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Kitchen Table and Chairs Makeover

Pottery Barn like table set makeover.

Updating a dining set is a great way to bring a new look into our dining room or breakfast area without breaking the bank! 

I got this tired-looking dining set for free on Craiglist and a simple paint makeover turned into a beautiful, classic set that is the shining star in our breakfast room.

I'm so glad to check this project off my to-do list. First, my garage got a lot less crowded, and secondly, this week it's been cold, no need to work outside. :)

This is a photo-loaded post, it looks like there were many steps involved, but not really. 
This is not a tutorial, it's more like an account of everything I did, including the mistakes. Hopefully, you can avoid them.🤞🏽

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During my previous post, I showed you the findings.
dark stained table and chairs before being painted

A set of four chairs and a pedestal table.
wood table and chair before being spray painted.

The entire set was in overall good condition, it only needed a paint or stain makeover.

Let's take a look at how this makeover unfolded!


Tools & Materials Used:



The first step I had to do was to remove that top layer of lacquer that the entire set had.  The lacquer is the clear product that is applied to furniture, the product that goes on top of paint or stain to protect it.

I don't know why I went ahead and used the stripping gel Citristrip on this set. The only reason I might have to give you is that I was working on another similar project where I've been using that product.

Well, that was a BIG MISTAKE! 

Using a stripping gel on these chairs and pedestal table was a messy over-kill. 

Why?

Because this dining set didn't have a thick layer of paint or varnish. A light sanding would've been more than enough to remove the light sheen and get the entire set ready for paint.

That's precisely one question you have to answer yourself when thinking about refinishing a piece...

Am I going for a painted treatment or a stained one?

If you're going for a painted treatment, there's no need to completely remove all the layers of paint or stain the piece has. Most of the time you only need to lightly sand the clear shiny topcoat, which will provide good adhesion for the new paint treatment.

If you're going for a new stain treatment, you have to go to the bare wood. You need to remove all the layers of paint and/or stain the piece possesses before applying the new stain.

OK,  back to this makeover. 

This is how the chairs looked after about 30 minutes of applying the Citristip. 

All that gooey product had to be removed! 😭

Removing the Citristrip from the tabletop was easy using a plastic scraper, but on the chairs and table base, it was a pain when dealing with so many spindles and crevices. 

In the previous post, I asked you, my dear readers, for help. Luckily Tracy, Donna Wilkes, and Beck from Beckwith's Treasures gave me invaluable information on how to remove just about anything from furniture pieces. I love Beck's tutorial on how to refinish a piece of furniture right HERE. It has lots of amazing information from someone who has done this kind of work not just one but many, many times!

I scraped off some of the stripping product, but then I had to wash off the remaining product with denatured alcohol and steel wool. -That's the product I had on hand. It worked fine, it was like giving the chairs and table a bath until all the sticky product and varnish was gone.

Afterward, I used the palm sander with fine grid sandpaper on the tabletop, the chairs and table base were given a light sanding by hand.


Then, it was time to apply the primer. I used Kilz 2 Latex.

Now, the reason for applying primer before painting the wooden surfaces is because the primer seals the wooden surfaces so that the paint doesn't soak into them. The primer also prevents bleed-through from knots and other natural blemishes and coloring in the bare wood.

You can see the chairs and table base in the picture below with one coat of primer.

using Kilz2 Latex primer before painting breakfast set.

One more coat of primer was needed.

Then, some more sanding. Well, after each application of primer and/or paint you have to sand the pieces to get rid of rough spots. I only sanded after the second application of primer -220 grid sandpaper.
Sanding furniture after applying primer and before paint.

Painting by hand with a brush takes time. This kind of chair is hard to paint, with so many rails, spindles, and legs. :/

Well, I had a stroke of luck. My brother-in-law happened to stop by and offered to lend me one of his spray paint guns.

Things got even better, Mr. RLC took charge of the project. I couldn't believe it! 
All for the fun of using the paint sprayer. :)
Spray painting chairs with pneumatic spray paint gun.

He gave the chairs and base of the table two coats of  Behr - Off White in a semi-gloss finish.
He also screws the rush seats back onto the chair frames not before dusting them very well. Oh, and he also installed the leg caps on all of the chairs and table.

How to install rush seats and leg caps to wooden chairs.

The tabletop was the last piece of the puzzle. I had this quart of Rust-Oleum Wood Stain -Driftwood finish from when I painted the floor in the guest room. So, I tried it underneath the table.
Rust-Oleum Driftwood stain used on kitchen table top.

The color was similar to the one on my inspiration table.
HighFashionHome

I applied the driftwood stain on the table using a foam brush.
applying two coats of driftwood stain to table.

Two coats were applied, waiting for the stain to dry in between coats, taking away excess with a rag. 

Once both coats were dry, it looked a bit too "white-ish" for my liking.
two coats of driftwood stain on table.

But after applying Annie Sloan's clear and dark wax, and buffing it, this is how it looks. The dark wax made a huge difference!
Pedestal kitchen table with white painted base and stained top.

Here, Inside the breakfast room area.
Breakfast set makeover with pedestal table and rushed seat chairs.

Not bad at all! Using wax as the protective coat on the tabletop makes me a bit nervous, but my kids are not that little any longer.
round table stained with Rust-Oleoum driftwood.

painted chairs and table.

Using the spray paint gun was such a time saver! Not even mentioning the awesome finish it gave the chairs and base. I know what's going to be the mister's Christmas present. ;)
Latex painted chairs


This is how it looks with the kitchen in the background.
breakfast set and kitchen

And the before and afters.
before and after rush chair makeover from natural to painted white.

before and after of kitchen table makeover painted white base and stained driftwood top.

Thanks so much for all your help!



For more Home DIY ideas check these out:

a table with three drawers in sad shape is turned into a beauty


a demilune table is transformed with wood glue and paint.


a thrifty table is given a new life





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65 comments :

  1. Guauuuuu Cristina !! Que linda se ve esa mesa pintada de blanco y con la cubierta del color natural !!

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  2. this turned out fabulous! love the Driftwood color on the tabletop!

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  3. OK, i really like the finish on the table top!! I want to do something with our dining table!! Someday!

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  4. Looks great, I think I need a sprayer. Can I borrow your husband??

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  5. Simply stunning!!!! I'm loving that white-washed top finish too -- it's giving me some ideas for a drum table I've bee toying with painting! Pinning for inspiration!!! :) Linda

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  6. This turned out so beautifully! You BOTH did a great job.
    The rush seats and the color on the table top gives just the right touch of home!
    I hope you share it with us at WIW, we'd love to have you!
    Patti

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  7. This is so beautiful, it's making me want to do my set! Oh my!

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  8. wowza. that table came out amazing. Since the kitchen project , I only use a paint sprayer for all my projects. hope it's on your list . Have a great week.

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  9. Cristina - that is AMAZING!!! You (both) did a fabulous job and it looks so amazing in your gorgeous kitchen. YAY!!!! Very well done, bravo!!

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  10. TABLERRIC! That means Table Terrific! You did a wonderful job and I love how it changed the whole look of the set. GREAT job- xo Diana

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  11. So beauiful. You did an incredible job. It looks great in your kitchen.

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  12. Oh, my WORD! This looks fabulous! My oak kitchen table is badly in need of a redo, and your post has really inspired me. I love the look!

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  13. You did an amazing job Cristina and it looks fantastic in your kitchen. Bless your uncle! I will trade you one of my tools for him.....lol

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  14. Amazing-the set looks sooooo good. I love the finish you did on the top.

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  15. Amazing transformation! The top of the table is beautiful! What a stroke of luck you had to have your relative finish painting for you, I wish that would happen to me! Lol! I love it Cristina!

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  16. Popped over from MMS. It turned out beautiful. Your hard work paid off. Just finished a similar dining table using chalk paint and a wood graining tool. Like you, I wanted to finish before it got too cold to work in the garage and happy to have more room in the garage as well. Stop by and have a look: http://www.thediyspot.com/2014/10/dining-room-table-part-2/ I've used Citristrip a lot in the past, not so much lately especially if I'm going to use chalk paint. However, the couple of times I attempted to use my paint sprayer, it resulted in a pebbly orange peel finish. I know it's a time saver but I haven't mastered it's use. DIY is just and ongoing learning experience.

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  17. THIS LOOKS FANTASTIC! And yes, it was necessary to use all caps here because it turned out AWESOME! I've been so tempted to use a paint sprayer but always chicken out. I just imagine myself turning around and spraying whatever is close to me...my house, car, patio, child. You're giving me hope! I always love your projects, but this one might be a favorite =) Kyla @ http://houseofhipsters.com/

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    1. hehehe yeah, it feels like that, Kyla! Once you begin spray painting you don't want to stop, it's so easy! Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words!

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  18. Fabulous transformation! Love the colors you used. Gorgeous!!!

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  19. Oh my gosh... I can't even believe that's the same set! The transformation is AMAZING! Light, bright, so much prettier! Well done!

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  20. Well done! The table and chairs look like brand new!
    Bethany BuildinLondon

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  21. Hi, I think my previous question didn't post. I found this page when I searched for examples of the rustoleum driftwood. I LOVE how your table turned out but so far I am not as impressed with mine. I was wondering what you did in between each step. As in, did you sand between coats of stain, or befoire applying wax? And did you wait a certain time before applying the wax? I'm never used wax before but I don't think I could do any more damage than I already have so I would love to try. Any help would be very much appreciated.

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  22. Hi, I think my previous question didn't post. I found this page when I searched for examples of the rustoleum driftwood. I LOVE how your table turned out but so far I am not as impressed with mine. I was wondering what you did in between each step. As in, did you sand between coats of stain, or befoire applying wax? And did you wait a certain time before applying the wax? I'm never used wax before but I don't think I could do any more damage than I already have so I would love to try. Any help would be very much appreciated.

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  23. Hi Mandi, The sanding was done before applying the stain, I didn't like the old finish, and even though the sanding was rough, some traces of the old brownish color couldn't be removed (now I think they give more character to the table).
    I didn't sand in between coats of stain. My waiting time for the stain to dry was approx. two hours. As I stated in my post, I didn't like how the two coats of stain looked on the table, too white and blah. I thought I've made a mistake too, so, I tried to fix it with wax and it worked! The one that works is the dark wax, but for the dark wax not to look like a big dirty patch, you need to FIRST apply the clear wax, this is very important -First clear wax and buff it, once done with the buffing of the clear wax, begin applying the dark wax in small quantities until you're happy with it, buff again and you're done.
    I've been using this table everyday and the finish is still going strong. Probably I'm going to apply some more wax when warmer temperatures arrive.
    Apply the wax with a brush, there are special brushes for wax but I think you can do it with a paint brush, dip the bristles slightly into the wax and spread it very well on the wooden surface. The buffing is done with an old rag.
    I hope this can be of help. Let me know it turned out.

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  24. Cristina, how is the top holding up? I love the color combo. Was going to do my table all white (it is wood), but now might go this route. Just curious of wax only on top really holds up to the daily (ab)use.

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    1. Thanks Elena! I've been using this table everyday for almost a year now and I'm very happy at how good it still looks. I was also worried about using wax to protect it because this is the table we used the most. At first any glass or cup was placed on a coaster because I was afraid the table would get those ugly rings beverages leave, but after about a month of use I didn't worry any more, so far I see no marks on the table at all.
      I might say wax is a strong protective product. Spills and dirty spots had been cleaned up with a damp cloth, some times adding a bit of a soft soap on it, rinsing again with a damp cloth. It's about time for me to re-apply the wax, the table doesn't have the same sheen as when it was finished, however that's something that's very easy to do and it usually takes less than 10 minutes.

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    2. Thanks for your response, Cristina! Now I know what I will be doing for sure!

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    3. Let me know how it turns out or if you have any other questions!
      Hugs,
      Cristina

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  25. I just cant believe in that transformation Great Work ! :)

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  26. Hi I love this! Are there different shades of the dark wax or is it just called "dark wax" ? Thanks!

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    1. Thanks Josh! As far as I know there's only one shade of dark wax, at least in the brand I use: Annie Sloan.

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  27. My wife is excited to do this to our table, she has never worked with wax before. Are there any tips you can give us? Also do you apply the dark wax first and then the clear wax? Thanks!

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  28. I just read your response to An earlier post of the order of applying the wax, so is there a trick to applying wax in general? ThNk you! Your table looks wonderful !

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    1. Hi Josh, yep, I first applied the clear wax and then the dark. You can apply the wax with a lint-free cloth, though, I applied it using a wax brush, rubbing the wax on a circular motion to form a thin, even coating. Let the wax dry completely before polishing it with a clean cloth. Then, you can apply one or more coats of dark wax, depending on how dark you want the final finish.

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  29. Cristina, you are so creative good work! <3

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    1. Hello Anne,
      I agree with you, Cristina is so creative. I would like to see more people eho have new and so interesting ideas !

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    2. You are so amazingly kind! Sorry about my late response. XOXO

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  30. I wish i could make such beautiful things, but my hands are like tided together :)

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  31. I really like the table top color and wanted to do something similar. I'm glad to see you have the honey oak type floors like I do. I was afraid it wouldn't look good with them, but it seems fine in our pics. What are your thoughts?

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    1. Jenny, I really dislike the color of my floors, but that's something I have to live with. they're still in good shape to go into the hassle of refinish them. I think both look fine.

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  32. This table is absolutely beautiful! I love how you stained the top and then added wax to give it even more definition. We definitely want to try this sometime!

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  33. Your table is beautiful, but oh the work! Please tell me why you didn't use chalk paint and avoid all that stripping, sanding, and priming.

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    1. I didn't use chalk paint since it's a table we use a lot and I didn't want the base with a distressed look. So far, the paint has held very well, two kids and two adults, and no chipping at all.

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    2. Christina, chalk paint with wax, especially Annie Sloan chalk paint, is very durable. You say you have small children, but the wax is very safe unless your children chew on the table. From what I have read they are past that stage. I have done a table for my niece that they use every day and it is holding up quite well. People use it to paint their kitchen cabinets. You do not have to use distress it if you want it to be just a smooth paint finish., don't distress. I have not primed nor sanded in years. Best of luck to you and your painting endeavors.

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    3. Oh Lane, Now I know! :D Yes, chalk paint is very durable, as is the wax! I've been using this table for three years now. doing nothing to it and it's still looking great!

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  34. Rustoleum makes a wipe on glaze you can use to de-white a paint job if you don't want to use wax next time. Your table is beautiful.

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    1. Thanks Theresa! Good to know. I gotta save that tip for next time I use glaze. :) Though, the wax did a really good job. Almost two years and I haven't applied a second coat... It's long due, but the table is still looking good.

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  35. Love love love this table! I am going to purchase the supplies to do it this weekend :) Quick question- do I have to use the wax when I am finished? I was looking for the type of wax you used and I only found it on Etsy or Ebay. Do you recommend another wax product?

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  36. Cristina, I was poking around the internet looking for the exact limed oak look I wanted and came across your table. It came out beautifully!!!! One of my favorites of all that I've seen. Everything you do is right up my alley!!!

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  37. Cristina, Glad I found this. My old (looks dirty too) butcher block table has been waiting for a miracle. Thanks for sharing how you did it -- will definitely follow your steps. Love the color.

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  38. Cristina, Glad I found this. My old (looks dirty too) butcher block table has been waiting for a miracle. Thanks for sharing how you did it -- will definitely follow your steps. Love the color.

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  39. O my gosh, what an amazing job, wish I was that brave! Bet you are as proud as punch!!

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  40. Beautiful! I have a table about that size that needs to be redone. I had been looking online at ones similar to what you were looking at but was astounded at the price. I found a table on Craigslist that is very similar. I will follow your steps and and hopefully have something as pretty as yours! Absolutely lovely!

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    1. Oh yeah, those prices are ridiculous. I'm pretty sure you're gonna love it.

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  41. I just love this table! I have an old Ethan Allen set from my parents that really looks it's age. I would love to do something like this, but the table has a formica top. Do you think that it would work? I know that I could paint the formica top, but do you know of any way to still keep that wood grain look?

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  42. Oh my goodness. Since you were familiar with Annie Sloan chalk paint (I see you used the wax,) why in the world did you do all of that stripping? Your project is beautiful, but all the work you did makes me exhausted. You could have stripped the top, cleaned the rest of the set with a little Dawn and warm water, and then painted with old white.
    Please remember with your next project that you do not have to strip and sand anything. With Annie Sloan's to paint all you have to do is wipe it down and paint.

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    1. Oh Lane, I don't even want to remember that. The chairs were even more trouble. such a dumb decision! :/ You're so right, those are the exact steps I should had taken. Live and learn. Thanks for stopping by! :)

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  43. Love your table! I am going to do the exact same thing with my table. My question is, I have 2 small children. What do you suggest I use in place of the wax to protect it? TIA!

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    1. Hi Michelle, the other product you can use is clear polyurethane or Shellac, though I haven't used those products in years! I would go with wax if I have to do it again, it's a more natural finish. And you know what? I haven't re-applied any more wax to it and it's still looking great after almost three years of using it daily!

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  44. Incredible job! Gorgeous!!

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  45. i have a table like ours but it is not wood my is press wood with a top laque i by it from ikea
    i want to know how to do the same thing but with press wood ?

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