Make a Granite Top Coffee Table With Paint
by
Lydia S.
3 Materials
$10
30 Minutes
Easy
I recently posted a DIY project of turning a toy chest into a lift top coffee table. I was happy with it but thought it lacked personality, so I painted the top to look like granite. Check out the link below to see the original project.
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/living-room/furniture/turn-an-old-toy-chest-into-a-lift-top-coffee-table-32205937
I love color so of course I couldn't just leave this boring black. The table top also had some scratches and stains that needed camouflaged and it needed a splash of color to accent it. When I moved into my house, I recovered the boring formica countertops with paint in a granite look using sea sponges. I decided to take this style into the livingroom for a coffee table makeover.
You can view the kitchen make over with this link:
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/kitchen-dining/kitchen-dining-furniture/manufactured-home-kitchen-makeover-29069784
This takes very little paint so I pour the paint into small disposable plastic containers that lunch mean came in. I always save these for just such an occasion. After you dip the sponge into the paint, make sure you dab it a little on some old news paper to remove excess paint. You don't want a thick blob of paint on the tabletop.
I chose the colors I wanted and began, one color at a time, dabbing it on with a sea sponge I had tore into several smaller pieces.
I have read many tutorials about this process. Some people wait for the first layer to dry, some don't. My preference is to not wait. Dabbing one color onto another color while they are both still damp seems to make for better blending and a more natural look. There is no rhyme or reason to the pattern. You just dab away until you like it. The beauty of this is you really can't mess it up.
I initially used 3 different colors; beige, brownish red (which I created by mixing red and black together) and taupe. I liked it but it lacked that "pop" I was wanting, so I added white and charcoal as well. As you work the colors together, make sure you are overlapping them. This adds depth and contrast and makes it look more like natural stone.
The reason I use sea sponges is they have texture and also pores and holes that are diverse every time you dab. When dabbing, I turn my wrist left to right and use various amounts of pressure so no dab of color looks the same. I also make sure to dab at the edges of the surface so that the color rolls over the side. That keeps it looking natural, like a slab that was cut from a big block.
This project takes little more that 30 minutes to complete and the transformation is amazing. It really looks like granite!
And there you have it! A fast and easy DIY anyone can do. Even the kids can get involved in this one without worry. After you have allowed it to dry (I usually give it overnight), seal it with a few coats of polyurethane or polyacrylic, allowing each coat to dry before the next. It will look fantastic for years to come.
Now my new coffee table isn't boring anymore. It came out so well and is a welcome addition to our home.
Comments
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4 of 6 comments
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Love the granite top... great look..
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I did this to my entire kitchen countertop and they look great
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Love what you did. Looks great.
Frequently asked questions
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Lydia, are your countertops laminate? What kind of paint did you use? Could you send reply to my email. lynneharvell@yahoo.com.
I have this same chest! Mine doesn't open at all on top. I found it in my neighborhood and it was purple so I had a friend who refurbished furniture redo it. But how can I get it to open I would love if my new coffee table opened thanks!