How to Refinish Formica Table Tops

Wash the table thoroughly with soap and warm water. Let dry.

Fill in any cracks with a two-part wood filler such as Minwax High Performance Wood Filler. This filler dries quickly, minimizing downtime between steps.

Sand the entire Formica surface with 220-grit sandpaper. Smooth the areas where you used wood filler so that they are even with the rest of the surface. Sanding the surface will allow your oil-based primer to adhere to the surface of the Formica.

Wipe down the surface with a wet cloth to remove all dust. Allow to dry.

Apply primer over the entire surface with a roller, and dry overnight.

Apply an oil-based topcoat with a roller for the table top and with a brush for the edges.

Allow paint to dry overnight. Apply two coats of oil-based polyurethane to protect the surface of your table top.