Solid Wood X Back Counter Stools

This easy makeover of three solid wood X back counter stools is my monthly installment for our Furniture Fixer Upper Group. Be sure to visit my friends to see their awesome furniture makeovers!

I thought these were simply called wooden bar stools. But while preparing to write my tutorial on their awesome makeover, I discovered they are actually counter stools. That makes sense, right?

I passed by this good deal, when my friend called me back to take a look. I got all three counter stools for $20! Yes, $5 over my limit, but these gals were worth every penny. They are very solid, and sell for $100-$200 EACH when new.

Sand & Clean Wooden Furniture Prior to Painting

Because I wanted to guarantee a nice adhesion of paint, I sanded away some of the very shiny finish. Next, I used my favorite Deglosser from HTP.

When using this furniture prep (deglosser), I brush it on, and wipe it off. IF there is a lot of grime, you will want to use a scrubby. See more details in my article “How to Prep Furniture for Painting“. I was happy to see that these tall back bar stools weren’t too grimy.

How to Paint Counter Bar Stools

Make it easy on yourself when you’re painting furniture by raising it off the ground. For these X back stools, I used scrap fence boards resting atop my easy 2X4 sawhorses. (they were easy to build, and easy to transport, plus they stack when stored)

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Typically I brush on the All in One Paint by Heirloom Traditions (located nearby in Taylorsville KY) However, for these tall bar stools I decided to us my beloved Finish Max paint sprayer to get the best coverage and a flawless paint finish.

Remember, if you’re flipping furniture by painting, it’s best to do several light coats of paint. This is true whether you’re using a small paint roller, a paint brush, or a paint sprayer. It’s the ONLY way to do it, especially if you’re using spray paint. Several light coats.

Finally, it was time to set the tall bar stools upright for their next coat. Again, keeping them resting on the sawhorses will allow you to get in all the nooks and crannies, including the underneath edges.

For the second coat of paint on the seats, and other flat areas, I opted to use a small foam roller. It really gives great coverage, with no brush strokes. Again, thin coats are best.

Tall Black Counter Stools

Wow! What do you think so far? Aren’t they so pretty!!

Distressing Black Paint

To do a fine line distressing, I prefer to use cheap emery boards that I buy on Amazon. You can see that I identify my sanding sponges so I don’t have to guess what grit they are.

Remember, these counter stools were $20 for the set of three. I think the black paint really updated them, don’t you?

I finished these barstools a few weeks ago and took them to my booth. They sold within a couple of days. I love quick and easy furniture flips! The funny thing is, I took them back to the same store where I bought them, just a few booths away!

Now it’s time to see the rest of the team’s Furniture Fixer Upper Projects!

• How to Paint Furniture with Latex Paint Without Sanding
• Bathroom Cabinet Makeover
• Counter Barstools Makeover (you are here, thanks!)
• Magnolia Dresser Makeover
• How to Repaint a Dresser