It’s funny how a simple piece of furniture can bring to mind so many memories.
Some memories are good.
Some are bad.
Take for example this little table and chairs:
This little table and chairs was once my grandmas.
Growing up and visiting my grandma every summer, I can remember sitting around this table and talking about anything and everything.
This little table has seen many children, holidays, boyfriends, graduations, weddings, and grand-children.
This little table has also seen it share of food from early morning breakfast of bacon and eggs to holiday cabbage biscuits, sausage balls, rum cake and of course…fruit cake.
This little table was the heart of my grandma’s home.
I inherited this little table and all the memories that came along with it.
But this little table was in bad shape.
Here’s how I kept it in my dining room.
A little table with so many memories being hidden by a tablecloth.
Well no more.
It was time to bring this little table back to life.
I removed the tablecloth and the glass (which was stuck to the wood).
I gave it a good and deep cleaning and then sanded it lightly.
I mixed up some chalk paint using 1 cup Valspar’s Bistro White, 1/2 cup Plaster of Paris and 1/2 cup water. This gave me plenty of chalk paint to cover the table with some left over.
Chalk paint goes a long way.
My purdy brushes
1st coat
2nd coat
3rd coat
3rd coat
3rd coat
After the paint had dried for around 24 hours (I know I didn’t have to wait that long but I was busy playing in the snow. Whatever), I lightly sanded the table and then distressed it a bit.
Isn’t the distressing lovely?
Distressed with a sanding block.
I love it.
Once I was finished with the distressing I gave the top several coats of wax.
Now y’all know I have a love/hate relationship with wax.
I love it because it places a hard protective topcoat and with a tabletop this is important.
I hate it because…well…it’s wax. There’s a lot of rubbing and buffing and rubbing and buffing. Your arms start to hurt and when you step back to admire your work you still see streaks so you rub and buff some more.
Can you see the streaks?
I can.
So I rubbed and buffed some more.
The final product
Oh and I spray painted the chairs with Krylon Blue Ocean Breeze and then distressed those too.
I actually did those weeks ago.
Really really loving these table and chairs now.
I brought this little table back to life and now it’s time to make some memories with my own family.
I hope one day my children will be able to say…
“this little table was mom”
just like I say…
“this little table was grandma.”
Linking up here:
What did you sand with 100, also I understand distressing with block..but did you lightly sand the whole thing after ur paint dried? Like top of tabks
I lightly sanded in between every coat once it was dry with 180. Also after I waxed the top I very very lightly sanded between each coat. Again with 180.
It looks great! Did you seal the chairs at all? Thanks.
Hi. Thanks. I did seal the chairs with Polyacrylic in a Satin finish.
I am blown away at your spray painting job on the chairs…How in the heck do you do that SOOO well? No streaks! Amazing…
Thanks so much. Spray painting is pretty easy once you learn to “sweep” the can horizontally and vertically past whatever it is you are painting. For example, if you’re moving left to right, you begin “sweeping” (spraying) to the left of the object, onto the object, and then to the right of the object.
How do you distress it? is it with the sandpaper?
Yes I distress with sandpaper. However, there are several ways you can distress depending on your piece. I usually go with sandpaper just because it’s easy. 🙂
You did a great job on this table! I want to ask how the chalk paint finish has held up on your table? Do you have to re-wax often?
Thanks! I love love love my table! The chalk finish has held up beautifully. No scratches or nicks at all. I have not had to re-wax it at all.
It’s fun to give something new life. My own kitchen table is beat up and needs some TLC, I thought about replacing it but it has too many memories also. One of these days I’m going to work on it . . . It turned out great. I agree with your love/hate wax relationship. I don’t know what brand you use, but I have always had the best results with Miss Mustard Seed’s wax. It is buttery smooth and smells heavenly. Annie Sloan wax almost ruined a table for me one time . . . I use it bc it costs less, but it’s not my favorite. Try the MMS if you haven’t 🙂
Thanks. I will definitely have to try MMS. I used Minwax and it’s just so difficult to work with. Don’t toss those memories just make new ones.