5 Steps to Outdated Furniture Re-design
2 Materials
$30
2 Days
Easy
The Story of Ava & Elsa
Ava & Elsa were not wanted.
Ava & Elsa sat out in a driveway thinking there was no hope.
Ava & Elsa were wobbly and scratched up pieces with a $10 tag for BOTH of them.
Ava & Elsa though they were worth more but needed someone to find them and make them beautiful again.
I was that someone…
Step #1 – Clean, repair and sand.
I used Krud Kutter and wood filler to prep them for their redesign. I used the degreaser formula, but Krud Kutter now has a prepaint TSP substitute. The Scott Rags in a Box are pretty handy – just use and throw away.
You want a good surface to receive the paint, allowing it to grab on – this is called "giving it tooth." They must have been in a smoker's home because the Krud Kutter took off a bunch of brown crud. It is good to clean it first so you don't sand the crud down into the wood. After going over it twice with the Krud Kutter. I sanded to give it tooth and to smooth out the wood filled areas. Clean again to get the dust off and prepare it for paint.
Step #2 – Grab your brush and start painting the base coat.
Classico Chalk Paint is a very thick paint – you can thin it if you prefer, but I liked its workability. It covers well in two coats. In this project, starting with a base of the Steel Blue, I flipped the tables upside down and placed them on top of cardboard boxes to be able to get the legs and underside easier.
Step #3 – Dry Brush with Classico Storm.
Dip your brush in the paint and wipe most of it off onto a paper towel. Lightly brush it on so the paint only slightly highlights the base color, giving you a textured look. Storm is a grayish brown, a nice compliment to the Steel Blue.
Step #4 – Top Coat.
After you've given it a couple of days to dry (cure), topcoat with Polyvine Dead Flat. Lightly sand in-between coats with 400 grit sandpaper to remove any dust particles. I like to use a sanding sponge. I applied 4 coats using a damp auto detailer's sponge.
Step #5 – Add New Hardware.
It's nearly always a good move to replace the hardware. It's the icing on the cake. These came from Hobby Lobby – a good replacement for the old colonial brass. Quite often the hardware from Hobby Lobby is irregular and you'll have to hunt down screws if they don't come with. ACE Hardware is our usual go to for such things.
This Was an Easy One.
Ava and Elsa were one of my easiest flips. You can find these type of tables everywhere. Since they are very dated, people get tired of them and sell them in garage sales quite cheap. Many just toss them and buy new.
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Comments
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4 of 63 comments
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Val,
Absolutely beautiful & inspiring-you and the tables. xo
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Thanks, Connie!
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I love how you rescued Ava and Elsa, they are gorgeous now. I also love how you named them. In my house we call that "Toy Storying" an item, to give life to inanimate objects.
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Thanks. We do enjoy naming them. I put a lot into them and they are hard to part with! They are going to their forever home today. 😊
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Frequently asked questions
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Interested in your comment "used DAMP auto detailers sponge" to apply top coat poly. I've never heard of that and would like to know more. BTW these are exceptional colors, looks great!
I like the look you created. Dose the polyvine coat make it very waterproof, washable and durable?
Also, I would like to try a black rubbed off look in Black (like a Pottery Barn look) on an old dresser and mirror I have. What chalk paint colors would you suggest? I have never used chalk paint and appreciate any advise you can give. Thanks.
seems you like doing furniture re-dos. i painted a small table white and wanted to coat with polyurethane for out on the balcony. it turned yellowish in some places. i used a brush. would it be best to roll it on? and be careful not to use too much at a time huh????? im new at this. i like my EVERYTHINGS to be shiny.....even shells, paintings, boxes etc....so whats better to use than that? i tried a spray clear coat but only having a balcony i have to be careful with spraying things.... thanks for advice . i love the drawer pulls on the blue tables.