Rustic Farmhouse Dining Table Refinish
Step-by-step guide made from Kathartic Studios's YouTube video.
A cheap, veneer-top dining table is transformed with a rustic, farmhouse-style finish. The project involves cleaning and prepping the table, applying white chalk paint, adding a gray wood stain as a glaze for an aged effect, distressing the edges, and sealing the piece for durability.
- Difficulty: beginner
Safety
- Always work in a well-ventilated area when using paints, stains, and sealers.
- Wear gloves to protect your skin from chemicals and stains.
Must know before you build
- Rinse TSP thoroughly; residue prevents proper paint adhesion.
- Apply glaze in small sections; wipe immediately to prevent uneven drying.
- Use water-based polyurethane over white paint to prevent yellowing.
- Apply durable polyurethane to tabletop, wax to legs for varied wear.
- A coarse steel brush effectively removes tacky old wood filler from legs.
- Orient chalk paint brushstrokes along longest dimension for visual length.
Tools
- Gloves (Safety)
- Coarse Steel Brush (optional)
- Palm Pro Paintbrush (Rectangular Brush, Zibra, Palm Pro, 2-inch) (optional)
- Round Paintbrush (Zibra) (optional)
- Sanding Sponge
- Chip Brush (Disposable brush) (optional)
- Wax Brush (optional)
Materials
- TSP Alternative (Cleaner/Degreaser, Fusion, 250 mL)
- Chalk Paint (Jolie, Gesso White)
- Wood Finish Penetrating Stain (Oil-based stain, Minwax, Classic Gray)
- Triple Thick Polyurethane (Topcoat, Varathane, Water-Based, Satin)
- Finishing Wax (Topcoat, Jolie, Clear)
- Rags or Paper Towels
Step by step
Step 1: Clean and Prep the Table
The disassembled table and legs are thoroughly cleaned with a TSP alternative, and old wood filler is scraped off the legs with a steel brush.
- Clean the Table and Legs. Thoroughly clean the disassembled tabletop and legs using a sponge with hot water and a TSP alternative cleaner to remove all dirt and grime.
- Remove Old Wood Filler. Using a coarse steel brush, scrape away old, sticky wood putty in case it was used in a previous repair attempt.
- Rinse the Piece. After cleaning with TSP, wipe the entire piece down again with a rag and clean, hot water to remove any chemical residue before painting.
- Tip: After cleaning with a TSP solution, always rinse the furniture with clean water to remove any residue that could interfere with paint adhesion.
Step 2: Apply White Chalk Paint
Two coats of white chalk paint are applied to the tabletop and legs, creating a textured base for the rustic finish.
- Apply First Coat of Paint. Apply the first coat of Jolie 'Gesso White' chalk paint. Use a 2-inch rectangular brush for the flat tabletop, keeping the strokes in one long direction to create a faux grain, and a round brush for the turned legs.
- Tip: Chalk paint is thick and ideal for creating texture. Use long, straight brushstrokes to mimic a wood grain.
- Tip: Use a rectangular brush for large flat surfaces and a round brush for detailed or curved areas like spindles and legs.
- Apply Second Coat of Paint. After letting the first coat dry for about two hours, a second coat of white chalk paint is applied to the entire table and all four legs to ensure full, opaque coverage.
- Tip: To create the illusion of length, orient your brushstrokes along the longest dimension of the tabletop.
Step 3: Apply a Gray Glaze
A gray wood stain is brushed over the white paint and then wiped back, creating an aged, glazed effect that settles into the paint's texture.
- Brush Stain Over Painted Surface. Brush the Minwax 'Classic Gray' wood stain directly onto the dried white chalk paint. This technique, known as glazing, will add an aged look.
- Wipe Back the Excess Stain. Before the stain dries, it is immediately wiped back with a clean rag. This removes most of the stain from the high points, leaving the gray color in the low points of the brushstrokes and creating a weathered, aged appearance.
- Tip: If the stain starts to dry too quickly, you can apply a little more fresh stain to re-wet the area and make it workable again.
- Common mistake: Attempting to glaze the entire surface at once can result in the stain drying before it can be wiped back, leading to a blotchy finish.
- Tip: Glazing with a wood stain is a great way to tone down a bright paint color and add instant aged character to a piece.
Step 4: Distress the Finish
Using a sanding sponge, distress the edges and high points of the table and legs to reveal the white paint and underlying wood for a shabby-chic look.
- Sand the Glazed Top. After the glaze has dried, a sanding sponge is used to lightly sand the high points of the textured tabletop. This removes the top layer of gray glaze, revealing the bright white paint underneath and enhancing the faux grain effect.
- Distress Edges and Legs. Continue to use the sanding sponge to distress the edges of the tabletop, the apron, and the details on the legs. Sand down to the original wood in some areas to create a naturally worn, shabby-chic appearance.
- Tip: Distressing is a matter of personal preference. Start with a little and add more until you achieve the look you want.
Step 5: Seal the Table
The tabletop is sealed with a water-based polyurethane for durability, and the legs and apron are sealed with a clear finishing wax.
- Apply Polyurethane to Tabletop. For maximum durability on the high-use surface, apply a coat of Varathane Triple Thick water-based polyurethane to the tabletop using a disposable chip brush, following the direction of the faux grain.
- Apply Finishing Wax to Legs and Apron. The legs and apron of the table are sealed with Jolie clear finishing wax. The wax is applied with a dedicated wax brush, worked into all the crevices, and then buffed with a clean cloth for a soft, matte finish.
- Tip: You can leave the wax as-is for a matte finish, or buff it with a clean cloth after it has set for a while to create a soft sheen.
- Tip: Choose water-based polyurethane over oil-based. It resists yellowing as it ages and makes cleanup significantly easier.
- Watch out: Finishing wax can take several days or even weeks to fully cure. Avoid placing objects on the surface during this time to prevent marks.