Originally, it was a tired old coffee table that looked like this.
I bought this table at the same time as the coffee table that I turned into the upholstered bench. The original top of that table was in good condition, and I used it to replace this latest table's cracked top. The new top is a perfect blank canvas for some handpainting.
Top, before.
Top, after.
This table is solid oak, well built, and it is perfect for some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint magic. There's no need to strip the old finish or prime when using ASCP ... a quick going-over with a sanding block, and it was ready for the base coat of 'Old Ochre'. The finish on the table was heavily distressed when I bought it ...so, after I painted, it got a good going over with two grits of sandpaper to replicate that original wear.
The frame of the table was hand waxed with Annie Sloan's clear wax, so it's silky smooth.
It took forever for me to hand paint the top, using 'Graphite' and 'Primer Red'. Since this was destined to be a game table, painting a checkerboard was a given. To balance the composition on this long rectangle, I added backgammon to the ends. After hand distressing and a wipe of antiquing glaze, I sealed the top with oil-based polyurethane for durability.
As soon as I finished taking these photos, I loaded the table into my Jeep. Ruby and I will take it and a few other things to my booth in the morning.
No time to rest on my laurels. My workshop is clogged with a really large piece that I HAVE to finish so I can get it out of there and have room to work on other things. I'll show it to you when it's ready ... over the weekend, I hope.