There are few things more beautiful than wood furniture, and that includes desks. However, over time wood can crack and dry and begin to become damaged. The surface can become dull and soiled, and there even may be dark splotches and rings. This can mar the beauty of your furniture, and spoil the neat appearance of your office or den.

Refinishing enhances and preserves the look of the wooden desk and also protects the wood from decay. It accentuates the looks of the wood. The desks are usually made of cherry, walnut or mahogany wood. Refinishing shows the grain contrasts that exist in these woods.

The first step in the process of refinishing the desk is to strip the old finish. Make sure you use a remover that is safe for use on wood furniture. You can find these products at home improvement stores and specialty shops that sell fine furniture. Look for a friendly solvent to clean up the residue left by the remover. Remember not to use a water-based solvent for cleaning and never clean desks or other fine wood furniture with water.

Once the cleaning process is over remove the left over finish or any paint by sanding the entire desk. You can also use an electric sander to make the sanding process easier and faster. Sanding is all the more important if you are using a rough surfaced desk.

Once the desk is free from the old paint and the surface is smooth you have to decide on a color and sheen for your desk. It is entirely up to you whether you want to refinish the desk close to its original color or make a color change. It depends on the stain that you use. However, before you do the entire desk, test the color of the stain on a portion of the desk that is less noticeable. This is to make sure that when the stain dries, it is the color of your choice.

You could settle for a shiny high gloss sheen or matte finish for your desk, depending on your choice and preference. While some people like the shiny appeal of the high gloss finish others prefer the more natural look of the matte finish. You can get a variety of sprays for furniture finish from home improvement or furniture specialty shops. You can choose between the varieties of glossy levels depending upon the kind of finish you prefer.

If you want to add a coat of paint, then you can paint the desk also. However, most wood desks look very beautiful without paint. In fact, it spoils the look of the desk.

Before applying paint, make sure you have a good finish on the wood. This will not only protect the wood but make it easier to revert back to natural wood, in case you change your mind after some time. Finally, apply a clear-coat on your desk's paint after the final coat of paint dries.