Craigslist Dining Table Transformation

Craiglist Dining Table Transformation

You really can't go wrong with something that was FREE to begin with!

There she was, in all her former glory. If you don't know about the "Free" section in Craigslist, you really should check it out! A lot of times there's just junk listed, but there are many times when people just want to get rid of something ASAP because they're moving or getting new furniture. But things in this section go fast, so you need to check back often and act quickly! 

With this piece, I was immediately drawn to the pedestal base. Our current round kitchen table has the standard four legs, and whenever you have more than four chairs around it, someone is always straddling or banging against a leg. I figured paint could cover up any blemishes, so I jumped on the offer... and we picked up this baby (by "we," I mean my husband, somewhat begrudgingly). I didn't like the finish at all, so that's what I decided to change.

Pictured here are some of my main supplies (how cute are my pink work gloves?!). I love Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I doubt there is anyone who's used it and doesn't love it. And this can of duck egg has made its way through several entire projects, and there's still some left. 

My vision: I knew I wanted the top of the table to be a different color than the base. But that's where it got complicated. Originally, I painted base in duck egg and I painted the top in bright white. I had an image in my mind I was trying to attain, the white was a big mistake. It was so offensive, I stripped it off right away and went a new direction: stain (should have taken a pic, I know). But onto my first attempt at staining.

At the hardware store, it was fun looking at all the stain color samples, and decided on this one: Minwax Polyshades (color: Mission Oak). This line is a "stain and finish in one step." I thought that would save me some time, but it really just confused me. At first, I was wiping it off the way I understood you should apply traditional stain... but it was too light, and I couldn't understand why the directions said I needed to wait 6 hours to apply another coat! I applied one sooner, because it had dried... and not much luck with that one either. DUH. I wasn't supposed to wipe it off, I was supposed to apply an even coat and simply let it dry! Which I did, when  finally realized that. But that "even coat" was really hard to achieve. Especially hard for a novice, and I'll be the first to admit that my tabletop is certainly FAR from "even coated." But I really like the color, and I can live with the mistakes, and it was a lesson learned. Would I use the Polyshade again? Maybe... but I'd need more practice, which means more time... and I'm sorta an instant gratification kind of gal.

Anyway, this is what I ended up with. This pic is without the leaf in the middle (we'll use the leaf when we have guests) but I like the perfect circle look better.


This was a great learning experience project for me. It's certainly not perfect, but it's a big improvement over what we are currently using (and over what it was when I picked it up free from Craigslist, I think)!

Does anyone else have tricks for a more seamless staining experience? Please share! I love the look of the stain, and want to continue experimenting with it, but I'm on the hunt for more tips!

You can also check it out on Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch!