Table Envy? Table it!

Tables made of real wood, or any sturdy product for that matter, are soooooooooooo expensive when you buy them new. So don't! As a mother of 3, I know that as soon as that new $2,000 table is put in place, there will be a marker line or a toy car scrape right on top of it. Utilize second hand marketplaces where you can get a second hand table for cheap.

Don't have a truck? A rented truck or van for a few hours is still much cheaper than buying a new table.

Below are the 2 tables in my house that are both from a second hand marketplace. One, I sanded and put a varnish on, the other I painted the top to brighten up my blue dining room.

Here is what I did for my funky dining room look:

1. Found a FREE table on the app OfferUP (LetGo and Offer Up merged). Yes, it really was free, it was a little beat up on the surface, but free was right in my budget, and I wanted something sturdy.

2. Sanded just the top of the wood surface with an electric hand sander.

3. 2 coats of primer

4. 2-3 coats of valspar cabinet/furniture paint!

5. Boom, I have a sturdy, unique, and damn near free table for my funky lounge dining area. I can slap a new coat of paint on if it starts to get gross in a few years, but for now its great!

A project like this doesn't take too much elbow grease, but it does need a space where you can sand a table top. If your table isn't that beat up, you may be able to get away with hand sanding spots and then painting, especially if this isn't a long term solution for you.