How to Refinish an Old Table

Sharing how I updated an old piece of patio furniture.

Do you have a piece of furniture that you love but is worn down? I did! I had a large, round coffee table I used outside on my back patio. It is the coolest shape with great details on the legs, not something you can find in any old store. I spray painted the table last year, but after sitting in the hot sun and changing Colorado weather it started to chip away and ended up looking so beat up. I decided I still wasn’t ready to let this beauty go. During nap time one afternoon I tackled this project and gave it a facelift. This is how to refinish an old table.

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Here is the Before…

The Process is pretty simple.

I started off by sanding the entire table down. This was the most time consuming part of the project. Use 180 grit sandpaper, especially if you are trying to remove left behind debris and top layer. I highly recommend an electric sander like the one HERE. It makes projects like this much easier and faster.

Once I had sanded it down I rummaged through our garage cabinets to find paint. I used the black Porch and Patio Floor Paint that I had used on the Linoleum Floors I painted (click HERE to read about that adventure.) Since it’s an outdoor floor paint it will hold up against the Colorado elements better.

I painted a three layers of the black paint to make sure it was nice and coated. When that dried, I topped it with a layer of polyurethane to protect it against water.

Hooray! It looks like new! I love quick and easy home projects like this. It took an hour and a half from start to finish. I love how my worn out table looks modern and new again. We will be enjoying it all Summer long, and hopefully much longer than that!

Have you ever updated a table like this before? I hope you love this quick DIY project on how to refinish an old table. Make sure you are following me on Instagram for step by step videos on all my DIY Home Projects.

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