Farmhouse Dining Table

Yesterday I posted about my plan to refinish my boring dining set. After many many hours of sanding and painting, I'm finally ready to show you the final result.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.



And now, the totally polished after:



Here's how I did it:

I sanded, primed, and painted the chairs and pedestal with Zinser Bullseye Primer, 1 coat of flat black cheap paint, and 1 coat Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze. I applied 3 coats of Minwax Oil Based Polyurethane after everything was dry (waiting 3-4 hours between coats, and lightly sanding with 220 grit).

The top of the table was sanded completely to bare wood. This was a long process! I started with 60 grit, then 100, then 220. After removing all the dust, I applied 2 coats of Minwax "Cherry" stain. I chose this color because it was the closest match to the tone of the buffet, but not too dark (I wanted a contrast between the top and everything else). After the stain was completely dry, I applied 4 (yes 4!) coats of the same poly I used for the chairs.

Cost Breakdown:

1 quart Zinser Primer-already had ($7.98 new)

5 x $0.99 for Flat Black spray paint- $4.95

5 x $2.67 for Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint- $13.35

1/2 pint of Minwax Wood Finish in "Cherry"- $4.38

1 quart Minwax Oil Based Polyurethane (plenty left over!)- $9.97

Total: $32.65-not bad for a brand new dining set!

You wouldn't be able to see from the before picture, but the top was a complete wreck and there were paint marks all over the chairs. Now it's practically brand new! I can't wait to accessorize it with a runner (perhaps a homemade burlap one?), tablescape, and some nice chair cushions :)