Even New Can Be Painted

Red Wind Studio
by Red Wind Studio
I saw a cool table on Kijiji and went out to a woman's house to see it but it just didn't strike my fancy. While chatting in her garage I noticed two fairly new side tables and asked if they were for sale and they were. At the time I was thinking of using them possibly in our family room or in my boys' bedroom. They of course are not solid wood and have a veneer on them but are well constructed. I bought them and took them home and there they sat in my basement collecting dust.
Once I moved into my new studio I started bringing items over and so came the end tables. I decided to go fairly neutral with these as I still wasn't sure if I wanted to keep them or sell them. One of the handles on a drawer was broken off and I discovered the screw did not go all the way through the drawer and door faces. Each hole had a little threaded sleeve inserted into it for the handles screw to fit into. Since one was broken I needed to replace all the handles. I brought in my drill and drilled out each sleeve and then drilled the hole completely through the face so the screw for the new handles could be fastened.
I painted only the exterior of the side tables. I didn't see a need to paint the interior since it was in good condition and with out any stains.
I chose to paint them with FAT Paint in the colour of Jute. After applying two coats of paint I applied clear wax and did not sand. I wanted to leave brush stroke marks for the dark wax to sit in. I then applied the dark wax with a brush covering the entire unit. I rubbed the dark wax with a soft cloth removing some of the dark wax until I achieved the desired darkness. I wanted to get a fairly shiny surface so I then used 0000 grade steel wool and rubbed down the surface several times. This process resulted in a smooth satin finish.
As you can see on the top there is a reflection indicating a shine to the finish. Along with using the steel wool I rubbed extra hard on the edges in order to sand off the paint and expose the reddish finish for a slight distressed look.
It doesn't have to be vintage or antique to paint it. If you find something of the style you like at the right price and quality but wrong colour buy it and paint it. It is your home and your style so do what makes you happy and who knows it could probably save you a whole lot of money if you don't buy new. Oh and yes I almost forgot I decided to put the Jute side tables in the studio for sale.


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  • Lynn Lynn on May 02, 2014
    So, you must wash down with vinegar and water when using milk paint as a prep also the wax that you use with milk paint is it a special kind? I'm getting ready to use it for the first time and I would like for the piece to look Vintage.
  • Jeri Harrison-Grace Jeri Harrison-Grace on May 12, 2014
    I love the repaint much better. I want to do that with my bedroom furniture, but the hubby doesn't LOL one day one day
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