How to do something with an old sewing machine table?
by
Cindy Rubin
+6
I found this on the side of the road; I don't know the age of it but it certainly looks DEAD. When I saw it, I just fell in love with it. Any ideas of how to put a little life in to it? I'm not looking for a complete overhaul, just some suggestions or ideas of how to give 'her' a little make up, face lift etc. I want to keep it and yet not have others look at it as 'junk'.
Suggested Project Book
Do you have a photo??
I turned an old sewing table into a bar: https://www.charlestoncrafted.com/2014/05/26/sewing-table-to-bar-table-transformation/
I made new tops for old sewing machine pedestals. They make great side tables. Someday I want to make a chair like this:
Could you sand it down and add a new coat of stain? We use ours in our mudroom as a place to put bowls for keys and it works out great!
Sorry, I did not attach photo
I have seen pictures of people making sinks from sewing machine tables for bathrooms to even a vanity for a bedroom.
You could remove the top, add a box about 6" tall (to make counter height), then either add a new top or refinish the old one. Then use it as a kitchen island. Using the old top would be perfect since it has the drawers and shelves, but you'd have to fill in the hole where the machine goes. I'd fill it in with butcher block to use as a cutting surface.
To clean up the base just sand any loose paint off and/or rust and spray paint it with some automotive paint. That stuff sticks well and is pretty hard to scratch.
If you just want to use it as a side table, desk or other lower table you'd just need to sand and paint the base then either add a new top or fill in the hole of the old one and paint it.
Mine works as a kitchen island. The wheels got oiled well so I can move it from the wall to the center of the room easily. Just rember that the wheels don't swivel so forward and back is the only easy way to roll it. It can go sideways by dragging it, but that's not good for the floor.
Hope that opens up a couple more ideas. Post pics when you update her. She definatly a great find!
By the way...considering how ornate the current top is I'd keep the top part, even if you don't use it with the base. It's beautiful. Personally I'd fill the hole and keep it.
Forgot to add the best way to fill the hole...Cut a piece of wood (or butcher block) to the size of the current opening. From the underside attach the wood to the table using brackets (they are flat like L brackets but straight instead of L shape). I used 3 on each side to make sure it wouldn't go anywhere if I set something heavy on it, but I think that was overkill, 2 on each side would have been fine. After that sand and stain if that's the plan and fill the gap with clear caulking (that's what we did for the island). If painting fill the gap with wood filler, sand and paint.