Nate Berkus once said that “your home should tell the story of who you are and be a collection of what you love.” And I’d have to agree, yet we all know it can be quite expensive updating a room and only buying furniture that we love.
Heck… you go to one store or flip through one magazine, and oftentimes you find multiple pieces that do truly ADD UP!
So today, I wanted to showcase an INEXPENSIVE way to jazz up an old worn out table and make it brand new. Because honestly, some of the most meaningful pieces that you have are not the ones that you buy, but ones that you’ve made and love. (**And yes, it also allows you to do your part where the Earth is concerned… Go Green!)
So without further ado, here’s one of my latest Do-It-Yourself “experiments…”updating old snack tables that were used, abused, and worn. (If you really want to know, I picked them up on the side of the street… the things I do for my blog!) I’ve included the steps on what I did and what you will need. Let me just say, with the right tools and the right tips, it’s easy peasy!
From This…
To This…
How To: Update An Old Snack Table
You Will Need:
- Old Snack Tables
- Hand Sander (I Used This Brand!)
- Sanding Block
- DecoArt Color Stain
- MiniWax Wood Stain
- Paint Brushes
- Container for Water
- Egg Carton OR plastic container for paint
- Woodburning Kit (*Mine is from my Grandpa, but this one is great for starting out!)
- Screwdrivers (I couldn’t resist linking these… they are PINK!)
Steps
Step 1:
Unscrew the table into as many components as possible. Using a hand sander, glide the hand sander (with pressure) across the wood going with the grain rather than against it.
Step 2:
Once the stained or painted wood is completely clear, take an old damp washcloth and run it across to eliminate any wood shavings.
Step 3:
Once completely dry, choose an image that you would like to transfer or draw onto the snack tables. (Side Note: You can either transfer using carbon paper or utilize your drawing skills to do freehand work or utilize stencils to make your project YOURS.)
Step 4:
Using a pencil, draw the image onto the wood.
Step 5:
Using a woodburning kit, go over the marks you have made. For a deeper burn either stay on the same spot for longer and/or go over the marks a few times.
Step 6:
Once woodburning is completed, mix the DecoArt Wood Stain thoroughly. Shake, shake, shake!
Step 7:
Using either an egg carton or a plastic container, pour a bit of paint out and into the container. Get ready for the next step… to paint!
Step 8:
Take a swipe with the paintbrush and apply color as needed. If you need to mix the colors to get a tone or color that you would like, do so in the egg carton and/or plastic container. (For lighter areas you can use a towel and for every application of paint, you can use the towel to carefully swipe the excess paint off. I did not choose to do this for my project as I wanted the paint to be vibrant.)
Step 9:
Once completely dry, use DecoArt Glossy Varnish. Let it dry completely (around 3-4 hours).
Step 10:
Re-apply DecoArt Glossy Varnish as needed. (I did three coats, but should have done two coats as the last one came out bubbled.)
Step 11:
Grab your screwdrivers and assemble the tables.
Enjoy!
Not Looking to Make Them? Here are a Few Options!
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Ending It Off
So make your life better, and start with making your furniture like new. If you do, please tag me on Instagram @afitandfabulousmichele as I’d love to see what you did too!