Easy French Country Table Makeover

I love finding old and tired pieces of furniture and giving them a new lease on life. It gives me great pleasure to see them restored and beautiful for another chapter in their lives. Don't get me wrong, I love new pieces, but a piece that has history and character etched into it is priceless to me. Thus being the case I am an Ebay junkie. I scour the online auction sites looking for bargains to restore and re-use. Another wonderful place to find items is secondhand stores or thrift stores. I have even found many items out on the sidewalk for collection or dumping. All it takes is being brave enough to grab other people's junk!

One of the pieces of furniture I really love is a dining room table that has a bit of French Country styling. I found these beautiful photographs and this made me determined to see what I could do to get my hands on an old table that needed some loving.

My first challenge was to find a table at a reasonable price. I did the usual rounds of shopping at thrift stores but found nothing. This is where patience comes into play. If you are truly looking for a bargain then you need to wait for the right piece to come along. I looked on Ebay for a few weeks before I spotted this table. It was damaged but was beautiful. Even better it had a Buy Now price of $10. A fantastic table for only ten bucks - I couldn't say no.

This is the process I took to restore her to beauty.

1. I sanded down the top with a sander belt to get rid of the large water marks and the gouges on the table top. I then lightly sanded the legs with sand paper.
2. Wipe off the excess dust from sanding and make sure it is clean.
3. I used Dulux Antique White paint to paint the legs and sides of the table. Paint at least two coats for an even finish.
4. I did not want a varnished look that was shiny for the top of my table but I did want it sufficiently sealed. The best idea is to look at your local home depot or hardware store and ask for help choosing the product that suits you.I chose Cabots Stain and Varnish in the Mahogany stain.
5. Lightly paint the top of your table evenly in the direction of the wood grain. You can lightly sand between coats if it feels uneven or rough. Remember to wipe off any excess dust between sanding. I only used two coats of stain as I didn't want my table top too dark.

All in all this makeover cost me about thirty-six dollars. What I loved most about this project was the positive comments I got from friends regarding my table - this made it all worthwhile.