Quick and Easy Update for a Half Moon Table Makeover

My issue was how shiny it was. Its original finishing coat had that slick, super shiny finish. And as it was mine to play with, the shiny surface had to go.

However, I liked the wood pattern on the top. It was veneer rather than solid wood. But the vibrancy of the pattern appealed to me.

Not something that I wanted to cover with paint.

Veneer doesn’t have to mean a piece is of low quality. It is often used as an efficient way to add a more impressive surface over a cheaper wood.

The legs didn’t have the same charm. I thought that the engraved legs would look great painted, with some definition added.

So onto the prep.

I removed 6 plastic hooks that were on the underside of the table. Presumably, it had been a cable tidy for a corded phone.

Then I started by washing the piece with White Lightning. Which is a TSP-based cleaner.

I don’t always clean before sanding. It depends on the level of sanding I’m going to do.

It’s recommended to clean first so that when sanding you don’t push any dirt into the grains in the wood.

The piece seemed pretty clean which isn’t always the case. Then I rinsed it with some clean water.

So, time to make some mess.

I used my Festool sander and 180 grit sandpaper to take the shine off the tabletop.

The great thing about the sander is that it has a dust extractor attachment. So it makes barely any mess.

It’s easy to sand a hole through the veneer. It is just a thin sheet of wood. And if you make a hole in it, then the easiest option is often to paint it.

As I was being gentle with the electric sander, I hand-sanded any areas where the finish was stubborn.

I hand-sanded the rest of the table too. The shine wasn’t as obvious elsewhere, so the surface only needed scuffing up.

It’s also much better to sand legs by hand, as it wraps around the shape easily.

While I knew I was going to keep the top as wood. I didn’t know exactly what colour I wanted the legs to be.

The wood top was red-toned. So I considered green to contrast nicely.

Black and white would probably have worked too. But I felt like I could be more adventurous. It’s easier to be bold on smaller pieces.

After swatching some options, I chose the green, Kudzu. Which is chalk paint. 

Although I often see Kudzu used more for a shabby, distressed look. We’ll see if I regret the choice!

My other favourite was Malachite, an emerald green clay paint. I decided to start with the lighter colour. Then if I didn’t like it, it was easier to go darker after.

I knew as soon as I started painting that I loved the colour. Fresh and bright.

I only needed two coats of Kudzu for perfect coverage. Fortunately, I was painting on a warm day, so it was a fast process too.

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I had several different brushes on the go at once. I used a Zibra square brush for the bottom of the tabletop. Then a round synthetic brush for the legs. Also, I had two artist brushes for the engraved parts and the details.

I’m fortunate that I have built up a great collection of brushes over the years. It makes things a lot easier when working with something fit for purpose.

To seal the paint, I did two coats of Satin Clear Coat. Satin gives a medium level of protection (gloss the most, and matt the least).

An entryway table is the sort of place that might have bags knocked against it. So, medium protection should be perfectly fine.

To seal the wood top, I used hemp seed oil. Which usually doesn’t change the original colour of the wood too much. As I liked the colour and pattern already, hemp seed oil was a good choice.

You need to leave hemp seed oil for 24 hours and then wipe off any excess left on the top of the wood. Or then recoat for extra protection.

Onto those engravings…

Normally I would think about white or black wax to enhance engraved details. But those didn’t feel right as the piece wasn’t edgy or rustic. It was more formal and elegant than that.

So I chose my beloved gold. I’ve done a few green and gold options and they’re always popular.

I swatched a few gold options and chose one I haven’t used before. It’s called Gold Digger in the moonshine metallics range.

This is where artist brushes shine! I made sure to take the table off of the furniture wheels for this. It’s really helpful to have a steady hand.

The first coat left a lovely shimmer. I did two coats for a more opaque look.

I love how this table came together. It’s nice to leave exposed wood when it suits it. And it’s especially popular at the moment to have combined wood and painted pieces.

The green paint makes the wood top pop even more.

I think the original table would have been overlooked. Piled with keys and the mail. This version feels like a hello, welcome to a fun house!

I hope it lives up to my high expectations!