I wish to refinish our wooden fireplace mantle. It is presently a stained finish, but one side faces a staircase that little fingers have worn the stain off the edges of the mantle. I would like to apply a durable semi-gloss finish of some sort, but since this is the focal point of our living room do not wish to end up with poor results. Adding to the difficulty is that there is a matching molding below the main mantle, of the same wood and finish that would be extremely difficult to sand. We also have an asthmatic child and pet parrots that are extremely sensitive to airborne pollutants and fumes. I considered a light sanding, re-staining, and a urethane semi-gloss, but am unsure of the process and the best products to use.
Answer:
You're on the right track but make sure you have a vacuum cleaner going all the time you do your light sanding so as little of the dust escapes into the atmosphere as possible. You won't be using an electric sander here.
