Renewing a Second-hand Kitchen Table With Paint!

Marj MRC Creations
by Marj MRC Creations
7 Materials
$30
5 Hours
Medium
I needed to replace our very dated 1985 table and chair set. Oh my, it was TIME! I found this very solid and well-built table in online classified ads and, though it looked okay as it was with a cream paint and heavily varnished, it wasn't the colour for me. I knew I could paint it, so we picked it up and brought it home for a transformation. Out went the 1980's set and in came a classic, solid table that can stand the test of time. Here's how I did changed it up ...
Here's our old, 1980s set that just need to go... and fast! LOL
This table is very heavy and well constructed, but it needed to change colour to fit with my decor, so I sanded it well and wiped it down.
I applied a first coat of white chalk paint, by Crooked Label (which no longer exists). I like to paint a coat of primer or a base of white, usually, as it gives me a blank canvas to work with and I can visualize the end product more easily. It also covers up the old wood easily.
I had a lovely sage green chalk paint that I thought I'd love, so gave it two coats of that, using a small foam roller and a brush for the smaller areas.
Here's a closeup of the new green (looks a bit yellow in this photo). You can see the original finish on the lower part of the leaf. I wasn't loving the green, I can tell you! It was a safer choice for me, a colour I often used in my home decor over the years. I decided this wouldn't work at all!
So, I created a homemade chalk paint, using a steely grey flat latex and mixed in a combination of 1 part Plaster of Paris with 1 part water to 3 parts of the paint. I mixed very well and painted a couple of layers over the bottom parts of the table. I knew I'd change the table top to white.
Here's a second coat of the dark grey going on. I had tried a lighter grey first, but wasn't crazy about it.
Here it is, finished! I used a bright white chalk paint for the top, Crooked Label (discontinued), and then I gave four coats of water-based Rustoleum Clear Top Coat for protection on all parts of the table, and a fifth light coat to the tabletop, just to be sure it will endure use. I found these chairs at IKEA and they are perfect for the look I'm going for.
The steely grey works very well now, instead of that sage green I had started with. It also grounds the table nicely.
Now, this table fits in nicely with my overall decor and colour scheme in our living space. I use place mats or a table cloth, but the top is still durable enough to handle every day use (mind you, I don't have small kids here anymore).
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  • Marj MRC Creations Marj MRC Creations on Aug 06, 2018

    Why thank you so much, rgi! I'm glad this post is timely for you. I've been inspired SO many times by projects posted on here over the past several years and continue to be impressed with what can be done to transform tired, old furniture.

    Prep is key when painting any piece, so be sure to clean well, sand and/or prime, depending on your surface. Once that's done, chalk paint, mineral paint and even some latex paints are great for updating your table. I'd check what type of top coat would work best for your paint and for your use. Good luck and post your project to share with others! :)

  • Wow! Beautiful. I have the exact same table and am in the process of refinishing it! Coincidence? :-)

    • Marj MRC Creations Marj MRC Creations on Aug 07, 2018

      Really? How cool! To be honest, as mentioned in my comments, I did mine maybe 18 months ago. Best of luck with yours and please share your project on Hometalk!

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