I had to hide this horrific table under a bed sheet because I had no table cloths. So there is a double remedy here; sanding the top down and re-varnishing it, and making a table cloth for it. On a very limited budget.
I acquired a £8 tin of Ronseal quick dry indoor furniture varnish. The house next door put it out on the wall, and in Bristol certainly, there is a policy that if you put something out on the pavement by your house, it's free. We've offloaded lots of stuff this way, and acquired some awesome books and an £8 full tin of varnish!!
I bought some coarse sand paper, and a sanding block, and got to work:
Not long after I started, I saw the massive difference, albeit the right side covered in fine varnish-dust. I kept sanding and sanding, covering the entire lounge in fine grain dust. We've killed our vacuum cleaner in the process (it was rubbish anyway!)
After some hard graft, waiting, vacuuming and then 2 coats of varnish and some more sanding, our borrowed dining table is radically improved:
Unfortunately, the table has permanent, deeper damage, probably from sitting in cold, damp storage for ages. Plus it has been neglected for a long time too. However, I'm no longer embarrassed by this table. It was such a state that I had to have something covering it.
Total cost of the project so far:
Sandpaper: 90p (2 sheets coarse, 1 sheet fine)
Sanding block: £1.99
Ronseal varnish: Free
After all this work, I still wanted to make a tablecloth for the table, to help protect it, and have something washable to take off when it gets dirty. I want to show you that too, but I think I better split this rescue into two posts because otherwise it would be too long!
I'm so happy with how the table turned out, and feel so much better about the lounge now it has a decent table. Even though it's not perfect. I have to remember that this is not even my table, so I can't put too much effort/money into something that I won't be keeping! I hope the landlord will be pleased though, if he ever sees it.
Have you done any super cheap budget projects lately that have had big results?
What a difference! Well done. It just goes to show that renovating or doing up furniture does not have to be expensive. It looks good.
ReplyDeleteI perked up two ikea bedside tables with new handles and a can of spray paint. Although I think the handles were expensive...but cheaper than new tables!
Gillian x
Thank you Gillian!!
Deleteyes, indeed, things can be done on a tight budget, and I'm so happy that I made the effort to do this. Feel so much better about the table now.
I think I saw your bedside tables, I think that's how I found your blog in the first place! :)
Hi Linda,
ReplyDeleteYou've done a job that even I would've been proved to be able to call my own. I hate sanding and I hate varnishing even more but, you've transformed that table top! The woodworker in you!! ;-)
It looks like a very sturdy piece; not too dissimilar to something I made myself, nearly four-years ago.
Ironically, I made a nice dining table for my mum a year later and she decided to cover it with TWO table cloths!! I look forward to seeing what you have created though.
PS. I take it you mean "coarse" sandpaper... :-P
whoops!, how embarrassing!! I'm normally good with my spelling lol! Have changed it already! hehe.
DeleteThank you Olly for the compliment :) I do love a bit of woodwork. It's so satisfying to see the difference.
Will post the table cloth details soon :)
I did something similar but oiled the surface instead of sealing it - brought the color up nicely but not sure if I should have sealed it anyway - I wonder if I should have used beeswax...............
ReplyDeleteAnyway the whole thing was an improvement anyway and saved me a lot of moola !
awesome, glad you found something that worked!!
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