Dining Table Makeover

Date: Nov 22nd

So for a couple of years now I've been wanting a huge dining table.

I've searched all over and found two major problems:

a) The 10 person size I wanted is not in mass production in stores

b) No way I'm paying HOW MUCH for a custom built table!

So I put the idea on the back burner.

That is until about a month ago when Ryan found this gem on

our Anthem version of craigslist.

The neighbors around the corner were selling it for $150.

It was the right size but not the look I wanted.

I told him to snag it and I would somehow figure out how to refinish it!

$150 is much nicer than $4000!

So this beast bullied its way into the garage

while 3 cars sat on the driveway.

For a month!

I scoured the Internet learning how to change it's look.

Finally on Halloween Day I had some time and I attempted it.
I was definitely nervous as this table was in excellent condition already
and I was possibly going to ruin it!

So I sanded and sanded and sanded for hours.

My hands were still vibrating a day later!

It was dirty and disgusting and time consuming

 yet oddly satisfying!

I got it down to its bare glory.

And then spent the next couple of weeks cussing at it

when I tried every combo of stain without success

and thus resulting in re-sanding it down THREE TIMES!

I had this vision in my mind and it just wasn't coming together!

There has never been a time that I tackled a project that instead it tackled me back.

This beast had me pinned against the wall.

I was almost ready to take a chainsaw to the middle of it

and buy the stupid $4000 table instead...

until a glorious mistake occurred.

I had just put on my 4th coat of Bombay Mahogany mixed with Walnut stain.

I still wasn't satisfied.

Finally I said screw it I'm moving down to work on the base/legs instead.

I opted to paint the base rather than sand all those little parts to stain it.

I'm not the most patient with projects.
And this one had already maxed out my patience!

So I opted for spray paint instead of hand painting.

Well I opened up the garage door and got on my hands and knees and sprayed away!

It was looking mighty fine.

Then I stood up for air and about had a heart attack.

My inexperience failed to forewarn me that the spray paint particles floating in the air

would settle nicely to the still wet stain on the top of the table!!
(I know I know common sense also failed me on this one too!)

I wanted to cry when I saw the dusting of gray all over the top of my dark table.

Then the light bulb went on and I grabbed a dry rag

and rubbed the gray paint to create subtle streaks in the paint.

O.M.G.

It was finally close to the finish I had imagined!!

I didn't want to jinx myself but I bolted inside the house to bring Ryan outside to see.

He was certain I was coming in complaining about the stupid table yet again.

We couldn't tell yet how it was going to dry.

So I put the fans on and closed up the garage doors.

I refused to look at it again until the next day.

I couldn't handle the anticipation of knowing if it was finally done

or had to be sanded down yet again!!!

The next day after church

I braved walking into the garage to see the outcome.

AHHH HAAAAA it FINALLY passed the Katie test!!!

So with that I added a poly top coat

and then a couple days later we hauled it inside 

just in time for Thanksgiving!

Dining Room Before:
(I'm always so excited to tear out the old that I forget to take a picture.  
So here's the one from my garage that I posted for sale and was gone same day!)

Dining Room After:

And yes I did splurge and buy new chairs.
(I'm still easing Ryan into accepting why chairs are much more expensive than tables!)

And then I immediately covered up all my hard work with the

 Thanksgiving tablescape! lol