I’m thrilled to be sharing my DIY kitchen table makeover, and how pretty it looks with the my newly updated kitchen chairs. It has been a few months since I completed the chairs and I’m happy to report this project went so much better. Not once did I threaten to turn the table into fire wood as I did with the chairs.
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First let me show you how the table looked before with the dark stained legs and painted tabletop.
This is how the table looks now, with a natural wood tabletop and the legs painted in a soft white. The makeover has made a huge difference in how open and spacious the kitchen looks now.
My project is broken down into two parts, first was stripping the top down to the natural wood. Second was painting the apron and legs then adding waxes for a beautiful finish.
Part One DIY Kitchen Table Makeover
Supplies I used in Refinishing the table top
- Ready-Strip Safer Paint and Varnish Remover
- Plastic Scraper
- Paint Brush Pack
- Disposable Nitrile Gloves
- Plastic Drop Cloth
- Ryobi Sheet Sander
- Sanding Sponges 220 grit and 120 grit
- Lint Free Cotton Cloths
Steps In Stripping Paint And Stain From Table Top
Following the manufactures directions, I applied Ready Strip to the tabletop surface with a paint brush.
Then I waited about 4 to 5 hours for the solution to change color.
When the Ready Strip solution changed to light green color I began scraping to remove the paint and stain.
I finished all the scraping by the end of the day and allowed the surface to dry completely overnight so I could begin sanding the next morning.
In photo #5 above the right side is how the table looked before sanding and the left side is how it look when I was finished. I highly recommend getting a good sander like the one above. It’s a huge time saver and helps to achieve a professional finish.
The rounded table edge was sanded by hand with sanding sponges.
Once all the sanding was finished I vacuumed and cleaned the surface really well with lint free rags in order to prepare for part two of the makeover.
Part Two DIY Kitchen Table Makeover
I consider part two of the DIY kitchen table makeover to be the highlight of the project. I mention in the Haven Conference post and on Instagram that I’m a maker with A Maker’s Studio by Amy Howard. As you can imagine, I couldn’t wait to use the products and create a post to share with you.
Supplies I Used For The Final Finish
- Rescue Restore Paint in Blessed
- Paint Brush
- Furniture & Cabinet Cleaner
- Cerusing Wax
- Light Antiquing Wax
- Lint Free Cotton Cloths
- Extra Fine Sand Paper
Steps In achieving The Final Finish
The first step and a very important one was cleaning the wood before I applied the paint. A Makers’ Studio Furniture & Cabinet Cleaner removes oils and waxes, allowing the paint to adhere without priming or sanding. I used a lint free cloth saturated with the cleaner on all the wood areas to be painted. Be sure to read the manufactures instructions.
Next I painted the apron and legs with the Rescue Restore paint, allowing it to dry between coats. In total I applied three coats because the stain was so dark.
There were a few areas where I had drips and took care of those with extra fine sand paper. All and all the paint goes on very smooth.
Once the paint and sanding process was finished, I wiped down all surfaces with a lint free cloth.
On the table top I applied a small amount of the cerusing wax with a lint free rag working it into the grain until the table top was covered. The cerusing wax lightens up the grain of wood giving it a white washed look. If you page up to photo #6 the left side has the white cerusing wax while the right side does not.
I allowed the wax to come to tack after about 30 minutes, then with a clean lint free cloth I polished the surface until it felt silky smooth.
The final step was applying the light antiquing wax on the legs, apron and table top with a lint free cloth. The light wax looks a little like soften butter and covers beautifully. This time I waited about an hour for it all to come to tack and polished all areas with a clean lint free rag. The result is a fabulously smooth finish.
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Products
I’m so excited about being a maker and having the opportunity to show you how to create beautiful things for your home. These days it’s so important to reuse and repurpose what we have, not only to save money but prevent adding to our land fills.
My head is bursting with ideas for everyday and seasonal decor using the wonderful products from A Makers’ Studio, and the best part is you can use them too. I’ll be showing more before and after projects like this one, and how you can relate those projects to what you have.
Thank you so much for letting me share my DIY kitchen table makeover with you. If you have any questions about A Makers’ Studio or this project, I would love to hear from you.
Cheers!
©2018 DIY Kitchen Table Makeover first appeared on Thistle Key Lane™
Beautiful work!
Thank you Jenn! 🙂
Your table turned out so pretty!
Thank you so much Stacey!!
Your table (and chairs) look amazing! How were the dark spots on the edge of the table attained?
Thanks Julie! Some of the dark areas are the old stain that was under the paint and some are knots in the wood. I kind of liked the rustic look of the tabletop edge and decided to leave it distressed. Thanks so much for the question!
I love love love how your table turned out! It looks so professional yet way better than what you’d find in a retail store! Fantastic job and a finish that I think will never go out of style!
Thank you Cindy. You made my day with your sweet comments!
Oh my gosh it looks gorgeous! Those are some sexy table legs 😉 I love this color so much more!
Thanks Marissa! That’s exactly what I was going for 😉
Beautiful transformation. The lighter paint and waxes. I’m a new Maker too; just getting started and it’s nice to have a portfolio of before and afters to share. My Blessed is on its way!
Thank you so much Carol. I really love the paint and the results. Congrats on being a Maker. Can’t wait to see your projects too!