I am ready to share the dining table. I didn’t think I ever would, because I was pretty sure I messed it up, but by the grace of God, it and I was saved. You’ll remember from my last posts that I had fudged up the stain. If I was a smart woman, I would have tested the stain on the bottom of the table to see how it would take it. But, alas, I’m not a smart woman, and I put that stuff all over the top. So, for all you DIYers contemplating a stain project, learn from my mistakes. Always, test your stain in a small unnoticeable area.

Fortunately, the final product that I tried worked. Take a look back on my almost disastrous reno journey here and here .

The white wash pickling stain worked so good to lighten up the wood. Of course, it still has a red tint to it, but what I was most sad about was that you couldn’t see all the little dings and wear and tear that I loved. I really wanted that weathered look and the dark red stain completely hid all that character. The white wash pickling stain lightened it enough to see that again.

I was soooooo relieved!! And after I got the topcoat on, I was ecstatic! It looks so good and I’m so glad this DIY story has a happy ending ☺.