"A professional carpenter made an alder-wood dining room table for my wife and I, but after it was finished, it appeared to be cloudy. Does it need to be refinished?" — Harold Van Alstyne, Marina Del Ray, Calif.

Mostly likely, yes, says Katie Bovie, co-owner of highly rated Alpha Restoration in Emeryville, Calif. "It sounds like the coating never cured," she says.

A cloudy appearance could result if multiple layers of finish were applied too quickly without properly drying, or if there was excessive humidity during the finish application. Knowing which type of finishing product was used can be the key to eliminating the cloudy appearance.

"Some products are unremovable or irreversible, so it's always good to know," Bovie says.

Michael Ensign of highly rated Ensign Fine Finishing Inc. in Salt Lake City says the cloudy finish could also be attributed to "blush," where a layer of solvent becomes trapped beneath the top coat.

"A solvent reducer could be applied to reactivate the material and let the solvent escape, or it could need to be stripped and refinished," he says.

Because there are many possible causes and a wide range of repair costs, both suggest getting an estimate for the work first. Ensign says stripping and refinishing the tabletop could cost from $175 to $825, depending on its condition, complexity and the desired finish type. Bovie, who focuses more on antique restoration, says the same variables account for her estimate of $2,500 to $2,700 to refinish the entire table.

To maintain an existing finish, Bovie and Ensign recommend avoiding polishes with silicone, which can contaminate the top coat.