How to Whitewash a Coffee Table

When I moved recently, I realized I needed a coffee table. I didn't like the cheap ones at Ikea, and I didn't have the money to buy a nicer one, so I searched. And searched. And searched. I set a limit for myself of $10-$20, since I didn't need a long one so I didn't see the purpose of paying more. Finally, after a four month search, I found one while visiting my parents. It was the perfect size, but the finish was in rough shape and one of the legs wasn't stable. I knew my dad could fix the leg (which he did, in all of three minutes), and the rest was a weekend project, so I gladly forked over a crisp $10 bill and threw it in my trunk.

For whatever reason I didn't think to take a picture of the entire table beforehand, just the top, but you can tell it was stained very dark. I'm not into dark wood, I prefer white or light wood for my own decor, so I decided I wanted to whitewash the top and paint the legs. I already had white paint, all I needed to get was sealer and a sander. I borrowed an orbital sander from a friend. You could just as easily strip it and re-stain it or just repair the top as necessary.

There's a great little table under all those scratches

(Please excuse the terrible photos, I was working a basement and used my phone.)

Step 1: Sand the old finish down to the naked wood.

Haha, naked... no but really, you want to get as much of the stain or paint off as possible. This is a much easier process with an orbital sander, but for the legs you'll need to sand by hand. Use 40-60 grit paper.

Once I sanded my own table I discovered it was actually cherry wood, which pleased me. It had a lovely pink color and I knew the texture of the wood would be great for the whitewash finish I was planning. Once I finished sanding the top, I sanded the legs just enough to give it teeth so paint would stick to it (I did the same with the underside of the table). This step is important because wood furniture is usually kept clean using wax, which will reject paint. If you're gonna paint it, the wax has to come off. If your sandpaper gets gummy, grab another piece and keep going.

Step 2: Wipe it down and let it dry.

Cherry planks! That silver strip towards the middle is my favorite

A clean damp cloth or two will do. I wiped everything down and let my table dry overnight to be sure my paint would stick properly.

Step 3: Time to whitewash!

Once my table was sanded and cleaned, I got to work with the paint. I decided to go for a 50/50 mix (no measurements needed, just eyeball it), half paint half water. I really wanted the wood to show through the finish, if you want a more opaque cover you can increase the paint in your ratio or do more than one layer of whitewash.

Half water, half paint

After I mixed my paint with water with my desired ratio, I used a brush to apply it to the tabletop. Working a little bit at a time, I applied the paint, then wiped it off with a damp rag, in the direction of the grain. Brush on, wipe off. Brush on, wipe off. It's literally that easy. (Confession: at one point my rag got too much paint on it and I used my shirt. The one I was wearing. Just whipped it right off. So make sure you bring extra rags.) Let that coat dry for a couple hours, then go back and add another coat if you want more coverage. I was perfectly pleased with a single coat.

After I finished whitewashing the top, I painted the legs, two coats to cover and went over them one more time to get any spots I missed. I painted the underside of the table too, just to prevent any weird shadows. I left the very center unfinished, so as not to gum up the works.

Finally realized I could use a flash in this one. I don't technology very well

Step 4: Seal it up

I used a satin polycrylic by Minwax that I bought in a little tiny baby can from A.C. Moore with a coupon. I got the synthetic brush that goes with it too. I prefer polycrylic because it dries crystal clear, is very low odor, and it dries pretty quickly. I wanted more of a matte finish, hence satin, but if you want a shiny finish go for the gloss or semi-gloss. Follow the directions, sand (220 or 240 grit and a little steel wool) and clean between coats, and you have a beautiful finish.

That antique hope chest underneath is my next project

Viola! NEW COFFEE TABLE! And depending on what supplies you already have on hand, you're paying much less than anything you'd get at a store. I calculated that I used less than $20 in materials, and this is a weekend/free time project for sure, so for a couple days of work and $30, you have recycled a piece of furniture and customized it all by yourself, and not a stitch of particle board was involved!

Notes: I used white paint, and it's called whitewash, but you could honestly use any color paint with the same process. I found a nice grey I'd like to try in the future, and maybe navy blue. Feel free to be creative.