Not only had some parts chipped off, but some permanent finish discoloration occurred when some heated bottles were placed on it without enough insulation.
The first step was to sand everything down. I used this hand sander, but if I had it to do again I might have checked into getting a belt sander with a low grit. This took quite a while.
The edges were marred as well, so I lightly sanded them. Once everything is done, the slight difference in shape won't be noticeable.
The stain goes on really dark, enough to be a little worried. But when the excess is wiped off a few minutes later, the hardwood has some great color to it.
At this point, it's time for a finish. I used polyurethane in several light, diluted coats. This was a learning experience the first time around as I actually messed up badly and had to start completely over, re-sanding everything from scratch. Fortunately, the hardwood veneer was barely thick enough to withstand a second sanding. After the polyurethane, the table has a beautiful shine to it.
Back in the kitchen, good as new!
