Dining Table Makeover: Painted White

I gave a $13.00 Facebook Marketplace dining room table a makeover using Chalk Paint. I also found four farmhouse chairs that match this farmhouse style dining table.

I have been wanting a change in my dining area for quite some time.  As much as I love my farm table, I was ready for a change.  Above all, the colors of the dining room area are what I call southwestern, so it needed some brightening up.  I decided I wanted to do a DIY dining table makeover, and find all used pieces.

My goal was a bright, cheerful, farmhouse style dining area. The dining area is small (It’s more like a breakfast nook). Most importantly, I was tired of the dull colors. I wanted bright, crisp colors. Like this repurpose project you can see HERE.

My mom inherited the farm table and chairs. She was excited!

The Table Search

While scrolling through the Facebook Marketplace while the Hubs was working nightshift (I do this a lot when he is working nights), I found this round table for $13.00.  Yep, you heard right.  It was hard to tell from the photo if the table was sturdy, but at thirteen bucks, I figured I had nothing to lose.

As the Hubs and I drove to pick up the table, I couldn’t help but think the worst.  How can a sturdy, well-made table be $13.00?  My fear was that the table legs would be really wobbly and that the table would be flimsy. 

The seller left the dining table on her front porch because she had to run out unexpectedly.  We drove in the driveway, and as I walked up, I could immediately see it was well worth the asking price.  I could not believe how heavy it was when we lifted it.  It was very well made.  The only issue was that a piece was missing on one of the corners, but nothing the Hubs couldn’t fix. For some reason, I did not take a picture of the damaged area! But here it is after the Hubs repaired it.

The Chair Search

Once I got the table home, I knew the hard part was ahead of me.  The chairs.  I wanted a total of six chairs, mismatched.  To clarify, four would be placed around the table, and the other two would be backups.  That is when the hunt started.  I scanned Facebook Marketplace and other sites, but not much luck. 

For almost two weeks, I found none.  Finally, I decided to post as a Facebook status that I was looking for six mismatched chairs.  As a result, one of my sweet clients replied that she had two she would give me. I never turn down FREE!

About two days later, a friend who owns a vintage store posted chairs for sell she had in her store.  I saw two that I liked and messaged her to see if they were still available.  I told her what I was looking for, and she informed me that she also had a storage shed full of chairs.  The Hubs and I drove to the store and were taken to the shed.  I could not believe my eyes!  There were four chairs the exact same style I was looking for! 

To say I was excited was an understatement.  To find the exact chairs I was looking for never happens.  It pays to have great friends who help you out.

Two chairs were the same.  One had white paint on it like someone started to paint it, but changed their mind.  My plan is to keep it exactly as it is. 

The Dining Table Makeover

Now onto the DIY table makeover.

The first order of business was to sand the top to remove the remnants of paint and scratches.  I used it for a few days to work on a few crafts.  I sanded the tabletop outside using my Dewalt Sander with 60-grit sandpaper and then following up with 220-grit.  The entire finish did not have to be sanded off since I was using chalk paint.

The table legs were sanded with 220-grit by hand to scruff them up.

Next, I gave the dining romm table a good cleaning with Lysol wipes, making sure to remove all the sanding dust. You can also use Tack Cloth. Tack Cloth is sticky and will remove all the left-over residue on your project. 

The Paint Process

After it dried, it was time to paint. I decided to chalk paint the table and my color choice was Dixie Belle’s Cotton (White). It’s crisp and bright!

To apply the first coat,  I used my paintbrush.    The first coat doesn’t have to be pretty.  (Country girl had to take her shoes off! I did not realize they were in the picture haha).

Make sure to keep your paintbrush damp.

After about 4 hours of drying time, I applied the second coat.  Lastly, I painted the final coat on the legs with my paintbrush.  For the top, I used a roller brush.  This is to give it a smooth, even finish.

This is where my thrift store tray came in handy! That is to say, I did not have a paint pan. I just added tinfoil over the tray!

I allowed the table to dry overnight.  This gives the paint time to set.  I then used my 120-grit sandpaper and heavily distressed around the legs and the table base.  The table had beautiful detail, and this really made it stand out.

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With that being said, here is the base distressed.

The Top Coat

I also sanded the top lightly with 220-grit to give it a smoother finish. Take a piece of tack cloth and remove the sanding dust.  For the protective coat, I chose water-based Polycrylic.

I used a new roller brush to apply the poly. 

Three coats were applied, allowing about 2-3 hours of drying time in between.  After I applied the first coat, I lightly sanded with 220-grit sandpaper, making sure to clean the sanding dust before applying the second coat. The final coat dried overnight.

In conclusion, I loved the way the table turned out! I can’t wait to get it set up in my dining area.

The entire set was less than $75.00 (including paint supplies). Now, to order a new area rug and new curtains! I also need a centerpiece. I will share all of these over on my Facebook and Instagram pages.

Supply List for the Dining Table Makeover – Painted White

Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience at no extra cost to you. I make a small commission. Thank you for your support.

• Dixie Belle Paint in Cotton (I only used a 16 oz.)
• Small Can of Polycrylic
• 120 and 220 Grit Sandpaper
• Paintbrush
• Paint Tray and Roller
• Dewalt Orbital Sander
• Tack Cloth

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“It’s not about what it is, it’s about what it will be.”

Christina

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