Coffee Table Re-do

Refinishing a piece of furniture is a great way to update your decor without spending a lot of money.

Supplies:

• Coffee table
• Electric sander & coarse sandpaper
• Stain & sealer in one (I used Minwax in Ebony)
• Printed letters / numbers
• Oil-based enamel paint
• Brush
• Rags

How To:

I found a secondhand coffee table that was just the right size, height, and price. One problem: it was a nasty orange-brown color. But it only took an afternoon to fix it up to fit with my decor.

First I sanded the paint off with an electric sander. In the past I’ve also tried using a paste-type paint remover, but it was so messy I didn’t want to go that route again.

Once I was down to bare wood, I rubbed the black stain in with a rag. I did it out in the sun, and that really cut down on drying time. (I stained a wood couch frame with the same product a year ago, in the dead of winter in the garage, and it took a WEEK to dry completely.) I let it dry for 4 hours, then added a second coat.

4 hours after that, I was ready to add my French-style numbers. I chose to use my house address numbers. I printed them onto cardstock in the free Trinigan font. Then I cut out the printed letters to make a stencil.

Since I’m painting on top of a stain, it’s necessary to use an OIL-BASED (not latex) paint. I found a very small can of Rustoleum Oil-Based Enamel paint at Wal-Mart for about $3. (They also have black in that size.) I used the satin variety because I wanted a shiny finish.

I used the paper as a stencil for my white paint. I debated trying to tack it down with some type of adhesive, but in the end decided it might damage my finish, so I just held down the edges firmly while painting. And that’s it!

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