Redoux: Farm Table Redoux - Part Two-How To

1ST WE NEED TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF LAST WEEKEND'S GIVEAWAY from Knick of Time Interiors
ET LE VAINQUEUR EST.......
Emanuela from "My Little Inspirations"

Congratulations Emanuela!!

Now....On with "Le Farm Table" How To:

I recently redid a Farm Table. It was a freebie from Craig's list. The legs were white and the top was not in great condition. I helped it along by leaving it in Furniture Purgatory (where it got plenty of rain)

Here is the top:

I removed the legs, tossed the side supports (they were particle board), tossed the old supports and saved the hardware, I also saved the little 45 degree pieces of wood that act as supports where the leg bolts go through and it screws to the sides. I am sure there is a name for these things, but I don't know it. They were in good condition, and I didn't feel like making all the mitered cuts to make it work. I wanted the table to be smaller to fit in my work space, so I measured two equal lengths of MDF for the sides, and two equal lengths of board for either end.

I cut a large piece of MDF to the size I wanted for the top.

I "dry fit" the legs to the sides to make sure all would come together, then marked where the legs would fit between the sides.

Next I attached the side pieces to the top by using 1x1's. I ran a thin line of Gorilla Wood Glue where the supports would go.

I predilled holes in the side, then turned them over and did it on side that would be attach to the top.

In this picture, you can see the support is attached the side and the top. (Which is laying down on my work table)

Now I was ready to put the legs back in. Since I had saved the nuts and bolts, (and those little triangular pieces), it only took a wrench to tighten it all up.

I painted the legs and sides in ASCP Graphite. I added Casters to the legs so I could move the table around as needed:

Once the glue had dried and everything was tightened up, I took it off the work table and worked on the new table top. I sanded it smooth with 220 grit, using extra attention to the MDF rough sides. I primed the top with two coats of primer, then sanded lightly again with 220.

I then painted the base coat in ASCP "Coco". Once this was dry, I sanded with 320 grit, then applied my first layer of glaze, about a 1:3 mixture of Coffee Brown Colorant with Glaze (a very dark mixture)

Once dry, I added another layer of Tobacco Brown Glaze at about 1:5 ratio (much weaker). Once dried, I repeated with more Coffee Brown Glaze.

For the final step, I used Coffee Brown colorant (like a really strong acrylic paint) and "feathered" it in where a piece of wood might naturally be really dark. I like to use a smaller paint brush for this. If you mess up, it cleans up fast with water, wait a minute, then start again. There is no wrong or right way to do this, just keeping working on it until you achieve the desired "weathered wood" look:

I guess if I wanted a true "weathered wood" look, I could have just cut down the original top:

I think it was beyond salvation.....

I am thrilled with the final outcome, I have a new "old" table!

It is ready for work now...

I finished it off by applying two coats of Polycrylic and a nice layer of hard wax. The top is solid and ready to be the workhorse of my office.

Next time you see a sad old Farm Table, don't discount it, you can change the top, make it bigger, or cut down the sides and make it smaller to fit your space.

I also have a Farm Table "Redoux" I did with "found on the side of the road" Planks!

If you want to see how to do this project, you can click Here

For more converted furniture.....

PS If you missed How to turn a dresser into a bookshelf, it is being featured at Project Queen
and at Primitive and Proper

PPS Think you can't build something or wield a power tool? Think again, read this post, you will change your mind:
Creating with a Self-Taught Mentality