A new desk for $8.39? Yes, please! I picked out a table from a pile of junk that was headed for the dump. It was still pretty sturdy and I’ve been on the lookout for a simple rustic table that wouldn’t break the bank. The funny thing about this particular table is that it is exactly the same model as our dining room table, just smaller.

Here’s what I did:

1. I cleaned that dirty old thing with the strongest bathroom cleaner I had on hand.

   You never know what crud has been on these things that strangers cast away. I have this awful paranoia about meth from watching too many episodes of Intervention. Is it just me?

2. Then I sanded the tabletop with some half-used ten year-old pieces of sandpaper.

   I didn’t bother sanding the legs. Full disclosure: I half-assed it because I didn’t really care if it turned out patchy. I live with two toddlers and we’re pretty rough on things. It’s going to get beat up.

3. I painted the legs with some plain brown “mis-tint” paint that someone was throwing out a couple of years ago.

   I’m sure someone tried to color match a chocolate bar, but it didn’t turn out the way they expected. It was perfectly good paint, so I put it in my, “hey, I might use this one day” pile.

4. I painted the legs with this pretty leftover aqua paint I got years ago as an “oops” paint (mistint) to paint birdhouses.

   I had plenty to put on two really sloppy brush-stroked coats. (I wanted the brown to show through.) The legs were still a little sticky after a week curing in the hot Alabama sun, but I’m not worried.

5. Y’all, it practically rotted my soul to pay full price, but I did pay $8.39 for a small can of beautiful Brown Stain (Rustoleum) in Kona.

   
   Having never used stain in my entire life, and not bothering to read the instructions on the can, I did not realize just how little of this product I would need…and how much I will have leftover for future projects! SCORE.

6. I then finished off the table with the remainder of a spray can of clear matte sealant, also leftover from other projects.

   I’ll admit, I totally prefer the look of that glossy dark surface of the table in the facebook photo I snatched, but let’s get real: fingerprints. Ain’t nobody got time for all that polishing.

Anyway…

Shazaam! Not bad for practically free, eh!?

Now I have a sturdy, lightweight table I can put anywhere. This week, it’s where I had coffee in the mornings and made the grocery list in the evening. At the holidays, it will be perfect to press into service as the “children’s table” at family gatherings.

Here’s what I didn’t do:

1. Go into debt by charging a new table on my credit card.
2. Feel the need to immediately furnish this entire farmhouse.
3. Save a picture of the “before” of this table. Oh, I took one, all right, but it’s on the phone I destroyed last week and didn’t get backed up before I lost it. (Sorry!)

Get more from Owning Burton Farm by signing up for our newsletter. Right now it’s only going out once every three weeks or so, but I might go to every other week if I find something interesting for you.  Sign up here. There might be a free debt worksheet in it for you.

See you soon,

Erica

How did you save this week? Tell me what’s going on with you. I read every email.