This is my coffee table “before”. I bought it at a thrift store mall. Which is different than a thrift store. It’s one of those places that has “booths” with a lot of vendors. I paid $20.00 for it. Which is definitely over my $5.00 limit. However when I’m buying something for my own personal use, I don’t always stick to my $5.00 limit. It is a very functional table, but with the new changes in my living room I wanted to change the color.
I kept waiting for warm weather so I could take it out and sand it. As you can see by the snow in the picture, it wasn’t all that warm on the day I finally decided to brave the cold.
I sanded the top really well, because I was going to stain it. The rest of the table I just gave a quick sanding so that I could paint it.
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I started with a coat of Kilz primer. (painting it on the kitchen table)
I painted 2 coats of Kilz before I started painting it with this…
… a quart of FREE Glidden paint! When Glidden had their promotion a few months ago for free paint, I asked begged my friends to fill out the forms and give them to me. This quart was from my friend Sherry. Isn’t she a good friend? She picked out a great color, Crisp Linen White. I’m sort of over Heirloom White, cause it’s a little too yellow to suit me these days.
Because I use my coffee table for a footstool, the boards were separating slightly. I glued and clamped them, but I wasn’t able to draw them in enough.
I picked up this special putty (plastic wood by Dap). I usually use wood filler, but it is not stainable. This putty is already colored. I bought walnut. I had never used this product before and I was surprised to find out that you stain the piece before using the filler. I used dark walnut stain.
I puttied the table, not realizing that I should have been a little neater. This stuff was very hard to sand. When I sanded it off, it lightened the stain color. I applied more stain but it wouldn’t take very well.
Here is the table now, in my “almost new” living room. You can see that the center is lighter (where I sanded too much).
But it works perfect for me! I love the look of the white and the walnut together!
I sealed the top with polycrylic. It was too cold to seal it outside, and the polycrylic, even though it has an odor, is not as offensive as polyurethane.
I applied about 5-6 coats of the polycrylic.
This table will never be neat. If I were to take a picture right now, you would see: my camera, my camera cord, camera tripod, some coupons, a tape measure, cordless phone, a sheet, (I was sanding earlier, and didn’t want my computer to suck in the dust, so I used the sheet to cover the computer) a drill bit, a couple of bills, and some magazines. And of course my laptop is usually sitting on the corner where I sit.
I am practically finished with the media center base unit. The doors are attached, and the shelf is installed. I still need to caulk a couple of cracks, and paint again. I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out.
have a great weekend!
gail
You did a great job! What a wonderful piece!!!!
I love what you did! I think this is exactly what I want to do with my coffee table when it warms up!
I have been contemplating it all winter. Yours turned out lovely.
That looks really spiffy!
I have the same sort of flexibility built into my $5 rule, too.
And I totally blame you for instilling and drilling the $5 rule into my brain! LOL! I feel so guilty when I spend a penny more these days, although you HAVE saved me a bundle of cash! 🙂
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Anne
It’s beautiful! I have been considering painting the legs on our coffee table, but I think I’ll hold out for a thrifty find I can refinish. It looks great!
Blessings, Melissa
What a great find and you really did a wonderful job changing it up. Love it!
I really like it! I love the combination of walnut with white. It’s really a neat piece!
Nancy
Ya, I love it! And love that it’s now *lived on* (O:
Gail! It looks brand spankin new! It’s totally gorgeous! Thanks for sharing all of your expertise!! I love it!
Your table looks very nice, despite the light area. You always do such creative things with your thrifty finds.
I’ve been thinking about doing something similar to the oak dresser I repurposed into a bathroom vanity in my Master Bath. But, I’m thinking making the body of it a beachy turquoise and leaving the top stained in the dark oak. My bathroom NEEDS more color.
What a beautiful color you have given the top. Love that deep color and the combo with the white.
Gorgeous table! I love the stained top with the white legs and bottom…I need to try that sometime!
What color stain did you use?
That came out beautiful. I love the two tone combo. Great Job.
Great look, should fit right in with your NEW living room look.
I never would have thought to put the walnut and the white together – but I love it!!! So crisp and sharp, its gorgeous! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
I tried to use that putty on the boofay I did and had the same problem. Thankfully it’s in the back so it isn’t really seen.
The table turned out lovely!