Solid Oak Drop Leaf Table Gets a Makeover

Andrea Palmai
by Andrea Palmai
5 Materials
$20
2 Days
Easy

A friend had this old drop leaf oak table that was the perfect size for their garage apartment but tired and didn't go with their decor. She wanted something lighter and asked me to work my magic on it.

As you want tell by the picture it was repaired previously and was coming apart.

Drop leaf table

I just cut the dowels with my jig saw, then drilled new holes and used smaller dowels and wood glue to fix the broken part. Once it was fixed I sanded the top down with my electric orbital sander 120,220 grit.

White wash

She requires a white was on the top. So I added water to white paint then "painted" the top with it. I usually just eyeball the ratio bit its more of a water consistency. Maybe around 3:1 ratio. As soon as I was done painting the top with the white wash I wiped it down with a rag. At first that doesn't look like much but as it dries it gets lighter.

I painted the legs a light sage green and applied polycrilyc clear coat on top to protect the white was and make sure there are no water rings to come.


Now you know how to refinish a dining table. This is a super easy transformation anyone can do. You don't have to toss your old furniture just because its no longer in style. You can change it to fit your current decor taste. If you like this transformation and would like to see more in real time follow me on Instagram @andreapalmai

Resources for this project:
See all materials
Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.More info
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 12 comments
  • Beth Beth on Dec 29, 2020

    I have my mother's gateleg table, just like this, but it is done in a very dark mahogany stain. I had planned to re-do it exactly as you have done it, but my husband was very skeptical. Now he has a visual, and he loves it! Thanks for making my life easier, as I can now get going making Mama's table my own!

  • Mary Russell Mary Russell on Dec 26, 2021

    The main thing about oak is the beautiful,well defined wood grain and this finish hides it as effective as many coats of paint.

Next