How To Paint A Table Top

Painting a table top is an excellent and wonderful way to give new life to your old table. You have a variety of tables used in your home such as dining, coffee, kitchen and side tables. All it requires is some simple steps to convert your table into a beautiful personalized belonging. Once successful with your table top, you can also go ahead with painting other pieces of furniture to create your original work of art. Read the following lines to know tips for painting a table top. In case you find it difficult to paint the table top freehand, you can use stencils or simply daub on polka dots. It’s simply your imagination and creation. Go ahead and give your table a complete different look.

Table Top Painting Tips

Create a Simple Look

Place your table in a well-ventilated area such as a garage or work shop, while working on your table.
Use soap and water to thoroughly wash and clean the table top. Allow it to dry completely.
Rough up the surface of the table top, using a coarse sand paper. Scrub the entire table top several times to remove the old paint as much as possible. This will help you create a surface to allow the paint to stick on.
Carefully wipe off the table top with a tack cloth, until there are no dust particles remaining.
Any small holes in the table top should be filled up with paintable wood putty. Let it dry.
Smooth out the painted area to be at par with the remaining area. Hence, clean with a tack cloth.
Apply a good wall primer over the entire table top and wait until it gets dry.
Decide the color you want to paint your table top in. You can consider a color contrasting with the legs of the table.
Use 1 to 2 inch foam brushes and water based latex paint for your table top. Paint the table top in your chosen color. For a smooth surface, apply two to three coats in long smooth strokes, till you are satisfied with the color you have painted. Allow the paint to dry.
Apply a protective top coat of satin water based varnish to complete the table top. The varnish will provide a water resistant coating to the painted surface. This is important in case you would be using the table outdoors or without a table cloth. Let the table top dry thoroughly before using it.
To create an interesting translucent effect on a glass table top, paint on the reverse side of the glass. You can apply several light coats of spray paint also.

Create a Crackling Effect

Obtain a crackle glaze from a hardware store and test it as a sample before you begin to use it on your table top.
The thickness of the glaze determines the final appearance of your table. The thicker the glaze, the more pronounced the crackling will be.
Apply a coat of flat latex paint, using a paintbrush on the table top to form the base coat. Carefully choose this color, as this is the one that would be shown through the cracks. Let the base coat dry completely for about 4 to 6 hours.
Apply an even coat of the crackle glaze with a thick brush in one direction.
Next, apply the second coat of latex paint.
Finally, apply the top coat using a water based enamel acrylic in case your table is bound to be exposed to a variety of treatments. Load your brush heavily with paint and apply in steady strokes. Apply in the same direction, as you had applied the crackle glaze.
You will find cracks appearing immediately. Let the top coat dry completely. You can apply another layer of latex paint, but, remember, higher the gloss level, the longer it will take to dry.
Once the table top dried out thoroughly, sand it lightly with a sand paper and apply one coat of acrylic varnish to protect the finish.

Additional Tips

Do not hurry up while painting a table top. Take your time to avoid streaks or missed spots in the finished project.

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