DIY Kitchen Table Makeover
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A DIY Kitchen Table Makeover was my first time and was no easy task for my first time, but in the end, it was just what I had envisioned.
I am so excited about today’s blog post! I am sharing my first DIY project with y’all! This cute $15 little table was a perfect size and was exactly what I envisioned for my kitchen. I am proud of this DIY Kitchen Table Makeover. All it needed was some sanding & some fresh paint, which would be perfect!
I had been searching for some time for a little table that would fit near my kitchen window on the Facebook marketplace and the thrift store. One day, I just happened to be scrolling social media. Chonda from One of kind Finds Junktique shared items on Instagram that were marked half off. I noticed this table that had painted white legs and a green top. But I loved its style and thought I could refinish it. This was the same place I purchased the train case from last year.
The table top had brush strokes of green & white, and the legs were painted in a chalky chippy white that did not match the aesthetic of my kitchen that I was going for. However, the style was just what I wanted, and I knew I could make this old table beautiful again with some work.
I have wanted to give this a DIY kitchen table makeover for a couple of months.
We have been either busy, or the weather didn’t cooperate; I just couldn’t get time to work on the table. I knew I would need a day with nothing planned and some decent weather. Finally, that day arrived. As I gathered all the tools needed, I took the table outside and realized this might take me a long time because I didn’t imagine all the hard work it would take to get the layers of paint off the top of the table.
Using what I have on hand.
My plan for transforming the table was just to sand the top of it and, stain it and give the table base & legs a fresh coat of white paint white which I already had both on hand, so there was no extra cost.
My neighbor came to the rescue.
I started using the hand sander, which seemed like forever to do. After 45 minutes, I barely made a dent in getting the paint off, even though I thought this would be an easy process since I was using the hand sander, but I guess not. Whoever had it previously used many coats of chalk paint because it was so challenging to get off. My neighbor, who is very talented at restoring furniture, gave me tips on getting the paint off and shared the process he uses. He had a scraper tool that would get the paint off. I couldn’t believe how fast and efficient it was, and not to mention it was a huge time saver. However, even though it was a small table, it was still a lot of work and took a long time to remove all the paint.
Took longer than I thought it would!
As I was sanding, the table had a faint green color that I was struggling to get off, so I asked my husband, and he said to sand a bit more, which should help. He was right; I could get the table to its natural wood.
Step-by-Step tutorial for this DIY kitchen table makeover
Sanding the tabletop
- Gather your tools and set your piece of furniture in a work area that can get a little bit messy.
- Apply a thin coat of citri stripper to the tabletop and allow 10-15 minutes to sit. (Be prepared as this is a messy job)
- Use the scraper to scrape off the paint. Note: You will have to clean your blade from the stripper continuously.
- Take the sander (60 grit sand paper) and go over areas that still have paint.
- Once all the paint has been removed, go over the table and edges with sandpaper to get in the edges.
- Take the sander and do a once over again until you have a smooth finish. This is important, as you want your stain to go on smoothly.
- Give it a good cleaning with a hand brush to remove all the dust. I also did this throughout sanding & scraping.
- Use a wet rag or a tack cloth, and give the entire table a good cleaning.
Note: It’s important that when sanding, you along with the grain of the wood.
Painting the Base & Legs
- Wipe down the base & table legs with a wet rag to remove any dust & dirt
- Give it a good base coat of paint and let dry
- Touch up any spots needed
Staining the Tabletop
- Use a small paint brush and apply the first coat of stain over the edges, get into any small spaces, then take a rag over it to remove any excess.
- Take a rag you have on hand & dip it into your gel stain of choice, and work in a small area at a time, going in the direction of the wood grain.
- Continuously going into small sections until the whole tabletop is covered with stain.
- Take your rag, give it a final wipe-through, and let it dry for about 15 minutes.
- Add another coat of stain if needed.
- Apply wax sealant if you like to give it a more finished look for the final step.
Allow some time to get completely dry.
The paint & stain dried rather quickly, but with four cats that like to jump on everything, I decided to dry in the laundry room with the window opened, and the door closed overnight to ensure it was completely dried.
How do I restore a tabletop if it gets damaged?
- Clean the surface using a gentle soap and water to remove dirt and oils from the table’s existing finish.
- You’ll need to strip the surface if the table is painted or varnished using Citrus Stripper.
- Sand Table Surface
- Apply wood stain of choice.
- Apply Wax Sealant.
Choosing Wood Stains.
When choosing your stain, I recommend using a gel stain because it is easier to use and is a non-drip stain. I decided to use the Walnut finish. However, I didn’t worry too much about the wood tones, as I did want this table to have a darker finished look, so two coats of stain gave me the perfect color I was looking for.
Keeping the table base & legs white
With a dark finish for the tabletop, I wanted to keep the bottom base & legs white, so I used semi-gloss Ultra Pure White paint & primer by Behr Premium Plus. And not to mention that I also liked that it has a long-lasting finish.
I am not experienced in DIY furniture, but if I can do this, so can you!
I definitely had confidence that I could restore this small table, but when I started, I did, however, question myself if I could actually do this. It was sure a lot of work and time-consuming after working on the table for 4 1/2 hours. But, I have to say that I am glad I did it. Overall the table looks fantastic, and I was so happy with how it turned out. It has a fresh new look that I have envisioned for my kitchen.
Supply List for the DIY Kitchen Table Makeover
Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience at no extra cost to you as an Amazon Associate, and I earn from qualifying purchases. I appreciate your support :).
- Behr Premium Plus
- 60 Grit Sandpaper
- Paintbrush
- Black & Decker Sander
- Minwax Gel Stain
- Tack Cloth
- Citri Strip
- Paint Scraper
I hope this post inspires you to work on your next project! Good luck!
Until next time y’all,
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