Category Archives: Painting
How I went from grandma table to surf retro
Thanks for all the congratulations on the table! I am so glad everyone loves it as much as we do.
How I gave my grandma’s dining table a beach makeover
Supply List
Here’s the products I used for this project. They worked really well for me, but there certainly are other comparable products out there.
- Electric Sander (I use a Mikita that I purchased for around $30)
- 80-grit, 220-grit, 360-grit sandpaper
- Zinsser Cover Stain Oil Primer
- Rust-oleum Spray Primer
- Rust-oleum Painter’s Touch Ultra Cover 2x Spray Paint in Gloss White
- Rust-oleum Painter’s Touch in Gloss White
- Behr Eggshell Latex in Aqua Spray
- ScotchBlue Painter’s Tape with Edge-Lock in 1″
- Newspaper and Dust cloths
- Minwax Wipe-on Poly in Clear Gloss
- Gloves
- Mask
My #1 Tip
If I had to do this project again, I would have sanded just a little more at the beginning to get the surface as smooth as possible. So, my #1 tip is to take your time during each step of the project so you get it right.
As I showed you two days ago, I started by sanding the heck out of the top and legs of the table. I didn’t think I could remove the laminate finish on the top so I settled for roughing it up a lot. I started with a medium grade 80-grit paper and worked up to a fine grade 220-grit paper.
Then I flipped the table on its back so I could prime and paint the legs and any visible parts of the underneath. I sprayed about two coats of the primer and 2-3 thin coats of the Painter’s Touch. I lightly sanded it down between primer and paint to smooth out drips and rough spots.
With the bottom dry, I flipped the table upright to work on the table top.
Using my handy 24″ quilting ruler, I measured out the stripe pattern on the table top. I started by measuring the center of each table leaf and then measured out each stripe. The pattern was a 2″ aqua stripe flanked by a 1/2″ white stripe and 1″ wood stripe.
Each panel had to match its neighbor so I started on the middle leaf and worked out connecting all my marks into lines before triple checking all my measurement again.
Taking a deep breath, I then taped off my 1″ wood grain stripes as straight as possible following my pencil lines. The tape was one continuous piece to ensure all the leaves matched up. Once the tape was applied, I rubbed it into the wood with my finger to make sure it didn’t have any bubbles.
Also before taping, I had extended the table so I had about 1/4″ between each leaf. This way the paint couldn’t pool between the leaves and I could easily clean up any drips.
I was a little worried about the laminate finish. Would the paint stick to it? I used a oil based primer to make sure. Nate and I had used it on our hallway cabinets and really loved the results.
Two thin coats of primer were applied and then let to dry for 24 hrs before sanding down with 220-grit sandpaper. The primer stuck to the laminate really well. The stuff is truly amazing and well worth using.
The following day, I applied Rust-oleum Painter’s Touch in Gloss White to the primed table top. I started with spray paint, but quickly changed to the actual paint. (I just bought a pint of the paint sold in the same section the spray paint is found.) I applied two thin coats, let it dry for 24 hrs then sanded yet again with the 220-grit paper.
With all the white layers done, I decided to removed the tape to check that my wood stripes worked before continuing in case I have to change plans. I was really worried that the primer may have leaked. Amazingly, it hadn’t. The Scotch Edge Lock worked like magic and left sharp clean wood stripes. I was so excited I made Nate come outside to see and did a little happy dance.
Next up was the 2″ center stripe. I lightly sanded again just in case there was any edges from the tape. Then measured out the center stripe and taped it off with my magic tape.
I decided to try out a great tip I read for getting foolproof stripes. By sealing the tape with your original color before painting the stripe, any leakage under the tape will be the original color so the stripe should be clean. So I sealed the tape with a little white paint and let it dry before adding the aqua color. (I couldn’t use this tip with the wood stripe since I didn’t have a color to seal the tape with.)
When the paint was dry, I painted two thin coats of Behr Aqua Spray down the middle and let the paint dry overnight.
When I removed the tape this time, I bunch of the white undercoat came up with it. The stripe was nice and clean, but I did touch up the white 1/2″ stripes a bit before sanding the table one last time with the 220-grit paper.
Nate and I moved the table back inside for the polyurethane coats to make sure we didn’t get any dirt or bugs in it. The wipe-on poly is really easy to apply with a clean cloth. It usually dries in 2-3 hours, but it’s been pretty warm here so each coat took much longer.
I had two box fans on and the table still took about 7 hours to dry between coats. I sanded with very fine 360-grit paper between the coats. The final coat was allowed to dry for 24 hours before we used it.
And there you go – the finished table!
The table has gotten lost of use these last few nights. We even hosted our fantasy football draft on it Tuesday night.
My retro surf dining table
The last two weeks I have been refinishing my grandma’s dining table. Here is the big reveal with before and after photos. Project details will be following in the next post.
Before
After
My dining table was originally purchased by my grandparents in the 1960′s. It served as the household’s hub of activity for 40 plus years. Countless family meals, bridge games and holiday feasts all were stationed at it.
I inherited it when we bought our house. I loved the table’s versatility. It can seat four to ten people easily with four removable leaves. I also am a sucker for the sentimental and cherish all the childhood memories I have sitting at it.
But that didn’t mean I would leave it as is. The table needed a makeover. The top was some sort of heavy duty laminate I didn’t want to keep. The table was scratched and its legs all banged up. There was even petrified gum on the underside from when my uncles and aunts were kids.
My first thought was to paint it all white, but then I thought why not make it playful? Our house is a mismatch of mid century modern lines with punches of tropical color and personality. It’s meant for pool parties and entertaining. Our table needed some fun design.
I went with a classic racing stripe reminiscent of 1960′s surf and skate boards. After sketching out a couple different patterns, I settled on a 2″ aqua stripe flanked by 1/2″ white stripe and 1″ wood stripe.
I became obsessed with having wood stripes. It’s a nod to the original finish, plus it works so well in combination with the white and aqua. My gut said the wood stripes would work, but I was still nervous on execution.
This being my first big furniture project, I did a ton of research prior to starting. I also found some great inspiration online like this chair and coffee table.
And the result? I am in love with my table!! I am so happy with that I worked the wood into the design. It looks even better than I thought it would!
We’ve already had a chance to try it out for a couple events we’ve hosted and it held up really well. My grandparents loved a good gathering. They would be thrilled their table is now the belle of my ball.
If you are interested in the project details, I’ll post them tomorrow with a supply list. This entry is already long enough!
Day in the life
The last two weeks I have been refinishing my grandma’s dining table. It’s the first BIG furniture project I have ever taken on. Below is a photo diary of the first day. 
Get home from work. Change my clothes.
Move dining table to backyard.
Sand with 80-grit paper to scruff up finish.
Interrupted by a small tiger cat.
Take out leaves and flip table over.
Sand table legs.
Quickly prime legs and bottom of table with spray paint as the light fades.
Leave table to dry out back and make some dinner.
Back to basics: Paint the block
This is the second installment on our series of posts on the all mighty concrete. Check out the make-up of our concrete house.
Concrete walls may not be the norm for most living rooms, but if you are painting a garage or basement there’s a good chance it’s concrete.
I love the look of our block walls, but at first was a little horrifed to paint them.
We had to ask a lot of questions in the beginning and through trial and error perfected our block painting method.
I’ll get into the technique in a moment, but first let’s go over how I prepare to paint. Don’t forget these steps that allow for a long lasting paint job.
Wash it down
Before picking up a paint brush clean your walls. I mean think about it. Walls get dirty and you need them clean so the paint can adhere correctly.
We use TSP (trisodium phosphate) mixed with water to wipe down the walls. The TSP is great for removing grease, smoke and soot stains, but a multipurpose cleaner could also work.
Prime and seal the walls
It didn’t appear our walls had been painted in years so we wanted to seal them with a primer to protect against mildew and old smoke damage.
We used Kilz 2 White Primer and Sealer throughout the house. It’s a great multipurpose primer that covers just about anything.
If you are just updating the color or have a newer home you can skip this step.
Painting masonry
So now that the walls have been prepped, its time to paint. We have had great results with Behr Premium Plus Ultra paint in a eggshell finish. It’s low-VOC, resists stains and recommended by Consumer Reports. If your walls don’t require a heavy duty primer, you can just use this for the added benefit of having a primer mixed in.
Block Technique
I start with an angled brush to paint the groves between each block and stipple in any deep impressions. (That’s my paint expert Mom demonstrating her skills above.)
Next, I switch to a paint roller cover with a 1-1/4″ nap. The thicker roller cover looks like a furball, but it’s designed for painting rough surfaces like stucco and concrete blocks. It works with all finishes, but best with a flat or eggshell.
For smaller projects, you may just want to use a brush for the project. The thicker roller sucks up a lot of paint and may be wasteful in a little space.
Cover the area with one coat and let it dry. You can go back with your brush to touch up any missed holes after it’s completely dry. Then paint one final coat with the roller. The texture of the wall makes it easy to miss parts so make sure to apply that second coat for good coverage.
We learned the hard way, but hopefully these steps will save you some time on your own concrete painting projects.
Next up, we will be talking about concrete on the floor.
Boo! Learning from our mistakes
You may recall we’ve been planning to paint our back porch. With a 4th of July BBQ looming on the horizon, Nate took control of the task. We planned two coats of paint and then to seal it, but we made some rookie mistakes.
The project was just a little discouraging. In fact, please don’t say the word “sealer” in Nate’s presence for at least a couple weeks.
BUT we are determined to learn from our mistakes and so can you. Here’s a few tips we’ve learned through the process.
What we learned about painting and sealing a concrete porch
1. Test your color choices.
No matter how well you clean it, there is going to be dirt and debris on the back porch so work with it. Find a color that will work (or hide) the dirt. We tested a bunch of colors before we purchased. After the paint dried, we did a happy dance over our color selection. Both of us are totally in love with the Martha Stewart Chianti color.
2. Keep pets out of the paint.
This is simple to do when painting outside. Keep those pets inside. It still makes you feel guilty, but is much better than having to hogtie them down to get paint off their feet.
4. Follow the temperature guides.
It’s been a weird year here in Sacramento. Cooler temperatures and rain storms plagued us into June. But we still decided to paint our porch when the temps rose to the high 90s. Although this may not have been the root cause of our failures (see next item), I am sure it aggravated the situation. It’s best to keep the temperatures specified in mind before starting on a painting project. Behr suggests painting between temps of 50-90°F (10-32°C).
3 & 4. Research products you haven’t used before and if possible test before you apply.
This was out biggest problem. We didn’t research the best way to paint and seal our porch.
Mistake #1 – I bought interior paint instead of exterior. This resulted in the paint taking longer to dry and not adhering well to the surface. We corrected this on paint coat #3 with much better results.
Mistake #2 – We applied sealer without testing it. This was our biggest mistake. We followed the directions on the back of the container, but we found out much later that the application has to be very thin to dry clear.
5. Accept failure and move on.
When problems happen figure out how to fix them. Sometimes a short term solution is the only one available.
For us, it meant sanding down the sealer with 400-grit sandpaper and applying a final coat of exterior paint. To make sure we had no more issues, Nate even hung up a contraption to keep the kumquat blossoms off the drying paint. It sort-of worked. :/
The project was a learning experience. We will probably try sealing the patio later this year, but not until we figure out the best method.
In the end, our 4th of July BBQ was a blast. We accessorized the porch with potted plants after the paint dried. Everyone was in the pool having a grand time. The porch color was a hit and no one noticed anything wrong with it!
Porch Update
These last few weeks, I keep repeating this mantra in my head so I stay on task with the home projects –
Must finish the list before working on back patio. Must finish the list before working on back patio.
So far, its keeping me honest. I am hoping to be done with most of them in the next week or two.
Focus on the back porch
Over the last two weekends, in between rain storms, we’ve been working on the back porch. Yes, we have a back porch and soon to have a back patio. Hope that’s not too confusing! Back porch is the outdoor space sandwiched between the great room, front room and our bedroom. Back porch will be directly behind the great room next to the pool.
Window Trim
First we started by sanding down and painting the window trim surrounding our back porch. Since we replaced all the windows last year, we had decided to wait and paint the trim once the new windows were installed. Most of the trim hasn’t been painted in years. We gave it a good two coats of Kilz’s primer to seal that unprotected wood.
Next we painted two coats of Behr’s Frost, our favorite trim color.
Underneath the windows, we had a section of unfinished concrete that also needed some attention. I primed and painted it the house color.
New Flowers
With most of the painting completed, we added flowers back to the beds after a a winter without.
Instead of Nate’s beloved Alyssum, we went for two new annuals.
Mexican Evening Primrose (Oenothera berlandieri Twilight) a low-growing perennials that’s very popular here. It can become invasive to other plants so we will have to keep it in check.
Along with the Evening Primrose, we planted Helichrysum Icicles (called the licorice plant). Its a part sun – sun annual which is drought tolerant and considered low maintenance. I think it’s a nice contrast to the primrose. We’ve been watered them well so they get nicely established before our potentially hot and dry summer.
Porch Color
Finally, our last immediate project is to repaint the porch and this time seal it.
I got six samples of Martha Stewart in the purply blues and maroons.
From left to right: Claret (MSL027), Blueberry Pie (MSL190), Weathervane (MSL196), Chianti (MSL183), Griddle (MSL194) and Purple Elderberry (MSL193).
We wanted to test them out properly this time. I applied a couple swatches around the porch to see how they looked with a little grime and dirt on them. Funny thing is once I got all the swatches painted, it started to rain. It was perfect timing for a test run. Horrible timing for Memorial Day.
After much discussion we decided we liked Chanti the best. Hopefully by the end of this weekend we can paint the porch. We want the sealant to cure for at least 24 hours so we’ll take of that either Sunday night or Monday.
And on the personal front
It’s safe to say I need to invest in more band-aids. Nate and I both had run-ins with sharp objects recently.
I scared Pixel into scratching my neck (totally my fault) during the flower installation.
Nate cut his finger with a razor blade while working on the windows.
Oh well. I am glad these accidents didn’t result in a trip to the Urgent Care!! That’s progress.
New tool for the belt
I have one rule I follow while shopping at the home improvement store.
Do not buy tools or materials that will not be used for the current project.
Otherwise, I’d be picking up every new fangled tool I come across and I just don’t have the budget for that.
A drill mixer attachment has been on my wish list for quite some time, but I was not going to spend the five dollars on it unless I had a use.
So when I needed to use some old house paint that had separated, I finally had a reason to go buy a mixer. Yahoo!
I purchased the Husky All Steel Spiral Mixer. It can mix up to a five gallon container of which seemed more practical than buying the half gallon size. Not only will it mix up paint, it also will come in hand for all our future concrete work.
After attaching the mixer to the drill just insert it into the paint and let the drill do the work. Trust me. It’s so much easier than using a paint stick on separated paint. I already tried that and it didn’t work out well.
30 seconds later….Voilà! Paint’s ready to go.
Now I can paint under our doors and windows along the porch to match the rest of the exterior. Success!
