By MEGAN MIERS
World Scene Writer and other estate sale finds into treasures Part of the fun in shopping for furniture at an estate or garage sale is the thrill of the hunt.
Finding the perfect kitchen table or an antique desk just like Grandma’s is worth getting up at dawn and waiting in line with other like-minded treasure hunters.
But then there are the real gems — those unexpected bargains that upon first glance don’t look too promising but are hard to resist, thanks to their low price.
Well-made but a bit scruffy-looking, all these pieces need to be transformed into gorgeous, like-new furniture is a little imagination and some good old-fashioned elbow grease.
We found this pedestal table with a brass lion’s-head drawer pull and metal feet at an estate sale for a wallet-friendly $25. In its previous incarnations, the table had been swathed in layers of antique white paint, partially sanded, and brushed with metallic gold paint on the upper portion.
A fresh coat of paint and a few decorative details reinvigorated our bargain buy into a showpiece that could easily be at home in the living room or serve as a small dining table.
A similar project could be completed in a weekend or, as we did, spread out over several days. To save time, we used a power sander and specialty sandpaper instead of a liquid paint stripper.
To avoid inhaling paint fumes, do the project in a well-ventilated garage or outdoors on a nice day.
Materials:
plastic tarp or large garbage bags
3M SandBlaster paint-stripping sandpaper
power sander
dust mask
protective goggles
tack cloth or old rags
Kilz Original Primer
Anchor Uni-Kote latex semigloss paint in black
Anita’s craft paint in True Red
Apple Barrel craft paint in Hunter Green
Apple Barrel metallic craft paint in gold (optional)
cheap bristle brushes
paint roller with 4-inch smooth-foam cover
floral vine stencil (available at craft stores)
stencil paint daubers or small foam sponges purchased at a craft store
hair dryer
1. Spread tarp or garbage bags beneath table to catch dust and drips. If the table has a drawer, remove it so that it can be refinished separately.
2. Attach paint-stripping sandpaper to power sander. Wear the protective goggles and dust mask to protect your eyes, nose and mouth from flying dust and paint particles. Use the power sander to smooth the tabletop, sanding with the grain of the wood. Several passes may be necessary to remove old paint, but it’s OK if you’re not able to remove all of it.
3. By hand, use paint-stripping sandpaper to sand down the sides, drawer and base of table. Again, the paint does not have to be completely removed. When finished sanding, use tack cloth or rags to clear away residue.
4. Spread primer over top and sides of table using a paint roller fitted with a foam roll — the foam roll helps deposit a thicker, smoother layer of primer or paint. Use an ordinary household paint brush to tackle the nooks and crannies around the base of the table. After entire table and base are completely covered, let them dry for a couple of hours or overnight.
5. Once primer is dry, repeat process with the same tools, this time using paint instead of primer. Make sure table is evenly coated, and little nooks and crannies have been fully covered. Let paint dry for several hours or overnight in a well-ventilated area.
6. After paint has dried, lay stencil flat on the table, aligning it with the edges, and dab on craft paint with stencil daubers or small foam sponges. A small artist’s brush can be used to add paint in hard-to-reach corners of the stencils. When finished, take stencil by the edges and remove it by gently lifting it upward. Wash stencil between each application. Make sure stencil pattern is evenly spaced around the entire table.
7. Use gold craft paint to add decorative details to the drawer, if desired.
8. If you’re pressed for time, a hair dryer can be used to hasten the drying of the stenciled designs. Otherwise, allow them to air-dry for a couple of hours.
9. Many paints and primers can take a day or more to completely harden or cure, so take care not to bump or scratch the table for several days after painting.
Note: To give our table an antiqued look, we applied a layer of red craft paint around the edge of the tabletop after the primer had dried. After painting over with the black paint and letting it dry, we used an abrasive sponge to scuff the edges of the tabletop, allowing some of the red paint to show through.
