DIY Faux Driftwood Outdoor Dining Table Makeover
How to revive an old outdoor dining table with a Serena and Lily inspired driftwood finish using just spray paint.
This is definitely one of those “Why didn’t I do this sooner?!” kind of projects. You know the ones where you just walk by a piece of ugly furniture in your house everyday and dread painting it?
This one ended up being way easier than I thought it would be and turned out SO good.
Our outdoor dining table definitely didn’t start out that way.
I really love the look of the driftwood finish on Serena and Lily outdoor dining tables, but I’m definitely not down to spend $2,500 on one like this.
So here’s what I did instead to create a driftwood look on our outdoor dining table.
Supplies Used:
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Or orbital sander with pads (optional… don’t worry about buying one unless you just already happen to have it)
- Drop cloth
- Kilz Original spray primer (We used 4 cans)
- Rustoleum Ultra Flat Khaki Camouflage spray paint (We used 4 cans)
- Rustoleum Ultra Flat Sand Camouflage spray paint (1 can)
- Rustoleum Satin Nutmeg spray paint (1 can)
- Spray paint grip (not super necessary but it helps when spray painting a large area)
The Steps
1. We lightly sanded any rough spots to remove the loose flaking finish on the tabletop first. (Robert can’t resist a reason to bust out a power tool and he was out here sanding this table before I could even grab the sandpaper.)
2. We primed the table all over with a coat of the Kilz Original spray primer to block any old stain from bleeding through the paint.
Honestly, I was tempted to just paint the table white, but I wanted some natural wood tone on our pool deck since everything else out there (the fence, cabana, concrete) will be gray or white. And white is harder to keep looking clean outdoors anyway.
I chose these three different light brown paint colors to create some dimension in the wood so it wouldn’t be just a flat 1-color painted surface.
3. We gave the entire table two light coats of the Camouflage Khaki paint first. (I like using this comfort grip since it makes the paint spray more evenly and keeps my hand from cramping.) Always spray in a sweeping motion, never stopping, in fewer, light coats to prevent drips.
4. Once the Khaki was dry, I used the Sand color about 20 inches from the surface (further away than recommended) and lightly dusted over the Khaki color for some variation. Then, I repeated the same with the Nutmeg color, only spraying enough for an extra light layer of color.
Once it was dry, in the evening, I set it up just in time for a backyard cookout because…
It’s my birthday! So cheers to 34 and paint makeovers. 😉
This outdoor dining table really turned out so cute. I might add a glaze just for an extra layer to bring out the natural cracks in the wood underneath, but maybe that’d be overdoing it. We’ll see.
Either way, it was a huge improvement from the before.
While we were at it, we painted this old outdoor IKEA table too.
So now it’s ready to go for a summer full of fun ahead.
Outdoor Bistro Chairs | Outdoor Table (similar) | Bowls | Plates | Flatware | Linen Napkins | Outdoor Wine Glasses | String Lights | Candle Holders | Votives
Hopefully soon, we’ll build a cabana and outdoor kitchen beside that fence over there (which is also due to be replaced). So much is happening out here this summer.
This backyard has been quite a journey, and we’re nowhere close to finished, but this view has definitely made the hard work feel worth it.
If you want more furniture makeover ideas, you can find more here:
- Unfinished Work Table Makeover
- Hale Navy IKEA Cabinet
- Footed Grasscloth Buffet Makeover
- DIY Caned Nightstand
- How to Restore Wood Outdoor Furniture
