Two It Yourself: 'Antique' painted table using stain over paint

If this table looks familiar, there's a good reason why. She's been on the blog before looking quite a bit different. I originally painted this 1960's vintage table from my local thrift store blue with a white drawer. She came out nice, but honestly I was never thrilled with her.

Well now...I'm in LOVE!

I went at her with Fiesta Red (which I made into DIY chalk paint) and on the re-paint I skipped the two tone going for solid red. I liked her well enough after I was finished with the red, but she just didn't seem totally authentic...this is a vintage piece and I wanted her to look it. She needed some personality. Some depth.

Pre-stain treatement

I decided to try something that I had accidentally stumbled upon a few months ago while making a family wood sign: stain over paint.

I first tested on the drawer to make sure I would like the finish. Eekk so awesome!!! So I carried on and went for the whole table.

First, I lightly distressed in a few areas including the corner and edges of the legs. Then I used a foam brush and brushed on dark miniwax stain all over the table.

As soon as I had brushed the entire thing with stain, I started back in the first area I had stained and started wiping off the stain with a clean rag. I tried to rub in the same direction all the way across the top and shelf and always in a downward motion on the legs. The stain leaves a dark shading behind, similar to wax. What I like the best is how it sits in some of the grooves really highlight the details of of the piece.

TIP: I would suggest working in small areas at a time and letting the stain dry for about 5 minutes. By the time I got to wiping off the last bit of stain it had been on the table for nearly 30 minutes and it was very sticky and was getting difficult to wipe off.

I finished the piece with two coats of polyurethane.

After all these different finishes, I am finally thrilled with how this piece came out...so much so that I am hesitant to even sell it.

To me it looks like a Pottery Barn piece on a thrift store budget. But since she's part of my ReSTOREd Challenge she must find a new home and I am willing to bet it won't take long for someone to snatch her.