Should I buy,repaint and try to sell these ? Update: I BOUGHT THEM !

Mary Insana
by Mary Insana
I saw these unique tables on our local Craigs List. I would really like to get them and do something with them and try to sell them.....total of $45 for both. Sounds like a good price since it doesn't look like they need too much done. I was thinking of maybe some distressing and re stain the tops..
  17 answers
  • Bernice H Bernice H on Mar 19, 2013
    Wow...BUY them buy them!...I don't know what condition they are in, but they look great and elegant to me as is . I would buy them in a heartbeat!!! I love them!
  • Oh wow, that's a steal!! I would grab them quick, before someone else does!!
  • Kimberly Barney Kimberly Barney on Mar 19, 2013
    I think that the black makes the tables look a bit heavy so I would lighten that part but I don't know if I would paint the tops. Good deal!!
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 19, 2013
    I got em' They are in great condition. There's a very light water mark ring on the coffee table and the black is nicked here and there but that's about it. They are in pretty much perfection condition. Not much work will be needed. They are better looking in person.
  • Terri J Terri J on Mar 19, 2013
    You got a steal! I was thinking Pittsburgh is only a 4 hour drive, if you didn't take them, I would have!!!!
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 19, 2013
    Now the big decision, what color to paint them. To me they almost have an oriental look to them. I am tempted to do a red over the black and distress them to let some black show through but I want to keep the tops the wood color so I'm not sure they would look good red. I may have to just let them sit a while until they tell me what color they want to be :)
  • Teresa D Teresa D on Mar 19, 2013
    I'm with Bernice. I like them just the way they are. Love the curves and in the right place, that black would be just fine. I'm eager to see what you do with them though!
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 19, 2013
    Teresa D, I really like the black too. I may distress it a little to see whats under the black. If its wood tone I will continue to distress and then wax. I may paint it a cool color then paint black again so when I distress it the undercolor comes through. The engraving in so cool and I want to really bring that out. I do have 3 other tables sitting here to work on also.
  • Ahrisha Lesher Ahrisha Lesher on Mar 20, 2013
    I can see them in a light color of gray or Annie Sloan old white. If you use AS Chalk Paint you won't need to do any prep work. Will you be keeping them or selling them? I wouldn't do red to try to sell them.
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 20, 2013
    I plan on re selling them. I know red would not be a good color for resell so I won't be painting them red even though a red base and black over it with a little distress would look nice. I usually make my own chalk paint but I may order some CeCe Caldwell samples soon.
  • Z Z on Mar 20, 2013
    Those are beautiful Mary. I think I'd go with a gun metal gray and then a black wax over that. Then polish up the wood tops with what would look sort of like a wrought iron base.
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 20, 2013
    Becky,the bases look like wood in the picture but they are metal. I may actually unscrew the legs to paint them and give the top a very light sanding and do a poly stain to freshen them up. I have some dark Minwax but that really doesn't darken anything except a white base. I really wish I could get some wax samples. Do you know of anywhere to get wax samples?
  • Z Z on Mar 20, 2013
    I figured they were wood when you mentioned to Teresa "if it is wood tone". I got that wood in my head and ran with it. I should have known with the detail that it was metal. I don't know were to get samples of wax, but I have used shoe polish before as a finish on painted wood. I've yet to try it on stained wood.
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 20, 2013
    the top is wood and the shelf at the bottom is wood the legs are metal
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Mar 21, 2013
    I have re-done several tables like this. My advice is more a word of caution to you. Even through this table is wood, the top or wood grain look could be a very thin veneer. Which means when you strip the top, if you use a heavy hand and thick sand paper, it will sand down pat the veneer and leave white spots but you have sanded through the veneer, I have re-done several pieces like this and after one mishap I always do several things before I begin. I also take everything apart. Manufactors won't use veneer on things you can't see, like the underneath of the table. So flip it over, if the bottom and top doesn't match, it's veneer. You can sand veneer. Carefully. Use a very very fine sand paper. And a very light hand. Start slowly when sanding the sides of the table hand sand. Don't use a block. Fine sand paper, very very light touch. It doesn't take much pressure to get the sides sanding down. I learned this the hard way. Only takes once.
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Mar 21, 2013
    Sherrie, thanks for the tips. When I have something with a wood veneer top I use a really fine sandpaper and do it by hand. I sand just enough to blur out any rings or scratches..
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Mar 22, 2013
    As you can guess...I made this mistake on a really darling table. I am still kicking myself. But I love these tables! And you found a great deal!