Tray Tables Get a New Life
I had a set of tray table that were tired and beginning to look nasty. I decided to try and give them a new life rather than put them in the trash and buy new ones. I already had all the materials I needed so it didn't cost me a dime and I think they came out beautiful.
I didn't take a before picture (it would've been embarrassing to show what they looked like) but this is a picture of what they looked like at one time.
I cleaned the tables real well. First I took them apart and sanded. I painted a primer on the tables. While waiting for the primer to dry I panted the legs with black spray paint.
I painted the table bottoms black to match the legs
I chose a light cream color for the base coat
I used three different shades of grey. I already had two shades and added some of the cream paint to the darkest grey make a third shade. I added a little water to the paints so they wouldn't be to thick to drag the feather over the tables. I dipped a feather in each shade and dragged the feather over the dried cream paint to replicate the veins of marble. I added some thicker veins using a tiny pointed paint brush.
I used a several coats of sealer to protect the table. The key to not having bubbles appear on the surface is to use a damp brush and not drag the brush across the can to wipe off the excess paint, brush the sealer in one direction. I didn't get a single bubble.
After the table was dry I put the table back together
The lighting makes them look a little yellow but they are definitely cream
Like I said they look yellow in the picture but they are a cream color and I am in love with my tray tables. I am considering using this method to paint my bathroom vanity when I redo the bathroom.
Enjoyed the project?
Suggested materials:
- Paint (already had the paint)
- Sealer (already had the sealer)
- Feathers (thrift store)
Comments
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Irene Reimer on Sep 28, 2020
Great job! I like how they turned out. How did you get the shape of the new table top? In the first picture they are rectangular.
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what are the tops made out of and how did you get the shape?