I have been doing furniture/kitchen touch-up for a year now and might have an opportunity to touch-up 16 tables and chairs in a local restaurant. The problems are mostly in the table tops. Some of the finish, which I believe is WB toner (due to how it peels into a rubbery/flexible film), is missing and there is an abundance of scratches. The business is open 7 days a week until 10pm. I was going to ask the owner if he'd be interested in letting me come in after hours and give these tables some much needed TLC. My plan was to clean thoroughly, with water/liquid detergent, then with Naphtha. Sometimes I use TSP/water as well. Round over some of the worst dings along the tabletops edges. Use pigment markers to touchup color. Then followup with 2 coats of WB, expediting the drying with a hot air gun between coats. I use Finish Up on furniture, with the exception of tabletops, in which case I usually use General Finishes WB. My concern is that alcohol, I have found, is prone to damage the surface until it is fully cured. 21 days, per the manufacturer. I need to use something that will provide much better appearance and protection that what currently exists and be oder free and easy to clean up. Does anyone have any suggestions about the use of this product or offer recommendations of other products that might be more appropriate taking into account these considerations? Is my overall approach sound? Do I recommend cleaning with water/liquid detergent and Naphtha as I do or is there a store bought product that would be more suitable w/o damaging the new finish? What is a going rate for this kind of work in restaurants? (I mostly do work for homeowners.) Thank you in advance!

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You will not find a manufacturer of a coating system that will sanction you putting a table in service so soon after applying, especially using the methods you've outlined here.

The restaurant would be better off having a few extra tables built, and swap them out with the damaged ones while they are being repaired, and the best way is to completely strip them down, sand and re-finish, then allow them to cure for at least 7 days before swapping them back into service. Touching them up will not last long in such an environment.

I'm curious just what kind of clientele will beat the table top edges up that badly! I'm guessing the cleaning crew tips up the chairs to clean and slam them into the corner. But that chair doesn't look that bad. You are searching for a holy grail product for restaurant tables. Closest you will come to is cleaning off the surface, rough up the finish, and glue down a laminate. Otherwise, Brian is spot on.

Thanks for your responses Brian and Rich. So, would it be true that when tables have deteriorated to this condition, touch-up, should not be a consideration whatsoever? Is the object to catch restaurants that have tables that need minor color replacement, with pigment markers, etc. and offer to repair that kind of damage? I imagine with the kind of damage shown, there really isn't an efficient, cost effective and practical solution without just replacing the tables. The cost to repair gets to a point that replacement is just a better option. The reason I mentioned the water based approach is I've been reading some things about Target coatings (although I haven't used them, I use General Finishes) and a couple others that make them sound like a viable solution.

I dont see any practicality in touching up a table like the one in your second photo in any way given the edge damage and the dents all over the surface. Its pretty much beyond repair finish wise.

If they can do without one table at a time and you/they are willing (and can be profitable) to endure a painfully long one-at-a-time strip/sand and refinish that would seem the only other option other than Brian's option for making a few new ones to allow for swapping them out in batches.

The answer for the lower one in my opinion is send it through the sander and cut all the finish back off, skin the edges through the saw, sand, stain, and finish as new.

Targets 9300 with the crosslinker is a pretty bullet proof UV interior/exterior waterborne thats affordable. I spray the 9300 without the crosslinker regularly and its tough stuff. We use MLC's waterborne 2K, super rugged, but its very expensive and you need to be setup for 2K (safety) and no exterior rating which is nice even for interior commercial work.

No way, no how. Those have to be stripped and refinished as well as the edges routed. You touch it you own it so I would charge dearly to do anything on them.

No way you will have a number of problems that you cannot fix I have redone over 20,000 tables I speak from experience only way to redo this table is to total sand off finish if refinished strippers have wax in them you will have problems finish sticking to wood .Most people don’t understand finish but will offer their advice there is grease an grime on table on finish in wood that gives you most trouble.

Have to agree with Fred no way you can touch up.Curios looks like imported wood top soft wood

I'm with the guys saying they need to be totally refinished. Two notes I would add: clean the surfaces before any sanding so you don't sand the grease into the bare wood and round over the edges 3/8" or more. But I'll bet it isn't an economical solution. Those kinds of tables are pretty cheap. The poor design / finish shows the price point. If you are still inclined, make a couple of replacement tops and swap them out as you go. Too much labor/cost though.