I didnt take a "before" pic so if i showed an "after" i dont think you'd be too impressed.
I promis i'll get my daughter to show me how to post pictures.
a description.
imagine a cedar table left in the garden for two years with stuff piled on it at random and left in the sun.
now use it as a general workbench for about 3 years
take a dealer who gets out the nail gun to fix down the warped top ramming a few bits of kauri to fill in the broken toung and groove not bothering to stain them. gives it a wax

now get a client that wants the surface more durable but not fill in the holes or sand it. she wants it to look the same but more even colour and water reistant but not shiney

however, i've taken the top off, pulled together and re glued about 8 splits
replaced the kauri with cedar shim.
lightly sanded and applied about 4 light coats of DO rubbed back with 0000 SW.
It now looks softly rustic instead of firewood
this is the market I work in, mostly
Ive a georgian penbroke in at the moment for a re glue clean and wax
I like to save old furniture that most restorers would think past repair.
and at a cost effective rate
hence I an not very rich
but I love my job
astrid