DIY Refinished Painted Kitchen Table

DIY refinished painted kitchen table complete with step-by-step instructions on how to refinish a table with guaranteed beautiful results!

DIY Refinished Painted Kitchen Table

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Are you looking to update an out of style family heirloom? Or perhaps modernize a piece of furniture? Well, you came to the right place! Let me share with you the exact steps and supplies used to refinish my old black painted kitchen table and how I turn it into this beautiful country farm table masterpiece.

DIY refinished painted kitchen table complete with step-by-step instructions on how to refinish a table with guaranteed beautiful results! www.dazzlinghospitality.com

It all started with a spontaneous purchase of new kitchen table chairs. With three littles eating on them daily, our fabric chairs became too hard to keep clean and it drove me crazy! New chairs were in order…and probably should have been years ago.

The Country Chairs Need a New Chic Country Table

After the new cross back chairs had arrived, any buyers remorse I had vanished! They were stylish, comfortable, and wipe-downable. There was only one drawback. I didn’t love how the new chairs looked sitting next to our old black painted kitchen table. The colors and styles of the two clashed. Therefore, not wanting to spend additional money on a new table I thought refinishing it would be the better, cheaper option.

This project took half a day of labor and a few days to fully dry, but the wait was 110% worth it. What started as a random table makeover has become one of my most favorite DIY projects to date. I was surprised at the results, it was stunning! My only regret is not having done it sooner.

Supplies List:

Gloves (lots and lots of nitrile gloves)
Goggles
Mask
Citristrip Stripping Gel
Paint brushes– used to apply stripping gel, conditioner, stain, and finish
Plastic Striping Tool
Electric Sander
Hand Sander Block
Assortment of Sandpaper Grits 80/120/240/400
Disposable Cleaning Cloths
MinWax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
Penetration Stain ( I used 1/4 mixture of MinWax Classic Gray 271 and 3/4 mixture of MinWax Weathered Oak 270)
MinWax Polycrylic Protective Finish

Whitney’s Step-By-Step

Start by moving the table to a well ventilated covered area. Protect the surrounding areas with a heavy plastic drop cloth and clean tables surface.
Carefully read and follow all the directions on the back of the Citristrip bottle. Protect hands with gloves and eyes with chemical splash-proof goggles.
Apply gel evenly with a paintbrush to tabletop, allowing the Gel to cure for at least 30 minutes before removing the old finish. You will see the finish starting to crack and bubble up. Using the plastic stripping tool scrape off all the unwanted finish surface. My kitchen table required a two-step process of the stripping gel and scraping, because of the of the thickness of the paint.
After scraping off all the unwanted finish, wipe the table surface clean. Most importantly, make sure the wood surface is completely dry before sanding.
Next, sand your little heart away with an electric sander. This is the messiest and dustiest part of the whole process. Start sanding with the 80 grit sandpaper (because it is the most coarse and will remove leftover finish), work your way up to the 120, and finish with the 240 grit (because it is the least coarse and will leave you with a smooth and even finish).
Once all unwanted finish has been removed, and the top surface is even and smooth, clean off all the dust. A mildly damp rag works great.
Let the table fully dry and then apply Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner per the instructions on the container (this is basically your five dollar insurance policy with a smooth even stain)
Apply a MinWax Stain of your choice and follow the container’s instructions. I used 1/4 mixture of Classic Gray 271 and 3/4 mixture of Weathered Oak 270. I love how the combination of mixing these two colors turned out!
Allow the stain to dry for a minimum of eight hours, dependent on humidity, before applying Polycrylic Protective Finish per instructions. I applied 3 coats.
Let finish cure for at least 2 hours before lightly sanding with a 400 grit sandpaper by hand.
Allow the table top to cure for a few days before handling. I waited a week.
Finally, use it, enjoy it, and be proud of your beautiful new restoration hardware on-a-dime table!!!