A drum table makeover can be a fun and creative way to transform an old or outdated piece of furniture into a stylish and functional accent piece for your home. Below are some steps you can follow to give your little side table a new look.
But first, I'm excited to tell you that I am joining a fun group of bloggers known as the "furniture fixer uppper" blog group! I admire all of the work these ladies do and I'm honored to be joining them. Be sure to check out their projects at the end of this post. I'm hoping my simple drum table makeover is worthy.
Now, let's get on with how I fixed up this sad white drum table I picked up for $15. Yes, it's well over my $5 limit, but times have changed my friend. Thrift store prices are also rising--it's a sign of the times. This little gal has definitely seen better days, but I hope you love the simplicity of this easy tutorial. Did you notice the little lady is missing a couple of her "slippers"? Never fear, the other two were taped inside the drawer!!!
Prep: Clean and Sand the Table
Dismantle the table by removing the screws that secure the table top to the base of the table. This is also a good time to remove any hardware, such as the handle on the drawer and the toe caps on the legs.
Inspect your project, including looking for loose veneer or places that may need to be filled in with a little plastic wood or wood filler of your choice.
As you can see, the top of this table was rough. Luckily, the base and the drawer were in really good shape.
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The orbital sander was definitely the way to go to try to smooth out the roughness.
I started with 60 grit, then 150 grit, and finally 220 grit to smooth out the table top.
This small dust brush is so handy to keep on hand. It allows me to quickly clean off the table to see where I may need to hit it with the sander. For some reason, I'm not a real fan of the "tack cloth".
The inside of the drawer wasn't very pretty, so a quick sanding was in order to ready it for it's makeover. I also like to sand away any roughness or buildup of paint when I remove hardware/handles. See image below.
As you can see, I used a 220 grit sanding sponge to smooth out the table legs. The sponge was also used on the toe caps.
Can You Use General Finishes Milk Paint in a Paint Sprayer?
Yes! You can use nearly all paint with a Finish Max Paint Sprayer!
For this drum table makeover, I really wanted a clean look of black paint. I used General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint on a pair of nightstands years ago, and I loved how they turned out. I have been using HTP All in One Paint, painting by hand on all of my recent thrift store projects. So, I figured it was time to change things up. You could use chalk paint, if that's what you prefer for your diy projects. It also works well in the the Finish Max paint sprayer.
How many Coats of Paint on this Drum Table Makeover?
Did you notice that the table base was upside down when I painted it? Starting a paint job with your project upside down insures that you won't miss any crevices especially with a spindle like table base.
I like to do very light coats of paint no matter how I am applying the paint. After the first coat of paint dried, I used some brown craft paper to lightly sand the table top. It's a great way to get a smooth finish in the end.
Then, I reassembled the table and did a second coat to see how things were going. Isn't it beautiful??? Note how little overspray there is from the Finish Max.
Here's a little tip about using expensive paint on projects. First, if it's your project you may not mind dropping the money on a quart of high dollar paint. As a furniture flipper, you do need to get your money back.
The Finish Max gets nearly every last drop out of the paint cup. However, before cleaning it out, I used a chip brush to do very light touchups where needed, making sure no paint was wasted at all.
Buff Table
Using a soft cloth, actually a flour sack towel, I buffed the entire table. Here, I'm using a shoe shine method on the base of the table. The milk paint tends to show handprints, where you've touched or carried the table. You, of course have the option of waxing or sealing the table. I prefer gently buffing the painted drum table and base. If you want to use your table right away, I recommend putting small pieces of wax paper under any decor you place on the table until the paint has time to fully cure.
Spray Paint Hardware
All of the hardware got several light coats of spray paint.
Drum Table Drawer
For a drawer liner, I used some heavy duty wrapping paper. I turned the drawer upside down and traced the shape onto the paper. Then I made an educated guess about how thick the drawer was and cut the paper to size.
Because I'm flipping this table, I didn't want to decoupage the paper on the entire drawer bottom. Instead, I reached for a cheap glue stick to secure the edges all around the drawer.
In order to get the best finish I could on the old top, I buffed it with the soft cloth, then I did one light coat of Lamp Black with this small foam paint roller.
Drum Table Makeover Complete!
I put all the hardware back in place, and did a few touchups. Voila! The drum table makeover is complete!
Optional: Add Decorative Details
Although I only did a simple paint job with this side table makeover, you could give new life to your accent table with a few more steps.
Once the base coat of paint or stain has dried, you can add decorative details to the table. This could include stenciling a pattern or design, using a contrasting paint color to highlight the edges, or using decoupage techniques to add a graphic element. If I were to do anything to embellish this project, I would probably use a transfer similar to the one I used on my navy blue bar stools.
With these simple steps, you can give your drum table a fresh new look that will enhance the overall style and aesthetic of your space.
Now, let's check out these fabulous projects from the furniture fixer upper team!
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Welcome to the group Gail !
I am really liking lamp black. Your makeover is so pretty now ! And your tutorial is really clear and helpful !
Thanks
Gail Wilson
Thank you so much! I love redoing furniture, it's a change from sawing and building! 🙂
gail
Janette
Absolutely stunning , it looks beautiful.x
Gail Wilson
I appreciate your sweet comment Janette! I'm really happy that my friend talked me into dragging this table home! It's such an odd size, I had to dismantle it to get it home, and take it back to the same store, but this time in MY booth!
gail
Joann
Beautifully done! Great tips and excellent instructions.
Gail Wilson
Thank you Joann. I was happy to give this sad little table a new look. 🙂
gail
Cecilia from Georgia
Welcome to the group! I love the table and you gave such clear directions. I'm looking forward to seeing posts from you soon!
Gail Wilson
Thank you Cecilia,
This group is going to challenge me to up my game!
gail
Carla from Kansas
The table is lovely but I would like to s÷ the bead detail, drawer pull, and toe caps with a little gold on them.
Gail Wilson
That's a great idea Carla! Thanks so much for sharing your idea with me!
gail
Lizzy
That's really pretty. Great work!
Gail Wilson
Thank you Lizzy. I love the rescue and re-homing of less than perfect furniture pieces.
gail
Christy James
Just beautiful, Gail! I love all the tips you share, and I’m sure I’ll learn a thing or two from you! SO glad to have you in our group!! XOXO
Gail Wilson
Christy!
Thank you so much. I'm thrilled to be joining such a wonderful group of ladies for monthly furniture fixer uppers!!!
Marcie Lovett
Welcome to the furniture fixer upper group, Gail! I think $15 was a deal, even though it started out looking so sad. I love drum tables and this one is a beauty now.
girlfromwva
It turned out so nice! Love how you show us the whole process. Beautiful job. 😍
Denise - Salvaged Inspirations
This is a night and day makeover Gail, just beautiful! Pinned!
Gail Wilson
Thanks so much Denise! It sort of is a plain jane, but that's what sells around these parts! I'm so happy to be part of your FFU group!
gail
Cheryl Atkinson
I love GF Lamp Black! I have used it a couple of times. I don't have a sprayer so I brush it on and it still comes out so smooth. Thank you for sharing and welcome to the FFU gang!!
Gail Wilson
Cheryl
I agree about the GF Lamp black. It does brush on really nice. I'm so excited about being part of the FFU gang!
gail
Jackie C
This is beautiful. I personally would definitely seal this piece.
Gail Wilson
Jackie,
I'm not a fan of sealing furniture for several reasons. Because I'm re-homing it, I always wonder what the new owner will do??? Will they re-paint it? If I seal it, will that make a difference? I'm not a fan of anything shiny, so I worry about making something shiny, and getting the sealer perfect. My project next month does have a little sealer on the top of the table..... So when needed, I do use it. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
gail
Jennie
It’s beautiful. I think the transfers would make it really pop. The only difference I’d make is to leave the slipper feet brass. But I know on these pieces they’re sometimes really beat up.
Quick tip, we just got a puppy after our little Lucy passed. She’s in that eat and chew everything stage. Some pieces of furniture I really don’t care about, but one is a cedar chest with long Victorian legs. Great for storage. When Maggie (new dog) started on the feet I took 4 big cups you get at a baseball, or football game and stuck each leg inside one. Yes it look silly, but it’s saving it, and keeps me from saying Maggie No every time she chews.
So happy to see you with a new group of bloggers.
Gail Wilson
Jennie,
That's a great tip about putting the cups over the legs of furniture to protect it from puppy teeth!
The feet had already been painted white, as was the handle. This was a quickie makeover to make sure I got it done for this month's challenge. It's tough around these parts to get furniture painted in the dead of winter! 🙂
gail