HOW TO UPCYCLE A BASIC OLD DINING TABLE

In this post, I will go through the steps to upcycle our old, worn-out dining table. These steps include taking the table apart, cutting it down, preparing it for a new finish, and applying the new finish. These steps can be easily adapted to other types of tables if you have a different type of table that you would like to freshen up.

---

THE PLAN 

The original dining table is a simple but large rectangular solid pine table varnished dark brown. We wanted to convert the table into a desk and in it’s original size, it’s much too deep. The space in our bedroom for this desk will allow around a 65cm desk depth, whereas this table is 100cm deep. This meant we had to figure out a way to cut it down. It’s also incredibly worn out and stained a very dark colour. We wanted it to be quite fresh and stained a much lighter colour to fit in with the oak wooden floors in the bedroom. Altogether, there were two bits of work to be done: cut the table down to size and refinish the entire piece.

MATERIALS & TOOLS REQUIRED

---

STEP 1: TAKE THE TABLE APART

As we were cutting the table down, we needed to understand its anatomy so it could be cut and reassembled back together. Having a look underneath, we could see that the table was made from:

• a rectangular top
• x4 legs
• x4 wood lengths between each of the legs, which were screwed into the top from underneath
• x4 corner brackets, which connected the legs to the wood lengths

We unscrewed everything so we could see exactly how we could cut it down without it being obvious.

---

STEP 2: CUT THE TABLE DOWN

After seeing how the table is put together, we figured out that to reduce the depth of it, we need to:

• Cut the tabletop to the required depth
• Cut the side wood pieces down by the same amount
• Cut the slits into the newly cut side pieces so that the corner brackets can attach to them (this will make more sense when you see the pictures below)

To cut the tabletop, we measured a 65cm tabletop width and cut it down using a saw.

---

To cut down the side pieces, we measured how much we cut off the top. We also measured how far off the edge the slits are into which the metal bracket sits. We cut the same amount off the pieces that we cut off the tabletop. Then, we used a circular saw with the blade only sticking out 0.5cm and ran it across the wood pieces to create a slit.

---

STEP 3: REASSEMBLE THE TABLE AND PREPARE FOR NEW FINISH

Once all the pieces were cut as required, we prepared them for a new finish. The desktop would be painted using the Osmo Polyx Oil. This is a finish commonly used on wooden floors but is also suitable for furniture. It’s a beautiful, durable finish with the look of oil and the resistance of wax. We used it on our bedroom floors and wanted the desktop to match.

For this oil wax finish, as it’s a finish that has to soak into the grain of the wood, the wood has to be stripped bare. We used a circular sander with rough grit sandpaper to quickly take off all the old varnish. Then, we used a sanding block with fine sandpaper to ensure a smooth finish on the wood.

For the legs and those bits of wood underneath, we wanted to paint them a solid light grey colour to match our fitted wardrobes. The varnish didn’t need to be removed for this finish as the new paint simply sits on top of what’s already there. However, we needed to roughen it up using medium grit sandpaper to ensure the new paint will adhere properly. After all this, we reassembled the table.

---

STEP 4: APPLY THE NEW FINISH

First, we painted the legs and bits of wood underneath the table. We applied two coats of wood paint primer to cover as much of the dark brown as possible. We then applied two coats of light grey satin wood paint. After the first coat of grey paint, we used fine-grit sandpaper to smooth the first coat down.

Once finished, we used the oil wax on the top. In total, we applied three coats waiting 24 hours between each coat. Before the third coat was applied, we used fine-grit sandpaper to smooth the previous coats down a bit.

The end result is a beautiful, desk-sized table looking as fresh as though it’s brand new from the shop!