Every time I build something, I learn something new. Several months ago I built a table. But not just any table. I built a large table… tall like the adjoining cabinets and with storage underneath (adapted from this farmhouse table) . I assembled it in the kitchen from three pieces. What I learned from this build is that an incredibly sturdy item can be made from basic lumber. Simple boards may be amazing, but I found that the remaining cracks between them allowed for a lot of little things to collect. Crumbs, beads, flour. That table went from beautiful to full-blown health hazard in a matter of months.

I built a similar piece a few weeks later. It became an equally sturdy shelf with an overhang ledge to cover the spot where we keep our trash and recycling bins. This piece differed from my first, however, in that it has a smoother top with no crevices to collect life’s leftovers. I learned about rotary sanders with that build.

I decided to revisit the health hazard from my original build with the lessons learned from my shelf build. The included photographs show my process and results. What did I learn from this build? I learned that I should never make a piece of furniture so large that I can’t take it outside to sand!

photograph of the beginning of sanding where you can still see the grooves in the table
photograph of a sander and the table just as it was beginning to get sanded
photograph of a table after it has been sanded
photograph of a counter covered in dust with the words wash me written on it
photograph of closeup of sanded wood table
photograph of after the first coat of polyshade
photograph of a table after a few layer of polyshade
photograph of finished table