MK for decorating an old round table

DIY table decor

Buying new furniture is an important family event, but what to do if old things are associated with certain memories or they have lost their former appearance, and buying new furniture is problematic due to financial possibilities.

There is no need to rush into sending the old table to the dacha or the trash heap; purchasing a new table, especially one of good quality, is quite expensive. Therefore, it does not require much effort or financial investment to restore an existing table.

To decorate the table with your own hands, you don’t need any experience; the main thing is the desire to transform the table yourself. This will give the old table a new life and serve for another ten years.

Popular decoration methods

Tables often play the role of an accent in the interior. Sometimes it’s enough just to decorate them, and the look of the room changes. There are many ways and techniques available to do this yourself.

DIY table decoupage instructions for beginners

Artistic painting

With the help of paints you can not only decorate an old table, but also turn it into an original piece. The method is ideal for people who know how to handle a brush. However, those who do not have the skill can decorate using templates, stencils, rollers, and brushes of different widths. It is best to apply patterns on a coffee table, because the finished work will be visible.

The design can be small or cover the entire surface, and can be done in any style using various techniques. To paint tables, it is recommended to use oil, latex or acrylic paints. Preparatory work is done with an acrylic-based primer, and final work is done with varnish. It can be colorless or colored, matte or glossy. The surface is treated in several layers with intermediate drying. The choice of tool depends on the complexity of the drawing. Small details are painted with brushes, large areas with rollers or spray.

Decoupage

The name of the technique is of French origin and means “to cut.” The essence of the method is gluing paper fragments and then varnishing them. Suitable table decorations include newspapers, sheet music, photographs, pieces of wallpaper, book and magazine pages. But it is more convenient to work with napkins - special for decoupage or ordinary multi-layer ones. This method is ideal for decorating dressing tables and coffee tables in Provence and shabby chic styles.

Before gluing, you should separate the top layer with the pattern and cut out the desired fragment from it. Then prepare the surface: clean the wooden tabletop, sand it with a machine or sandpaper until it is perfectly smooth. If the furniture is made of a different material, it will need to be washed and degreased. Next, cover with acrylic paint and let dry.

Lubricate the selected place with PVA glue, carefully place a napkin on it, avoiding folds. Smooth out, expelling air bubbles, leave to dry. Having finished working with one fragment, move on to the next. When all the table decor is completed, all that remains is to dry it and fix it with varnish.

Clean the wooden surface

Cover with paint

Cut out the necessary fragments

Glue the cut parts

Secure with varnish

Ready table

Stickers

If you need to quickly and effortlessly update your furniture, then self-adhesive film is a great table decor idea. The main thing is to choose an effective material. Today it’s easy, because the range of films is large. Can be used:

• imitation of natural textures (stone, metal, wood, leather);
• transparent or non-transparent film;
• plain or with a pattern;
• shiny and matte;
• with 3D effect;
• fluorescent.

Step-by-step making of a desk with your own hands, examples of decor

Thanks to the wide range of films, you can decorate any furniture: desk, dining table, coffee table. Before gluing the decor, you need to clean and prime the surface. If this is not done, then all the irregularities will appear under the film.

Then you need to measure the tabletop and cut out the material with a margin of a couple of centimeters around the edges. It is necessary to paste slowly, slightly pulling, separating the paper layer in small sections (about 5 cm). To prevent blistering, the film should be immediately smoothed with a cloth, expelling air bubbles. After finishing the work, trim off the excess, cover the ends with sides or special adhesive tape.

Clean and prime the surface

Cut the material to the size of the tabletop

Apply the film, expelling air bubbles

Trim off excess

Close the ends

Craquelure

The technique of aging surfaces (crackle) is used as an independent decoration or in combination with decoupage and painting. The work requires craquelure varnish (one- or two-phase). The method of making such decor with your own hands depends on the characteristics of the product:

1. Single-phase (one-step) varnish is applied to a previously painted and dried countertop. If you need to show the base of the table (glass or metal), then it is only cleaned and degreased. The product is applied in a thick layer and left to dry. When drying, the top layer stretches and cracks. The finished surface is coated with furniture varnish.
2. Two-phase varnish is used to obtain the finest cracks characteristic of ancient images. First, shellac composition (lightened or unlightened) is applied in 2-3 layers with intermediate drying, then craquelure. The cracks are rubbed over with artistic oil paint (bitumen varnish, pastel), and the finished result is sealed with shellac varnish in 4 layers.

When working with craquelure varnish, you need to take into account that cracks form in the direction of movement of the brush.

In addition to these means, table decoration can be done with beveled varnish, craquelure paint or eggshells. The last option is especially labor-intensive and will suit the most diligent. Each of the decorative techniques is interesting in its own way and provides an opportunity for self-expression. This technique can be used to decorate a desk or coffee table in a vintage style.

Single-phase varnish

Two-phase

Faceted varnish

Eggshell

Painting

Updating an old table with paint is an affordable way to decorate a tabletop and legs that are often in poor condition. Moreover, it is not necessary to use only one shade. Painting with different colors, stripes, and fragments gives an interesting effect.

How to make a kitchen table with your own hands from wood or wood boards

For desks and dining tables in an apartment, it is better to take acrylic paints: they are non-toxic, have almost no smell, and dry quickly. It is recommended to coat outdoor furniture with alkyd products. Such compositions form a durable coating and are resistant to weather disasters.

Painting process:

• remove old coating;
• eliminate defects;
• prime cracks and grooves, let dry, clean until smooth;
• coat the entire surface with primer, clean, remove dust;
• Apply paint in several layers, each time waiting for the previous coating to dry.

When the last layer stops sticking, varnish the painted surfaces. If you plan to decorate an old table with decoupage or painting, then after painting you need to decorate it. Varnishing is done last. This method is ideal for tables in minimalist and classic styles.

Remove old coating, eliminate defects

Prime cracks and gouges and clean until smooth.

Coat with primer, clean, dust off the surface

Apply paint in several layers

Varnish

Mosaic or ceramic tiles

Using a facing material is a fun way to create a memorable table decor. You can lay out the tiles according to a finished design or your own design. This surface is resistant to moisture and mechanical damage; it is an ideal option for decorating a kitchen table. Instructions:

1. Prepare the surface, apply impregnation (if the table is wooden).
2. Make a layout taking into account the seams and framing frames.
3. Transfer the sketch to the tabletop (if necessary, mark the location of each element).
4. Lay out the tiles along the long side.
5. Glue each tile one by one. To do this, lubricate the back wall with special glue, let it set slightly and apply forcefully to the marked area. Mark the seams with crosses.
6. Remove crosses or fasteners from the dried surface and rub the seams.

Mosaic surfaces are no less impressive. In addition to the finished material, the work uses broken or sawn into pieces tiles, dishes, corks, shells, small stones, mirrors - anything. This decor is suitable for a coffee table, dressing table, and dining furniture in the Art Nouveau style.

In addition to the methods described, you can decorate furniture with ropes, slate paint, epoxy resin, cover it with leather, or cover it with fabric. There are many design options. The main thing is to find a method that suits your taste and strength.

Prepare the surface, make a layout

Transfer the sketch to the tabletop, glue the tiles

Remove the fasteners, rub the seams

Countertop design methods

There are a great variety of decorative methods; they can only be limited by the imagination of the master, the materials used and the purpose (dining table, coffee table or country table). There are simply no clear instructions on how to properly decorate a table.

First of all, you should decide what you want to get as a final result and draw up a clear action plan, which should include:

• viewing photos of table decor options on the Internet or in magazines and choosing your favorite options;
• theoretical study of the method you like;
• selection and preparation of the necessary tools and materials for work;
• completing of the work.

Before starting work, it is worth preparing the furniture for restoration, first of all, make the surface clean, get rid of fittings that are not required for the new design and clean cracks, chips, as well as the entire surface of old paint or varnish.

To decorate the tabletop, you can use craquelure, decoupage or mosaic decoration. The decorated piece of furniture is well suited for retro style. A durable coating that is resistant to precipitation is suitable for a country table located outdoors.

For a table located in a children's room, a decor that is resistant to high loads, drawing on the tabletop or gluing plasticine to it is suitable. One of the simplest and most affordable ways to decorate is to use paint.

The most common options for this decor:

• uniform coloring of the entire surface;
• painting in different tones;
• applying a pattern to the surface;
• artistic painting, etc.

What can help restore an old table?

Regardless of the method used to decorate the table, before starting work it is necessary to completely remove the old paintwork, which may have cracks, bubbles or chips. To apply a new decorative layer, the surface must be as smooth as possible. Therefore, among the tools you will need different and slightly unexpected things:

Stages of decorating a table with a mosaic.

• spatulas (metal and rubber);
• household sponge (made of metal fibers and foam rubber with a hard layer);
• sandpaper;
• toothbrush, needle or toothpicks;
• nail polish remover gel;
• wood glue;
• putty, adhesive for ceramic tiles;
• ruler, corner, pencil;
• paints and varnishes;
• brushes;
• gloves, respirator.

It will take some effort to remove varnish from the surface of the table. The easiest way is to apply a special gel and remove the softened layer. It is convenient to remove varnish from the joints of parts with a stiff toothbrush or needle.

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After removing the varnish, the surfaces are carefully treated with sandpaper or steel wool. To protect your lungs from inhaling dust, you need to take care of purchasing a respirator in advance. The prepared table can be re-decorated in a variety of ways.

Decoupage

This is one of the most common methods of decoration, allowing you to decorate furniture with a variety of pictures, photographs made on decoupage napkins. This method allows you to get the effect of aging.

To perform this decor, it is necessary to thoroughly clean the product to a perfectly smooth surface. The surface is covered with acrylic primer and the product dries.

After drying, the tabletop is covered with PVA glue and a napkin chosen for decoration is applied. The resulting image is varnished and completely dried.

This method of decoration will require attentiveness and perseverance, so before starting work it is better to familiarize yourself with all the intricacies of decoupage at a master class on table decor.

Photo of table decor

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