Even before we closed on our new home, we were itching to start a project: DIY table. The two person mini table that served us so well in our one bedroom apartment in DC, wasn’t going to cut it in the new place. On a limited budget and with the goal of seating six, we started to brainstorm. We ended up plunging headfirst into a project we’d seen popping up in the blog world. You know, the one where they take an old door and add legs and maybe a piece of glass and then ta-da, instant table.
We found a door in the very first place we looked. Architectural Antiques and Dead People’s Stuff. If you’re looking for a vintage architectural piece in the OKC area (like windows, brackets, doors, columns etc), this is the right place to begin your search. They’ve also got buckets full of antique door knobs and cabinet pulls. Check out OKC shopping guru, Shopcrawlr’s, blog post dedicated to this special store.
The door we dragged home had seen much much better days. It was coated with maybe three layers of peeling paint, and also boasted several mud dauber nests. It had five panels, was really heavy and the perfect width.
We began our project by purchasing a power sander, masks and protective eye wear. We went with a Hitachi orbital sander, and 100 grit sand paper. Then we went to town sanding down the door (after a good wash down with soapy water and the removal of those nasty nests). The paint came off pretty easily, which revealed a blush colored wood with distinct grain marks. We’re not wood experts here, and have no idea what type of tree breathed life into this door. But, we dig it.
We actually experimented with painting the door, but ended up liking the unique grain patterns of the wood too much to cover them. We settled on a pretty dark stain, MinWax’s Ebony.
We used MinWax’s pre-stain treatment to help the very old wood absorb the stain evenly. The pre-stain and stain process was pretty simple. We had no previous staining experience, and just precisely followed the directions listed on the can. Waiting for each coat of stain to dry before wiping it gently (in the direction of the wood grain), and then waiting an entire day before applying the next coat was the toughest part of this project. Patience, we don’t got it.
We completed the door’s finish with two coats of polyurethane.
Next, we ordered six of these chairs from IKEA, and choked on the shipping charges.
We got them in black brown.
We also ordered table legs from IKEA, but did not like the chrome finish. The chrome on the legs, did not match the legs of the chairs well enough.
We ended up purchasing pre-made wooden table legs at Home Depot and staining them to match the table. They were simple to install to the table, using hardware we found in the very same aisle. It’s just great when things work out.
These are similar to the 28 inch pine legs we used.
And to finish off this getting-our-feet-wet project, we ordered a piece of glass from Glass Masters to lay over the table top. We think the glass really gave the table a high end look, and we’re so proud of the finished product. Soooooo ready to move the table into our new home where it will own the dining room.
Post Edit: The finished product:
