Bar Stool Makeover Easy Thrift Store Project

For this month's Thrift Store Decor Team project, I'm doing a bar stool makeover--well actually a set of 'em.

I got a great deal on these bar stools at my local White Elephant Vendors Market. I have a booth there, and it makes it easy to pick up bargains when I check on things.

Clean Your Bar Stools

When I say clean your bar stools, I really mean clean and degloss them. Any thrift store furniture is of unknown origin, meaning you don't know its history. That was definitely the case with this bar stool makeover.

Of course there is some chipping paint where people have rested their feet, but that's not all.

This is a paintbrush I used to apply the deglosser. You can see the left side full of grease and grime. I've used the Heirloom Traditions deglosser on the right side, applying it with the brush, then scrubbing it with the yellow pad. Just know, you can NOT paint over this kind of grime.

Don't forget to clean and paint the underside of your furniture pieces, especially if it's a flip project and you're rehoming it. It's the little things like this that will set you apart from your competitors.

How to Clean Old Furniture

A deglosser saves you time and effort. No need to clean AND sand. This takes care of everything and makes your bar stool or any other thrift store furniture "ready to paint".

Materials needed for cleaning old furniture

• Deglosser
• Chip Brush (for applying)
• Scrubbing Pad
• Soft Rag

Can you see the deglosser working? Simply give it about 30 seconds, scrub with pad, then wipe with a rag.

Paint Bar Stool With Random Base Coat

Leaving the original colors, black paint was randomly painted all over the bar stool.

I grabbed an old candle to use for a paint resist technique. This isn't difficult at all, just rub the wax wherever you would like the black paint to show through.

I was a little heavier with the wax in some places.

Bar Stool Makeover with Paint

This Irish Garden Paint from All in One Paint is sort of a bluish green, perfect for a topcoat.

Tools for Painting

To load the true applicator sponge from the sample jar is simple. You can see I just put the sponge on the jar and tip it to load the paint. I do wear gloves when using the sponge for painting. This just makes cleanup that much easier.

Instead of "rubbing" the paint, I sort of pat or "stipple" it on. No brush strokes and a really nice finish, with great coverage. I did one coat, with just a little extra coverage where needed.

Tools For The Perfect Paint Finish

• Sponge Applicator
• Paint

Yes, that's all you need to get the perfect finish. No paint brush needed!

You could stop here, but why would you if you added that black paint?

Did you know? You can make a Side Table Out of a Stool?

I allowed the paint to dry only about an hour, then worked on removing some of the topcoat. A little of this was done with a damp rag, while other parts were actually sanded a little. THIS paint really adheres well. Do NOT wait overnight to do this step.

The stools show some of the white paint, original wood, and the black paint.

Bar Stool Makeover

I really, really love how the bar stool makeover turned out.

What do you think? Of course I won't be keeping these stools, I will be taking them right back to the White Elephant where I bought them. If they don't sell, perhaps I'll bring them home to give that light coat of paint. Or, maybe I'll use a polka dot transfer for the seat of the bar stools. If I do that, I'll update this post.

An additional little tidbit about how well this paint cures. After I took this photograph, on the day I painted the stools--I stacked them in my garage, one on top of the other. With most paints (that aren't waxed) your furniture will stick to other things. These two bar stools, were fully cured. It's the same paint I used on my Camper Cabinets and my Kitchen Countertops. You can find HTP on Facebook.

Be sure to check out all the fabulous projects from my friends on the Thrift Store Decor Team!

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DIY Mini Succulent Garden In A Sugar Mold My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Thrift Store Metal Pumpkin Domestically Speaking

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What to do with Old Shutters Reinvented Delaware

Boho Candle Holder (and Crazy Brass Cleaning Hack!) Sadie Seasongoods

How to Update Thrift Store Art Our Southern Home

Quilted Mason Jar Makeover House Of Hawthornes

How to Make Pumpkins from Scrap Wood Shop At Blu

Bar Stool Makeover My Repurposed Life