Sunday, October 24, 2010

Dining room table Redo

I purchased our first kitchen table on Craigslist for a whopping $40. I knew I got a steal (for Hawaii anyway) when I learned it was solid oak. I loved it, even though it didn't come with any chairs and had quite a bit of chips in the finish, I knew someday I would refinish it. I hoped to do it before our youngest son arrived in February of 2010, but worried about the dust and fumes the little growing baby would be exposed to... then he was born and the military moved us across the ocean and the country. The blemishes have been bugging me the entire time we have lived here, and the other morning I'd had enough, I pulled our my sander and got started. I learned a lot along the way, and if I ever get to it I will write a tutorial, but I just had to share the pictures!



The ugly chips that drove me crazy...
Half sanded... this is what my sweet husband came home to...
Done sanding the top! I kept taking it out to the garage to work, just to set it up inside again... I made so much more work for myself. I loved how it looked like this, but I knew it wouldn't stay looking nice like this with a 2yr old around.
First batch of stain... I was so nervous at this point...
With good reason, it didn't turn out. So, I switched to a gel stain. And got my beautiful walnut colored table after tons of staining, sanding and polyurethane.
I love it... it isn't perfecct, but very few things are when I'm trying to wrestle an 8mo old and 2 yr old while doing a huge project. I know I'll have to do it again after a few more military moves, but I really dont mind, maybe I'll go white next time ;).
(Chairs are next, I'm picking up fabric tomorrow!)



Linked to @


http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/
http://adventuresofthemichelenafamily.blogspot.com/






4 comments:

Allison {A Glimpse Inside} said...

Beautiful job! I am sure that was a lot of work!! I was actually thinking as I was looking at the pictures that it would be pretty if you stained the top dark and painted the bottom white or cream but I like this too. And you are right... after a few more moves it will have to be redone. In our recent PCS move, our dining room table got messed up and they put a big hole in one of my living room end tables. Oh fun times!! lol

Thanks for linking up again! :)

Sarah @ Sugar Bananas said...

What a HUGE JOB! I can't believe you also had two babies also. You're superwoman :) It turned out great. I'd love for you to add this to my link party, "Sweets This Week" @ www.sugarbananas.blogspot.com

Rustown Mom said...

It looks really nice - I'm glad you kept it "wood" and didn't just paint it. So much prettier this way!

Leah Ketchum said...

Aw, thanks! Like I said, I love it! I wanted it dark because it shares a room with our family room which has dark wood furniture, so I wanted the flow to be nice...
Allison - the original paint job was much like you described... a dark top with a faux finish light colored bottom, I just wanted a change ;).
the total process took about 2 weeks to complete, but I think it still needs one more coat of poly.