How to Re-finish a Coffee Table*

For my first showcasing project I have decided to show off the coffee table/ tv stand (whatever someone may want to use it for) project I just finished about 2 days ago. 

I found this little gem at a garage sale a couple weeks ago. SCORE! I knew it had great potential, and I think I was right. :)

What do you think?

If you are looking to try and do something like this here is the
How To: 

Materials: 

~ a coffee table or whatever type of wood furniture you want to re-finish. (look anywhere, thrift shops, craigslist, or just ask around, you can't beat free right?!)

~ Paint, latex/water-based paint is what I used,  I would recommend this. 

~ A paint brush

~ Sand paper and an electric sander 

~ Antique glaze. I used this

~  a rag

~Polyurathane.  I used this kind here .

1. First step is to wipe of any dirt or dust

2.  you will want to remove any hardware, ie- knobs, handles, that sort of thing.

3. Now is time  to break out the sander. Just pretty much go to town. Start by using a lower grit first (the lower the number the rougher the sand paper). I used a 60 grit sandpaper and then down to 80 or 100 then to 150 grit for a very smooth finish. Any places you can't get with the electric sander can do by hand. Remember it doesn't need to be perfect, though, because you are going to be painting over it. However, sanding is an important step because the paint will adhere much better to your piece this way. I have heard there are products you can use so that you wouldn't have to sand but I have yet to try that. If any one has used one before PLEASE let me know! :)

4. Clean the furniture piece again. You don't want to be painting over sawdust.

5. Next get out your paint brush and start painting. You will probably need to do at least 2 to 3 coats. Maybe more. I did 3.

6. After the paint has FULLY dried the fun part comes. This is where you take the antiquing glaze, a semi wet/semi dry rag, and get to work. (you can also use a rough paint brush but I like the rag better). This part is fun but it can also be a little tricky.  

First dip the dry part of the rag into a small amount of the glaze. Start wiping it where you want it. This stuff is easily wiped off so if you put too much don't even worry about. You want to get this stuff in all of the cracks and crevices, and a little bit of this stuff goes a long way! Then let it sit for a few minutes so that it can kind of start to dry. Now take the semi damp part of the rag and start lightly wiping areas you want less glaze. This is why its kind of tricky and hard to explain unless you have done it. So I would definitely recommend trying the glaze on something else first just in case. 

7. After you have got that glaze looking just like you want it, and believe me, this can take a little while. (or maybe that's just for me, because I am some what of a perfectionist when it comes to this stuff) Now you let it dry. 

8. Once everything is dry (again) take out the electric sander again and just kind of rough up the edges, corners, sides, top, and whatever else you want. Just have fun and be creative with it. 

9. Now wipe it down one last time and  put that hardware back on.

10. The last step is to use the Polyurathane. This seals  the piece and makes it so that the paint wont come right off.  I love that it's a spray, because that way I'm not getting yet another rag or brush dirty. It just makes my life easier.

And you're done!! 

I absolutely LOVE it, and it is so fun finishing a piece like this. Don't you just love the details and my personal favorite part is the inside of the drawers. It's contact paper I bought off of Amazon.( Here)  for another project I will be showing later. But I had extra and so I used it for the drawers. It goes perfect huh! 

I am loving it! And, lucky for you , I am actually putting this up for sale right now. 

I wish I could keep it, but if I kept all of my projects than I would have no room to walk in our house. So I'm asking $95 if any one is interested let me know.

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