Taking On A Coffee Table

So if you read my "About Me" profile information, you would have seen that i am Artsy Fartsy. This term is used when associated with or showing a pretentious interest in the arts. This term fits me perfectly as my main hobby is artsy crafts. Ever since I was a little girl, I've always had a thing for artistic things. Whether it's creating things our of other things, drawing what my mind or eye could see, writing down what my heart spoke to me, or decorating my home with an artsy touch of interior decorating and crafting. Nothing feels better than to be able to say that you made that, or drew it when someone compliments you on it.

   So today i took on the task of repainting my coffee table. Although i plan on replacing it soon with a customized crate table, i still wanted to redo this one so that when it finds its new home, it can look amazing there as well. 2 years ago, i found this table at a local thrift store (my favorite place to go craft shopping) and bought it for 20$. The table is sound and was cute but had some damage to the top and a few dents here and there. I planned on painting it anyway so it didn't really matter. Now I'm gonna show you step by step how to redo a table with a fun twist.
   Step One: Prep the area. I'm lucky and have a nice little courtyard right in front of my house with the front door leading right into the living room. As long as the weather works with me, this will be the perfect spot for my sanding, painting, and drying. Wherever you decide to do your project, make sure you cover the area with plastic drops for painting.You can purchase them just about anywhere. I got mine at Walmart.http://www.walmart.com/ip/Husky-Plastic-Drop-Cloth-0.7-Mil-3-Pack/17217856 Super cheap and will protect your stuff from paint droppings and saw dust bunnies!
Tip: make sure you don't misplace them as i did, and end up using cardboard last minute ;)

   Step Two: Prep all your tools. Make sure you have the needed paint brushes, paint,  painter's tape, sander, and sander's safety gear. Safety first and always!!

   For me I chose to use creme and espresso brown paint, disposable brushes, and i recently purchased my new DeWalt sander from Amazon.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0009WRKUM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s02 I chose DeWalt because of my Dad's past experience with DeWalt and mine and my husband's choice to follow in his same tool footsteps. DeWalt is both reliable and affordable and i highly recommend it for your day to day house tools. We are in the process of building our black and yellow tool entourage as well ;)

   Step Three: Sanding time. After the table has been placed in the middle of the cloth and you have on your glasses and face mask, get ready and fire up that sander! When sanding always try to go in circular motions or with the wood grain for best results. Don't press to hard as you will stop the motion of the sander, but don't press to lightly either as you won't be clearing the paint hardly if you don't. Make sure to add enough pressure to remove the scratches and dents,but not enough to alter the furniture's figure.

Tip: after sanding is complete, take a damp cloth and wipe over the furniture and use a clean paint brush to clear any and all dust buildup from seams and cracks in the wood. You don't want this messing with you when you begin painting.

   Step Four: Choose your paint starting point. For me, I'm going to work my way from the bottom to the top, one color at a time. Make sure to always let the colors dry before trying to paint over them or use the brush after being freshly washed but not fully dried. It will lead to smears. I planned on painting the bottom half with all brown and then the top creme with a checkered design to it. Something fun and different but something that will def take some time. Once you have your starting point and plan in mind, set to work!

Tip:Paint with the wood grain and the brush will move a lot smoother across the areas. Always go back with a smaller brush for small nooks and crannies that hide in the woodwork.

   Step Five: Let it dry. This is the easiest step. Leave it in the sun for a few hours and viola! the work is done! Definitely one of the most important steps though as you don't want your ideas and paint colors to collide in a mess of yuckies!

   Step Six: Lay the painter's tape. Once you have an idea in your mind of what you want to paint, just take the tape and draw it out. It can be a simple stripe, or chevron, polka dots or even checkers like i plan on doing. Just make sure you lay it correctly and evenly across the area, otherwise it could come out crooked or uneven :( It may take a little more time to measure it out, but the end result will be well worth it.

   Step Seven: Paint the finishing areas. Begin painting your taped off areas and watch as your idea comes to life! A slow and steady hand wins the design every time.

   Step Eight: Dry time again. Let the paint dry fully before attempting to pull at the tape.Shouldn't take long, just an hour or so for good measure. You can always speed the process up with a fan, hairdryer, or the sun. Just be careful as not to have it blowing to close to the project, as it could move the paint.

   Step Nine: Remove the painter's tape. SLOWLY!! Slowly pull the painter's tape off the top.You don't want to pull to hard as the paint could snag or smear. It may seem perfectly dry but id rather be safe then sorry! Slowly remove the tape and then take 3steps back and turn and admire your beautiful work!! Bet it looks great!! Let me know what you think of mine and share a story of how you redid some furniture in your home!!!

 

 

 Now smile and go take a much needed shower after a long day's hard work!!!!