DIY Dining Table

Furniture is NOT cheap. Especially when you are like me and have champagne taste on a beer budget. I desperately wanted a large table with a bench to fit all our friends and family for special occasions, but also be suitable for our weekly family dinners. All of the tables I found that I liked were close to $1000. So, I turned to Facebook marketplace.

Most of the tables were a little cheaper, but not enough. Then I found one for $90. Why so cheap? It was hideous. It was unfinished, but someone had painted (not stained) the top of the table brown. It needed some love and stain and it would be great (the ad said).

I talked my husband into going to pick it up. He was not really on board when he saw it, but he humored me and we bought it anyway.

Then, the sanding began! If you’ve never sanded, you are not missing out on much. It’s dusty and labor intensive! Plus I was doing it in our Arizona garage in JULY! What were we thinking???

I watched several videos online about how to sand, stain, and seal my table. Let’s be real. I’m not handy or really equipt in any of those skills. But I rolled up my sleeves and followed these simple steps.

• Sand the table and bench with an electric sander (unless you have a year to sand). I wore a mask and sunglasses. You really should wear better protective eye-wear. I trust you can do this better then me.
• Blow all the dust from the table so you have a clean surface to stain. Then wipe it down.
• We used a grey stain that showed the brown of the table through. This way it matches both the wood and the grey in our home. In Arizona it dries fast so you have to move fast to keep the stain even.
• Seal it with polyurethane- which also makes it shinier and protects the wood.
• Let it dry for a few days outside- it smells!

My husband gave me a hand with sanding, as he was starting to see the potential that I saw- and he wanted some of the credit. I did the staining and sealing. We spent about $30 on those supplies. Not only is the end product exactly what I wanted, but I have so much pride in it since I did most of it myself. If I can do it- you can do it. I’d never sanded or stained anything before!

I added some chairs I purchased at American Home Furniture (I LOVE that store!), and the dining set was complete!

I LOVE doing things myself to save money, and personalize it just how I want it to be. I have a fancy table that cost me a fraction of the price had I bought it brand new. Plus, my kids watched me work hard for something I wanted. I’m always trying to lead by example- sometimes I fall short and other times I can say “Nailed it!”