Make an OLD table like NEW!

Hello there! What have you been up to this past week?

I've been pretty busy. The weather has been so nice, and I was finally able to get outside. Yessss! No more secretly using spray paint in the basement!

This pedestal table was the first thing on my "nice weather to-do list".  Look at that top. Um, Ew.

Despite it's current state, it's been in our family for ages. I grew up eating dinner at this table. I have so many memories of sitting around that table...

Julie, eat your dinner,
Julie, stop laughing at the table, 
Julie, stop throwing peas at your sister, 
Julie, where were you last night, 
Julie, you're grounded for the next twelve years...

Ahhhh. Good times.

My parents eventually handed the table down to me, (no doubt wishing those memories would go away). Over the years, I managed to destroy the top of the table.

Well, in my defense, I had a little help from these guys:

(They look nice, but they're like the terminator team. 

We should re-name the little one Wreck it Ralph.)

The table top has been hammered, scratched, glued, and even had pumpkins rot on it. I've wanted to re-finish it forever. 

I decided to paint the top and leave the rest of the table in its original color. I went with black to match my kitchen island, which has black cabinets. Also because I simply love the look of black table tops with the natural base. Love.

My original plan was to prime the top, and then paint it, and then polyurethane the heck out of it.  I looked around at all of the paints offered by The Home Depot, and while in "The Home Depot Vortex", I ran into Polyshades by Minwax ~ and took a gamble.

The directions said that you do not need to prime OR sand because the "stain" would adhere to anything. However MY table surface had been so damaged over the years I wanted to start with a clean slate. So I sanded down to the unfinished wood.

I started with 80 grit sandpaper and worked my way to 120 for a smooth finish. This took me about an hour.

The table still had a few dings and divots, but it was smooth. I taped off the edge of the table. (After all was said and done, I changed my mind, and ended up painting that edge.)

After one coat with the Polyshades, this is what it looked like. Very streaky. I was beginning to question my choice of Polyshades. BUT...

After the second coat the table looked awesome, with a solid black finish. (However, being the kitchen table, I used two more coats and I had a very glossy finish. Perfect for the kitchen, and high use.)

Using the Polyshades it took me two days to paint four coats. Part of the delay was a rainy day...

A note about the Polyshades (I'm not being paid to review Polyshades or any fun stuff like that) ~ I am in love. However, Polyshades has mixed reviews on Amazon. Criticism seems to be from people complaining that this is not a stain and that it doesn't apply like a stain. However, I bought it as a poly - with color it it. It applies like a polyurethane, but is the color of paint. It leaves a high gloss finish and was perfect for a kitchen table. I'm so glad I tried it. If you have a table or chairs, that don't need a ton of sanding, it saves using primer.  I'm totally using the Polyshades to repaint my black front porch rocking chairs.

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