Late 1800s, and a very lovely piece it is. Why that date? The carved drawer pulls, the loopy fringed carving around the apron, and the lack of nipples on the caryatid's breasts.

Hi Mzdee Its all ways better that some professional will do the job, itÂs not spouse to cost a lot. If you still want to do it buy your self...clean the floor and your sander very carefully, send it and stain the floor. You going to have different between the "new" are to the rest of the floor. And I think it will look better then leave it like that.

1. What should I use to strip the original finish > Use a chemical stripper containing Methylene Chloride in a well-ventilated area. Use protective equipment such as gloves, apron, and goggles. An organic cartridge respirator would also be a good idea if you have any doubts about the ventilation. 2. Once the finish is gone, I am assuming it is okay to sand out all of the nicks in the wood? > It's hard to tell from the photos, but the top may be veneer or solid woods. Harden, I think, uses a lot of solids, but most mfrs' table tops are veneered to retain flatness. If it's solid, you are safe to sand. If it is veneer, then, no, only do a light sanding with 220 grit. Consider the dents character marks or "distressing" that you did not have to pay extra for. 3. Do you think this is Walnut? How do I match the finish to the rest of the items? Should I take a chair into Sherwin Williams to have them match the stain? > Walnut does just fine without stain. In fact, stains can muddy the figure and make it look less attractive. 4. What type of protective finish should I use after staining? I am thinking it may have originally been shellac (finish is very cloudy in some areas) > It is most likely lacquer, the most common commercial finish used in the last 60 years. Lacquer can degrade over time and light exposure (like all finishes) and be more prone to blush. What I would do: - Apply two light coats orange shellac. This will do two things 1. Bring out a lot of the luster (chatoyance) in the wood. 2. Seal in any potential contamination from silicone oil (Pledge polish any time over its life) - Apply several coats of a wipe on varnish. A readily available source would be General Finishes' Arm-R-Seal. That is a wiping polyurethane. If you want a more high-brow finish, you could use Waterlox. A non-poly choice would be Sherwin Williams' Fast Dry Varnish. You can brush either of the latter two with 5-10% thinning or wipe with 50% thinning (equal amounts of varnish and mineral spirits).

As stated above, mixing manufacturers can be tricky. DuraSeal works well with water based finishes because DuraSeal MAKES water based finishes. Minwax does not. Minwax produces oil based finishes that are illegal in 11 states. Bona is MUCH more expensive than either DuraSeal and most definitely more than Minwax. I am extremely pleased to see a professional reach for Bona stain for Bona Finish. That tells me all I need to know. @Design2 girl - If you are getting used to the colour (as it is) then feel free to see if a small discount can be given for leaving it in place. If you feel this is not the colour you want to live with, then you will need to have it sanded off and start fresh. A double application of stain is a NO-NO in the flooring industry. The second coat can and will PREVENT bonding of the finish to the wood! That means you run the risk of the floor pealing like a sun burn! Yep. In a few days to a few months the whole thing could slough off like snake skin. Not pretty. Personally I like the colour as it is right now. This mid-tone cool brown (not much yellow/orange) is very desirable. I would put down some satin finish over top and enjoy a very handsome floor.