If you are ready to replace your dining room furniture, this DIY dining table makeover may convince you to give your existing table a second chance. Wear and tear can wreak havoc on a wood table. Fortunately, a finish can be stripped, scratches can be sanded, and paint can provide a few more years of wear, until you can afford to buy new. Or until the kids grow up and you can buy what you really want (wink, wink).

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BEFORE

Dining room table makeover! Who needs to buy new when paint looks THIS GOOD!?

Allow me to introduce to you, my sister’s worn out (but solid wood)  table.

Unfortunately the seats and the top had already been stripped and sanded down when this picture was taken. So, sadly, I don’t get to show the many dings and scratches! Believe me, they were there.

You can see the a hint of the damage on the back of the chairs.

Furniture refinishing is not as hard as I thought. This dining table makeover is gorgeous!

After buying a house, my sis has been working on budget-friendly updates throughout the 20 year old, 2-story home. In the meantime, I’ve been having fun blogging about them. After painting the built-ins, it was time to tackle the table.

AFTER

My wood table has so many dings! But after seeing how beautiful this one turned out I am going to try and refinish it! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this dining table makeover.

The magic of paint brought this furniture piece back to life! I’m not going to lie, this dining table makeover was a lot of work  and not quite so magical for my sister. However, after seeing the results, it was clear that buying new was not necessary.


DIY Dining Table Makeover  (How the magic happened)

Materials used


 

Step 1: Strip the finish and Sand 

Use paint stripper on the areas where you want to apply stain. For this project, this was the chair seats and table top. Stripping paint is a bit tedious and time consuming, but do-able. Make sure you follow the directions on the bottle.

Once the finish is gone, sand until smooth. Be sure to sand the frame and the legs as well, to smooth out all of the dings.

 

Ryobi Cat Sander

Although you could  sand by hand, it would take a lot of elbow grease. Allow me to recommend my favorite sander.  If you are on the look out for a good battery-operated sander, this one won’t dissapoint. It gets into corners and you don’t have to worry about a cord or a compressor. I’ve had mine for two years now and is still going strong. I use it for most of my projects.

Step 2: Apply stain

Remove the seats, if possible, then apply the stain using a foam brush or foam roller. This beautiful rich brown gel stain is water based, which means there’s no strong smell like you get with some of the oil based stains. It goes on smooth and you can wash it off your hands with soap and water. Two coats should do the job!

Notice we did not use primer on this. This brand of paint provides amazing coverage without it!

General Finishes Persian Blue on this gorgeous dining table makeover. I think I'm ready to paint mine!

Step 3: Apply blue paint

The chair frames and table legs got two coats of this gorgeous blue. This is my favorite General Finishes color. I also used it to paint my old bedroom armoire. One of the things I love about this paint is how fast it dries, allowing you to paint multiple coats quickly. It also dries with no brush marks! There’s almost nothing you can do to mess up when you use this paint. Very beginner friendly.

A two tone look on this awesome dining table makeover! You will be inspired to try it yourself!

Step 4: Apply glaze (optional)

To add a weathered look on the edges you may opt to apply glaze. As you apply it, follow the instructions on the can, and remember that a little goes a long way. Make sure the paint is completely dry before applying the glaze. It gives a bit of an antique look.

Dining Table Makeover using stain, paint and wax! I LOVE the two-tone look!

Step 5: Apply a few coats of top coat

This is the most critical step of the entire process. Do not skip this step. Apply at least 3 coats of high performance top coat.

Tips for getting the best results on your top coat

  • Apply at least three coats (or more for added protection and sheen). My sister did 5 coats. I’m telling you, it’s worth it!
  • Use a foam brush and brush it on fairly thick in only one direction.
  • Wait for it to dry completely(2-3 hours), then lightly sand before applying the next coat.

It is a long, tedious process but you will love the result in the end!

Be sure and PIN for later!

Watch the transformation of an old wood dining table. This dining table makeover will make you see that your old table still has some life left in it. Step by Step tutorial!

Are you a fan of easy DIY projects and budget-friendly renovations? Then why not join our community of DIYers?! and get access to free plans and printables? Goodies are added every month!

Until then, shop my favorite paint!


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Janice| Sawdust Sisters

Novice woodworker and serial Popcorn eater, Janice Thomas writes detailed tutorials that motivate others to "dare to try". Originally from Puerto Rico, Janice is fluent in Spanish and dreams of owning a beach house on the island someday! Janice currently lives in Utah with her husband and children, where she works as a university professor.

This Post Has 6 Comments

  1. Kristy Oliver

    It turned out beautiful! I love it. I have a question, do you usually do a flat top coat for furniture? Or are there times a semigloss or gloss would be better.

    1. Janice

      Hey Kristy!
      Actually my favorite top coat from GF is the flat high performance. They all offer the same protection, so it just depends on your taste in terms of sheen.

  2. Ivory

    This table and chairs are drop dead gorgeous. I gor to do this soon. Happy 2018

    1. Janice

      Thanks and happy new year to you as well!

  3. Deb

    What kind of stripper did you use? The link is no longer working. Thanks!

    1. Hi Deb!

      Thanks for letting me know the link is no longer working. I just updated it, so you should be good! Good luck with your project!:)

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