How to Paint Over a Stained Coffee Table

Painting over a table can give it a revamped look, especially if it is stained, chipped, or just losing its original beauty from old age. There are many approaches that could be taken in revitalizing the look of an old table, but painting the table is an inexpensive, no-hassle approach to easily solve this problem. If the piece is especially meaningful, it may be worth it to strip it and refinish, but this can be time-consuming and expensive. When saving time and money are more important than saving the original look of the table, painting is the right solution for updating your coffee table. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Sand down the coffee table, especially the coffee stained areas. Go over it several times as evenly as possible. It is not necessary to take off all of the old finish.

2

If necessary, use wood putty to fill any gaps or holes in chipped areas, and then sand it down.

3

Use a soap and water mixture to wash down the table so that it is clean and dust-free before painting. It may be helpful to also use a dusting cloth to help remove dust.

4

Use a brush to coat the coffee table with the primer. Let it dry.

5

Once the primer has dried, brush on the latex paint in the color of your choice. Make sure that it is a semi-thin even coat. Repeat this process two or three times, or until you are satisfied with the color. Be sure to let the paint dry between coats.

6

Once the paint is completely dry, use a water-based varnish or polyurethane for a finishing coat. This will keep the table safe from water if it is to be outside, or even help protect it from future coffee stains.