Welcome to my step-by-step guide on reviving this antique coffee table makeover. Whether you’ve inherited a tired-looking piece or stumbled upon a diamond in the rough at a thrift store, this tutorial will walk you through the process of sanding, painting, staining, and fixing the legs to breathe new life into your beloved furniture.
I found this piece at my local Restore shop.
I have never seen a piece like this before. The fact that it is an older piece and has a lot of storage, I was smitten and needed to bring it home to give it a makeover.
It had seen better days and had a lot of wear on it but it was all things that could be fixed.
The details were too good to pass up. A little paint, stain, salve, and some repairs were all it needed.
Supplies Used In This Antique Coffee Table Makeover
Sander (use the code “mycreativedays10” to save on your order)
3-in-1 Paint (I used Anchor)
Gel Stain (I used Golden Ash)
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Steps For This Antique Coffee Table Makeover
Step 1: Assess and Prepare
Before diving into the makeover process, I always carefully assess the condition of the piece. This antique coffee table makeover had scratches, dents, or needed leg repair. Never pick up a piece that is beyond your skill level. The more projects you do like this, the better you will become. It is important you understand your skill level and what you can tackle so you don’t waste time, money, and energy on something that will just lead to frustration.
Step 2: Sanding
I started this antique coffee table makeover with a good cleaning. I share my top 5 cleaners for wood furniture makeovers HERE. Then, it was time to sand. I used 80 grit sandpaper on the outside and the inside of this piece. It took all of the finish off the top and scuff-sanded the rest. Learn the difference between scuff-sanding and regular sanding in my tutorial post HERE. I planned on staining the top and painting the body so this worked out perfectly! After the 80 grit, I went over it all with a 120 grit sandpaper to smooth it out. Then, I wiped it all down with a damp cloth to remove any sanding dust.
Step 3: Fixing the Legs
This antique coffee table had all the legs intact but a couple of them were not secure. All we did was remove them and make sure there was nothing in the way to make them not secure. Then, we used a drill bit to drill a hole in one side and secure the legs with a screw to the base of the table. It worked perfectly. You may also need to apply wood glue. Every piece is going to be different.
Step 4: Painting
Now it’s time to add a fresh coat of paint to the antique coffee table makeover. I wanted to do a dark base so I chose the color “Anchor”. This paint is all-in-one. It has the primer, the paint, and the topcoat in one can and it is self-leveling. This paint is great for beginners and experts. It will cut your project time down by more than half. I had to apply two coats on this antique coffee table makeover to cover it. I always allow sufficient drying time between coats.
Step 5: Staining
I applied a beautiful gel stain to the top of this antique coffee table makeover.
I also applied the stain inside the top. It made the not-so-special wood in there look a lot better.
I applied my favorite furniture salve to the inside of the drawer. This conditioned the wood in the drawer and made it look so much better. It smells amazing too!
I could not be happier with this makeover.
This piece was screaming for a little TLC makeover.
I hope this antique coffee table makeover inspires you to tackle a furniture project of your own.
Do You Want To Make Money Flipping Furniture?
After twenty years of doing this, I am still picking up pieces when I can find them because I love the creative outlet, but I am now coaching other furniture flippers on how to make more money in their business. If you are someone who is looking to start and/or grow a furniture flipping business, I would love to help you. There are ways to make money in your business beyond painting a piece of furniture. Once I learned that, my business flourished. Don’t waste your time trying to figure it out on your own.
To help other flippers, I created The Furniture Flipping Academy! The academy includes everything you need to start, grow, and/or scale a furniture flipping business. It includes courses, resources, templates, social media planner and guide, a private community, and so much more. It will ensure that you are doing the steps that will lead to success and not wasting your time on things that won’t.
You can find all the information about the Furniture Flipping Academy HERE.
Let’s get your business started and/or moving in the right direction. The Furniture Flipping Academy is for any flipper, from beginner to experienced. If your business is stagnant, there is a reason for that. Let me help you grow it into a flipping career that is profitable and fits the lifestyle you want to live.
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