Chalk Painted End Table

I’m sticking to the farmhouse theme today with this simple chalk painted end table project.  This would be a great one to try if you don’t have any experience painting furniture, and you’ve been wanting to give it a go.

I picked up this cute little end table with “planks” on the top at Goodwill for $10.  With just 2 products, I took it from that dated orange finish people hate these days to a fresh modern farmhouse look.  So simple and easy anybody can do it!

You can see the top had some scratches and gouges, but I didn’t do any repairs.  I’m a fan of wear and tear and imperfections on farmhouse pieces.  That’s part of their charm. 

You certainly could fill in the scratches with wood filler if preferred, but the stain will absorb a bit differently in those areas.  I find it easier to avoid wood filling items I plan to stain if possible.  You can get a stained look with paint as well – see how I did that on this sofa table project.

Resource List

Here is the (very short!) list of products I used for this project:

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

• End table (thrifted)
• No Pain Gel Stain in Weathered Gray
• Sawmill Gravy

After cleaning the table thoroughly with White Lightning TSP-based cleaner, I rinsed it and let it dry.

By the way, if you are a fan of the farmhouse look, click this picture to get my free resource 6 Elements of Farmhouse Style.

Applying Gel Stain

I used the Dixie Belle applicator pad to apply a light coat of Weathered Gray gel stain to the top and the bottom shelf.  This is the one of the few oil-based products in their line, so you can’t clean it up with soap and water. 

I use the applicator 4 times, once on each end and each side.  For water-based products, I wash it out and re-use it more than that.  But with the oil-based products, I toss it after 4 uses.  

When the first coat was thoroughly dry, I applied a second thin coat.  I made sure to pull the stain in a straight line with the wood grain, so it looked more natural.

I love the wood grain peeking through the stain, and the rustic variation in tones.

Sawmill Gravy

If you’ve been here before, you might notice I’ve been using Sawmill Gravy as my go-to cream color lately.  With a slightly brown undertone, to me it’s the perfect neutral.

The legs and base are painted with 2 coats of Sawmill Gravy, and lightly distressed with 220-grit sand paper.  I kept the original wood knob and painted it as well.

If you like this transformation, I bet you would love this French Linen entry table!  Please Pin this project, or leave me a Comment and let me know if it inspired you. That is always my hope!