Help refinish or revive this table please

[Saph16]

I will start with the fact that I have never done anything like this.

I am not totally ignorant of how tables are refinished but have no special tools and no knowledge of how to recognize what finish it has or how to make it look better, but I still want to do it and have plenty of time.

I think redoing the top would be too much of a project for a starter like me, but doing the legs and underneath the top, I can do.
The table is really heavy, as in 2 middle aged men had trouble carrying it. I ASSume it is wood. I don't think it is made of one piece but rather smaller pieces of wood glued? joined? together.

Table and legs are darker honey brown. I want to make the legs dark brown but leave the top as is (for now at least).
First 4 pictures are table top and insert Next 4 are leg tops and last one is the full view of the leg, and last is the old table I am replacing. Picture is for reference as I really like the dark bottom and light top and that is the look I am going for. The old table is laminate or some such and the top is totally shot. It is not wood.
I should also mention that I don't like the legs on the "new" table, but there is nothing i can do about it. The darker color should make them less noticeable. Hopefully.

Would appreciate advice on how to proceed. Thanks
Pictures attached.

 

[MarineBob]

Looks like a great candidate for refinish. I am a long time DIY'er and have done lots of these. Here's my idea. You can sand the old finish off without too much effort. If you were so inclined buy a sander with the 5" pads. There are a zillion choices for grit. Maybe start with a 100 or so, see if that goes OK. If its too quick go to 120 or if too slow, move down to 80 or 60 but don't go too heavy to mess up the wood. I would be sure to get most/all the old finish off because it might look messy under the new top coat. Anyway, when you get the old finish off, get the surface smooth. Go in steps with sand paper. Say you started with 80 grit, go to 100, 120 or 150, 180 and then 220. I'd stop there and put on my first cost of Polyurethane. The water based stuff works pretty well these days and dries super clear and quickly. don't worry about it being white and milky in the can. Use a good brush, not a foam brush. Or you might try a foam roller but that might leave a texture. After a couple of coats full strength, sand the surface with 220 or 320 paper to get it smooth. Then another coast of Poly. then 320 sanding. Then another coat, more 320 to get the surface smooth as you want it. At this point, maybe wet sand the surface. Keep the paper and surface wet. If you never wet sanded before, it will be amazing to see the result. Then another coat of Poly. Then wet sand with 400 grit. Then depending on what finish you want, maybe sand (wet) with 600 grit, maybe got to 800 grit, wet. I would suggest semi glass or gloss finish if you want to go to the trouble of the wet sanding effort. Sounds like a lot of trouble but not really that bad and when you see the wet sanded finish you will be pleased and amazed

 

[Smurof Yid]

Here's my take. First you need to know what its made of. On the surface I'd say thats a solid Maple tabletop. However when you said two men had a hard time lifting it, and I saw the edges seemd to be glued on, I worry that it might be a particle board base with a Maple veneer. In that case the advise above might lead you to cutting thru the veneer and in essence ruining this already nice table. I would get a can of something like Homer Formby's Wood refinisher, which will dissolve the laquer finish as you rub it with a fine steel wool. You'll go through a box or two of steel wool, but the finish thats left can be your final finish if you like it. If not, you can take a scrap peice of maple, rub it with the squeezings of one of your dirty pads, let it dry until it matches what your table top now looks like. Then cut the scrap into 3 or 4 peices, then try 3 or four different stains on them. When you have a favorite, do your table top in that. I personally would do a hand rubbed tinted beeswax low to medium sheenfinish on it, buffed in with a car buffer and a wool wheel cover. Whats hot lately, is Black legs. or very dark grey, (which most black looks like on maple.) If you hate the legs, order steel ones from Amazon, they are very trnedy and selling well right now. As a woodworker I think they are a travesty, but, thats what the brain washed pinterest zombies want right now. Happy wife, Happy life.

 

[MarineBob]

I was assuming the table was solid. I agree you need to know if its a veneer before you start sanding. I have finished benches and stools with wax buffed in with steel wool. You can get a nice finish that way but I am not a fan of that approach for a table where there might be water stains