Black Sofa Table

A new client of mine, Kim, reached out about transforming this dated but very well-made sofa table into the black sofa table of her dreams.  She wanted it painted black to coordinate more with other pieces and décor in her finished basement.  This is what it looked like originally, and it also had brass hardware that isn’t pictured. 

Refinishing the Top

She originally chose a creamy white color, but had second thoughts and decided to go with black instead.  She also wanted the top stripped and stained more of a walnut color.  Ugh!  I hate stripping stain from furniture!  Every time I do it, I question whether I should agree to doing it ever again.  But I must get some form of amnesia, and find myself back at it.

I used 2 Minute Stripper to remove the finish.  It took multiple applications, followed by a good sanding to ensure it was all removed.  Then I applied 2 coats of No Pain Gel Stain in Walnut, using the new applicator pads from Dixie Belle.  I let it dry overnight between coats, and it’s also good to keep the coats thin with this product.  Otherwise, the dry time can be longer than a day.  To seal my new beautiful finish, I used 1 coat of Gator Hide, followed by 1 coat of Gloss clear coat.  A glossy top just seemed to fit with this piece.

Painting it Black

I painted 2 coats of Caviar on the base, and followed it up with a little distressing around the edges.  I also lightly sanded all over with a 220-grit sanding pad to get that buttery smooth feel.  Then I wiped it down to remove any dust before sealing.  You don’t have to seal this paint, but I like to put something over this particular color.  Without a layer of wax or clear coat, it can tend to show every little scuff and even fade to a lighter black color.  So I used Satin clear coat, applied with the new applicator pad.  It’s definitely my new favorite way of applying the clear coats.  So easy, and no streaks or imperfections.

Hardware

My client wanted to re-use the existing hardware, but give it a new look.  We settled on Rustoleum Hammered Nickel spray paint.  If I were to pick the finish, I would have chosen Oil Rubbed Bronze, but she was matching other hardware in their room and I was surprised that the nickel came out looking beautiful as well. 

Here are the products I used.

Resource List:

(These are affiliate links from which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you)

• Table (client-owned)
• White Lightning
• 2 Minute Stripper (hardware store)
• No Pain Gel Stain in Walnut
• Gator Hide
• Gloss Clear Coat
• Caviar
• Satin Clear Coat
• Applicator pads
• Rustoleum in Hammered Nickel (hardware store)

If you like this black sofa table makeover, you might like these black stools as well.  Leave me a Comment and let me know if you are a fan of black furniture.

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