The Chair Table

I know, the title is a bit odd, but that's exactly what I'm going to share with you today.  This is a project I've wanted to try for a long time and thought it would be perfect for the debut of the 'Do It Over' Designers, a group of bloggers who love to recycle/upcycle/DIY.  I'm thrilled to be hosting this blog hop and hope you'll visit everyone involved to see what they have to share with you.  Their links will be listed at the end of this post.
On to the project..........................

This little table came from very humble beginnings.  It actually was a chair that was given to me and since it was free, it was perfect for trying this upcycle. This is how it looked when it arrived:

The first thing I did was remove the seat and cut off the back.  Don't worry, I have plans for that too, but that's a post for another day.  

Update:  Take a look at the Chair Back Shelf.

I gave it a good cleaning with Murphy's Oil Soap, let it dry, and gave it a coat of primer and two coats of exterior latex paint.

Then I took a look at my wood stash.  I grabbed enough pieces of pallet wood for the top and cut them to size, but there was just about an inch or so left.  I also grabbed a piece of that drying rack I was given to finish it off, and a smaller piece of pallet wood for the top 'step'. 

You may notice that the wood doesn't look quite like pallet wood right off the pallet.  That's because I gave it my 'aged barnwood treatment'.  
'Aged Barnwood Treatment' you ask?  Here's how I do it:

Aged Barnwood Treatment:

Sand your wood.  I don't like it too smooth for this technique.  Just make sure you won't get splinters!

Dry-brush some white paint on it.  There is no right or wrong here - any white paint you have and as much/little as you want.

Let it dry.

Now get out your dark walnut stain and a rag. 

Yes, this can has seen better days!  

Dip the rag in the stain and stamp it off a bit on a piece of cardboard.  Rub the stain into the wood.

When you have the look you want, stop.

Keep in mind, there are a LOT of factors that come into play.....the type of wood, how it was cut, how much it was sanded, how much paint/stain you used, etc.  Here are some close-ups of the wood on the table and the different looks I achieved:

There are a lot of variations, but it's a fun technique.  I hope you'll give it a try!

Shall we get back to the table?

All of the pieces of wood were nailed to the chair base, along with that small piece for the top.  Since this little table would live outside, the wood was sealed with 3 coats of polyurethane and it was done!

Time for a close-up:

We now have a sweet seating area on our back porch with a table that cost me nothing but a little labor.  

I just love projects like that. Don't you?

It's time for more ideas:

Be sure to visit my friends to see what they've been busy upcycling/recycling/DIYing.  Their links are all listed below:

The Apple Street Cottage - you're here. 

Our Hopeful Home

Little Vintage Cottage

Pandora's Box

Exquisitely Unremarkable

I hope you'll pin, share, comment, and follow.  If you click on those 3 little lines at the top left of the blog (on the Home page), you'll see where to find me...or click on the icon below to share.

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