Use 4 Materials to Redo Your Boring End Table
Hi Folks!
Here is a DIY Project I know you can all do, because I did it, and I am the least artistic and most impatient person ever. Also, I am a NOVICE when it comes to this stuff. For all of you who know my family, they are all creative prodigies. Painting, drawing, sewing, making and redoing furniture, leather work, jewelry, and all of the above, and I do NOT have the eye for any of it!! Those genes skipped me completely. I was for sure my mom's like 6th least favorite art student she's ever had just out of sheer annoyance. Sometimes I will get an itch though and want to give this stuff a shot! Enough about how bad I suck, here is how I went about redoing this end table!
Materials:
Whatever piece of wood furniture you're going to refinish, obviously.
1. Sand paper or a hand sander.
2. A white paint pen, or whatever color you want to use for your design! ($3.00-$6.00) I recommend white if you're painting on wood.
3. The brand/color stain you want to use. I picked Miniwax in Honey because I had heard good things about it and I could buy a smaller can. ($8.00) I almost picked a color more grey for a rustic look.
4. Some sort of clear finishing coat. Watco clear lacuer was $6.00 from Ace Hardware and dried in less than 15 minutes. This will protect against scratches and give your project a shine!
The Project:
Step 1: Pick your design. I picked a buffalo because it represents Wyoming and it's simple. I also considered Wyoming's Mascot, the Steamboat! Do something that won't go out of style! I've seen some pretty cool and pretty elaborate sunflowers painted with paint pens. I then printed it out, then took it to FedEx and had it blow up to legal sized paper. I totally guessed on how big it would need to be, but it was just right about for this table. If you're more patient than me, I would recommend actually measuring your table and blowing up the picture to the right size.
Step 2: SAND THE PIECE! I made the dumbest mistake of painting my design on before sanding it. My mom would not be proud. But hey mom, I'm learning by doing! Yay! There's a good chance that the piece has a protective coating of Polyurethane on it from the last time. If that is the case, the stain will NOT stick, so sanding is a crucial step. If the piece has never been worked on or is leftover barn wood, or something to that affect, you probably don't need to sand!
Here I am very mad because I was drawing my design, for the second time, and eating Chinese food.
Step 3: Tape your design where you want it, then trace it onto the piece with with a regular pencil. I lied and told my boyfriend I free-handed this. Tucker, I did not freehand this, and I am deeply sorry.
Step 4: Use the paint pen and go over what you drew. Be careful, if you push down too hard on these pens, paint will go everywhere!!! You have a couple seconds to wipe away extra paint with a paper towel and water. Then, fill in whatever detail you want to fill in on your design. Let this dry overnight! It is like nail polish, if you mess with it before it is dry, like I do every single time I've ever painted my nails, it is mushy and will come off in clumps.
Step 5: Make sure there is no dust or dirt on it, then use an old rag to stain your piece for the first time. I let it soak in for about 15 minutes and then I wiped the rest away. Let this dry over night!! Or for 4-6 hours if you have the time.
Step 6: Stain again. Let that dry.
Step 7 (Optional): Use sand paper or a hand sander to sand your design. I sanded mine unevenly, on purpose, to give it a weathered look and to give it some character. I sanded down the corners a lot, and the sides a lot to make them look banged up and used. On the top, I sanded in more in spots and less in spots, blending it together.
And then, put it by your couch or bed with a cute candle and a cute succulent on it, and you will feel really accomplished.
I'm proud of my little desk- but I do have a couple more pieces of furniture I'm in the middle of redoing, so I hope to improve and not make as many stupid mistakes along the way.. (Although I already have and can't wait to tell you!) Will keep you all posted and let you know what works for me.