Rustic Farmhouse Table

Showing Age and Distressing

I've had this little kitchen table around for ages, and never did anything with it.

That changed, a few months ago.  It had been left outside for the past two winters, gradually getting more and more beat up.

At some point, I had tried to strip it, but the paint was so gluey and thick that I gave up (hence being abandoned to the weather).

I used it for displays out in the garden, but then when Hubby arrived with some cedar boards on the wheelbarrow, ready to cut them up for kindling, I stepped in.

He had a thought that a piece of plywood would be just the thing, and that the cedar 2x6 boards were too thick.  I begged to differ.

I think the phrasing I used was something like; sure,  you can put a piece of plywood on it, and sell it for ten bucks.  But if we put the boards on, distress them and paint them, we will get $110.

So, grudglingly, he set to and attached the cedar. The way the table was constructed was interesting, with angled pieces to tighten up the legs, which was a good thing, as they were loose.

Then he placed a batten on the bottom of all the boards and glued them together.   I would probably omit the glue next time, and just let it be a rustic and weathered piece. 

Hubby has a hard  time letting go of perfection, and being a meticulous carpenter, using the techniques I use to create a rustic piece is hard for him.  He got through it though!

While he was waiting for the glue to dry, I painted the base, with those gorgeous turned legs, in a metallic, charcoal grey craft paint in acrylic. 

It's not something I would normally have done, but it was the only craft paint at the dollar store. The color was achieved by mixing black paint with a small amount of white of the same kind of metallic craft paint.  This produced the lovely soft grey.

Then with the top assembled, the beating commenced.  Using various implements like a hammer, a cobblers last and a chain, we banged it up and made judicious dents in the top. 

The next step was to paint it with my usual craft paint, in black.  After it was dry, it was sanded off with an electric sander.

This revealed the grain and allowed the dents and distressing to show, highlighted by the black paint.

The final step was the urethane. We used a water based product for easy clean up, and several coats later, it was ready to reveal to the general public. 

It sold within hours of listing it, to a person renovating an old farmhouse.  And yes, we got the full asking price of $110.

For a different kind of project, check out the driftwood dining table.

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Rustic French Country Table

We needed a table for our new place, and decided to go a different route, with purchased legs from Etsy. These were specially custom turned by a seller in Turkey, of all places.

The top was all ready when the legs arrived, all glued together, just waiting for assembly.

The legs were unfinished beech wood, so after giving them a paint job with latex interior paint, they got a light coat of darker acrylic craft paint, diluted with water.

The wash was wiped off with a rag, leaving the turned sections with more definition.

The top was distressed by throwing chains on it, and hitting it with implements like hammers. We had fun doing this, both before painting, and after, to give it a true weathered finish.

Now it's my go-to for photo sessions, as well as for eating at. 

I enjoy having a table that doesn't need care. A quick wipe with a cloth is all that's required - no wax or other cleaner, just the occasional sanding with rough sandpaper to take off even more of the finish.

The completed size of this little French country style table is  2'x4', or 60cm x 120cm.