From Gunk to Glow — George Grotz

The classic manual on how to refinish furniture, written by that Yankee sage, the Furniture Doctor. This book provides all the basics, from stripping to sanding to staining and varnishing. The Doctor shares his own secret tips for saving time and money, and he reveals the Four Golden Rules for Beginners: it's easier to make things darker than it is to make them lighter; it is easier to try for an uneven, mottled, stippled, or patterned effect than for a smooth, even one; the big secret is preparation; itis impossible to make an old marble-top table into a mahogany baby grand piano. Great tool for the refinisher!