is going to be too fussy and error prone for me. I thought about lacquer in the spray can, but wonder how many coats that would take. I'm guessing a lot. I had almost convinced myself to buy the Waterlox, but I've seen the varnish in a few videos, and it looks really, really dark. And much too reddish. Since I'm only refinishing the tops, I think I need something that leans towads amber. After lots of reading, the Sherwin Williams product is out. Many more negative comments online about this product, particularly as a wiping varnish, so I'm not even going to try it. The Cabot's products available at Lowes are all poly or spar. Of the choices available locally, this leaves poly or Formby's. I know many people have an issue with Formby's over the whole misleading marketing of "tung oil" and all, but really, what about the product itself? Does anyone have experience with this? Application? Durability? What color is it? Repairs and touch ups? If I use a coat of shellac on the top after stripping, can I apply ANY finish on top of that? BTW, my set of unfinished chairs was delivered. The plan is to sand (gently), stain, assemble (with added glue in all appropriate joints), then finish. Any other suggestions or tips?

Thanks I was thinking paint but wasn't sure laminate didn't know what colour would be best

Cute table! it doesn’t look warped, is it? From the This Old House site. ”How do you remove white mold from wood furniture? How do you kill mold on wood? With a simple cleaning solution of dishwashing soap and warm water. Add a teaspoon of soap to a spray bottle filled with water and shake it up. Spray the affected area and use a soft-bristled brush to gently scrub away the mold, sponging up any excess liquid as you clean.” I would come along and dry the area quickly.