Spray Painted Stacking Table Makeover
How to spray paint stacking metal tables to a color that coordinates with your rooms decor and color scheme.
Back in the fall I showed you this set of nesting tables that I wanted to get for the living room in my new house. I like the double duty that they provide, the modern vibe, and the textural mix they will add to my room since they are metal, not wood, but wasn’t sure I wanted to pay $249 for them.
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Elana Nesting Tables from Pier 1
With all that I have been doing the last few months since moving and making our new house, our own, I forgot all about them. Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I went shopping with a friend at a very cool store in Columbia, SC called Southeastern Salvage.
I found these tables there for $39. They did not come with glass tops though, hence the inexpensive price, but…
… my friend, Margaret, who also bought the tables started searching through the store and found two hammered silver trays that fit perfectly on top.
I knew when I bought them that I would be spray painting them to fit my decorating style and to resemble the set from Pier 1.
Now they are serving up double duty in my own style.
What Is Double Duty Furniture?
I am a fan of double duty furniture. Nesting tables, as well as ottomans fit into the category since they can be easily moved around a room for different needs.
I find they are invaluable pieces, especially when entertaining. When Ed and I bought our first house and began to entertain, I saw the need for moveable furniture.
Not everyone could fit on our 3-seat sofa and nearby side chair, but everyone wanted to feel part of the group sitting on the sofa and not feel left out. Since the only other chair(s) were across the room and could not be moved. Our guests would end up standing so they could be part of the conversation.
Having nesting tables and two ottomans in a living or family room where groups of people tend to gather is a good thing.
A nesting table doesn’t take up much room, but presto change-o – move it from its nest and it becomes the perfect table to place between two ottomans that have been moved from their respective chairs and placed in a conversational grouping around a sofa. Now your guests have a place to sit and their very own table to place a drink.
When your guests have gone, the table goes back out of the way to its nest and the ottomans back to their side chairs so you can put your feet up to relax and enjoy everyday kind of living.
How To Spray Paint Metal For a Smooth Glossy Finish
supplies needed:
- Spray paint – I used: Table – Gold: Krylon Metallic Bright Gold Tray Tops – Rustoleum Universal Gloss White
- 100 grit sandpaper
- Dropcloths or large cardboard boxes opened up and flattened
- Water and rags to clean surface before painting
- Rub 100 grit sandpaper over the surface of the metal to rough it up a bit to provide some “tooth” for the paint to adhere to. A 5-minute going over will be enough.
- Clean the surface well with dish detergent and water to make sure all dirt and sanding grit is removed. Let dry.
If you have ever used gold spray paint then you know every brand produces a slightly different shade of gold. Some are more bronze, others more orange or rose. I used Krylon Special Purpose Metallic since it has more of a champagne gold tint to it. It is whiter and less brown. It was the shade I wanted for the tables.
3. It was a nice day so I set the tables on opened boxes as my drop cloths and started spraying. I did not use primer since the paint has it already in it. The paint went on like a dream. I sprayed a few light coats about 3 minutes apart. If you are new to spray painting, check out my post on how to spray paint like a pro for more tips.
4. Sometimes achieving a nice, even gloss finish can be tricky on large flat surfaces. This Rustoluem Universal in Gloss White paint nailed it. The key is spraying light, even coats about 8-inches from the surface. Use long sweeping motions. I resprayed every 3-5 minutes until I saw full coverage.
5. I sprayed the pieces outdoors, but didn’t let them sit outside to dry. I moved them into the garage so there would be less opportunity for bugs to land on the wet paint and also so the paint would not dry too fast under the full sun.
Ooooooh…la….la…! I love the way the hammered texture on the metal trays looks painted gloss white.
For everyday use, I pull the smaller table out from under the top one so I have two surfaces.
This allows the decorative objects to stay in place while the bottom one offers an empty surface on which to place a book, drink, or whatever you need when you are sitting in the chair. Double duty furniture at its best.
Do you have double duty furniture in your home?
Follow this link for more tips on spray painting: How to Spray Paint Like a Pro