Nightstand End Table Make Over
I recently did a make over of my master bedroom ( you can see all of the bedroom makeover HERE) that included updating some outdated furniture (I didn't want to spend a lot of money on buying new stuff). Some of these pieces had been in my house for a very long time and were still functional, but were in bad need of an update.
These bed side tables were a prime example. They have lots of storage but the mahogany finish had to go. So I decided to paint them and add some extra details to the front.
Before anyone gets upset, these are laminate over MDF...so I'm not painting over real mahogany.
The problem with painting laminate surfaces like these is that paint doesn't stick to them very well. Which means a lot of surface prep before the painting actually starts!
Start with a sanding block to remove the finish from crevices and corners.
Then remove the finish from the flat sides using a random orbit sander.
Hooking up a shop vac or dust collector to the sander will prevent the dust from going everywhere.
Finally, clean the surface with a de-greaser (like Krud Kutter) which will remove any extra grease and dirt left on the surface.
Now we're on to the painting! First a coat of primer.
Then I used an electric paint sprayer to paint the tables with Valspar's Dark Kettle Black semi gloss latex paint.
Now I know a lot of people will say that I could have saved myself a lot of prep work by painting the furniture with chalk paint. So...I have to admit that I must be the only person on the planet who does not like chalk paint. I have never been able to get a chalk paint finish that fit with my glam Hollywood Regency/Art Deco decorating style
It always amazes me how a simple coat of paint can totally change the look of a piece of furniture. But I'm not quite done yet.
Next I spray painted some small corner braces with Metallic Champagne spray paint.
Then I screwed the corner braces on to the front of the drawers to add a little bit of an industrial feel.
In my finished bedroom, it doesn't look like the same piece of furniture!
For all of the project details (including my favorite way to keep the paint spray from going everywhere!), click on the link below to visit my blog.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
That turned out beautifully but I’m wondering about the wooden box that you added to the top. Is it just sitting there or is it fixed in some way? What did you use to construct it?
thank you.
I'd love to start projects like this now that I have a garage. Would you mind explaining where and how you set up your painting booth? I've got a really tight garage so I'm wondering if you managed with one as well. I'd also like to know, did you explain somewhere how you hooked up the sander to the vac? Thanks in advance.
Does Krud Kutter work on kitchen cabinets?