Sofa Table Rehab

 After more time than I had hoped, I have my first rehab project done!  This was a great first experience and I am excited to share it with you!

Here is what the table looked like originally.

Not a bad-looking little table!  I did however want to lose the side panels, which I felt dated the piece a bit.  So, step one was to pull the whole table apart.  I was surprised that the top was two pieces, but this worked to my advantage.

Next up was to strip the old finish off.  I did a lot of reading before I started. I used CitriStrip paint and varnish stripping gel.  I chose the CitriStrip, because I am doing all my work in my garage and didn't want to be breathing in all sorts of gross chemicals.  After I applied the stripping gel, I covered it with cut-up plastic bags to keep the gel moist until I was ready to remove it.  In my research, I read a lot of recommendations to cover stripping gel with saran wrap.  I have a ridiculous number of plastic bags and decided I would give that a shot rather than buy something else.  This worked really well for me.  This being the first time that I had stripped a piece of furniture, I wasn't sure what to expect.  The CitriStrip did the job well and has the bonus of smelling amazing!

I sanded and primed the piece before I reassembled it.  I used Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3 Primer. 

Then came the trickiest part of this entire rehab.  The side panels were part of the table's stability.  Because I removed them, I needed to find a new way to anchor the table legs and make sure it was going to be sturdy.  This is where the top being in two pieces came in handy.  I was able to use 3-inch screws, to screw the table legs to the decorative bottom of the tabletop.  I then used L brackets to make sure I had a stable, sturdy table.  If you look closely, you can see the metal brackets on the legs.

Now that my table was re-assembled it was time to paint.  I used Pittsburgh Grand Distinction Interior Semi-Gloss paint in a dark gray (the color was called cauldron).

I finished the table off by coating the top with Minwax Wipe-on Poly in Clear Satin.  I did four layers of poly to make sure to have the best protection for the tabletop as possible.

I absolutely LOVE how it turned out!  

This table is 60.5" long, 15.25" wide, and 26.25" tall.  If you are interested in purchasing this table or inquiring about having me re-do one of your items, please email me using the e-mail address listed in my profile.