Bless'er House

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover

~ 110 Comments

A thrifted banged up dining table gets a quick and simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial shows you how.

There are some mornings when I wake up and my brain says, “You need to paint something today.” Even before my first cup of coffee. I mean… my body isn’t usually as energetic as my brain at 8 a.m., but once it wakes up too, there’s no stopping that need to beautify something.

After a huge list of obligations keeping me from the DIY scene for the past few weeks, I was just itching to get my hands on a piece of furniture. And the first thing I thought of was our dining room table.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

We bought this little guy from Craigslist two years ago shortly after we first moved in, and I always knew I wanted to do something to it… I just couldn’t figure out what. It originally came from Pottery Barn that we scored for $250.

The wood was mostly pretty to begin with, but it had seen better days. Whenever I get stuck in a creative rut, I look around on the high-end home furniture and decor sites to see if I can mimic their looks in my own inexpensive way.

And then one day, I came across this table at Restoration Hardware. All it cost was an easy breezy $1500. Ha! Nope. Not happening. But I finally had the style I’d been looking for.

Supplies Used:  (Affiliate links are provided below for convenience. For more info, see my full disclosure here.)

I avoid varnish stripper like the plague, thanks to a couple of really horrible disasters, so I decided to sand the layer of varnish and stain off of the table top instead.

At this point, I’d been sanding for over an hour.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

And after three hours it looked like this. Thanks for the arm workout, little sander.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

FYI, our dining room had a layer of sanding dust after it was all over, but it was nothing a vacuum and duster couldn’t fix. (This is what happens when I get impatient and can’t wait for Robert to get home from work to help me move furniture.)

Then, the fun part!

I’d used this beautiful weathered oak stain on Olivia’s vintage schoolhouse desk a few weeks ago and fell in love, and I was so excited to turn out even better on this table. This is definitely not a dark stain, but I low how it enhances the wood and shows off its natural character.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

I worked in quadrants by brushing on the stain with a foam brush on one quarter of the tabletop, waiting a minute, and wiping back using a clean rag. Then, I’d move on to the next section.

The right side of the table in this shot is just stained/wiped, the top of the left side had just been brushed with stain, and the bottom of the left side is still bare wood, to give you an idea.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

The stain lightens a good bit once it is dry too.

I heart all of the pretty, subtle light brown and gray wood tones this stain brings out.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

I applied two coats of the stain, following the directions on the back of the can.

Then, the next day, I added three thin coats of polycrylic to keep it all pretty. We’re not all that rough on this table since we only use it on occasion, but if you ever makeover a table that takes a lot of frequent wear and tear, polyurethane might be your better bet.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

I ended up painting the base with two coats in the ASCP Pure White too. I debated distressing the white a little bit, but I left it alone since we already have a lot of other distressed pieces around it.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

Now, our dining room is feeling much more finished. And every single thing in this room was a DIY project (all listed at the bottom of this post), except for this jute and denim rug I just picked up. I kind of love that it has a casual vibe to keep the rest of the more formal furniture in here from feeling too stuffy.

It hopefully distracts from the fact that we have carpet in here too, which I’m not a big fan of for a dining space.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

Hold on a sec… can we just ooh and ahh over how far this room has come in two years?

dining room

My photography has gotten a smidge better too, but we won’t even go there. 😉

I think I’m ready to stain everything with weathered oak now. Who’s with me on this?

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

If you want to check out the sources of any of the other DIY projects in our dining room, here are all of my previous tutorials/sources:

The grand total for this dining room, so far, is $925! Trading Spaces would approve. Sigh… I miss that show so much.

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

I’ve thought about one day putting floor-to-ceiling board and batten in here, but we currently have a bigger job on our plate… like that still empty playroom that’s mocking me right now.

Now that we’re getting into the fall/winter when we have more holidayish gatherings, we’ll be so glad our dining table is looking spiffy. And thankfully the creativity-craving beast in my brain is fed for now.

What are y’all staining/painting/tweaking these days? Got a creative brain of your own that you have to feed every once in a while? Spill!

And if you want to save this post to try out later, you can pin it here:

Weathered Oak Dining Table Makeover | blesserhouse.com - A thrifted banged up dining table gets a simple weathered oak finish for a high-end designer look. This tutorial is so easy!

signoff

Comments

    • Lauren says

      August 22, 2016 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks, Carol! No, sorry. I need to go back and clarify. I only used the polycrylic on the top. After I painted the base, I sealed it with Annie Sloan Clear Wax.

      Reply

      • yasmine says

        January 18, 2017 at 9:07 pm

        why would you use the wax on the bottom and not the top part? is it for the compatibility of the stain/paint with the wax?
        what kind of paint did you use for the base? it looks incredible:)

        Reply

        • Lauren says

          January 18, 2017 at 10:13 pm

          To seal chalk paint (which is what’s on the base), you have to wax it with a clear wax, but wax doesn’t stand up too well on staining dining table tops because of heat from dinner plates and moisture from drinking glasses. Polycrylic is better suited for dining table tops.

          Reply

          • Kristine says

            January 19, 2017 at 9:59 am

            It looks fabulous Lauren. I have a pine table that I was going to use ASCP on, including the top. Do you know if you had used ASCP on the top; could you use polycrylic on just the top? instead of the wax? I understand your concerns about the hot plates and moisture.
            So glad I found your blog……love, love, love your style!
            Thank you.

          • Lauren says

            January 20, 2017 at 10:28 am

            Oh ok. I see what you’re saying. 🙂 Yes, I would use polycrylic on the top instead of the wax to seal the ASCP. Polycrylic also won’t yellow like polyurethane will, so if you are using white paint, you especially want to make sure it’s not polyurethane.

            Hope that helps! Thanks so much for your sweet compliments!

  4. Karen says

    August 22, 2016 at 8:12 am

    The table looks great and has added to the beauty of your dining room. I had never heard of a denim and jute rug, what a find! Nice job!

    Reply

  5. Meredith @ unOriginal Mom says

    August 22, 2016 at 8:34 am

    Beautiful!!! I love the two toned look with the white and light wood. I just used that Weathered Oak stain on a picture frame and I’m already trying to find something else to use it on…it’s such a neat finish!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 22, 2016 at 3:41 pm

      Thank you, Susie! I didn’t at all go into this room with a plan but it’s great seeing it all come together. 🙂

      Reply

  8. Ardith says

    August 22, 2016 at 9:49 am

    Wow, Lauren, it all flows together beautifully and seamlessly. The denim/jute rug is inspired. Big high-five to you on all the work you put into this lovely room. Cheers, Ardith

    Reply

  9. Chels says

    August 22, 2016 at 10:11 am

    WE LOVE THAT STAIN! We bought the same one a few months ago to stain our circular kitchen table my husband built for us and the color it takes on from the wood is just incredible. So warm, but fresh and inviting! I love how your table turned out.

    Reply

  10. Natalia says

    August 22, 2016 at 10:27 am

    OMG I couldn’t love your blog anymore even if I wanted to, but this post is just heaven sent, I just picked up a table last week to replace my dining set (which I already sold) and I have been pining white tables with wood top like a mad woman, so this post couldn’t have come at a better time, I absolutely love how it came out and now I have all I need in one single post. I was even thinking about asking for your advise on the table and picking the chairs. Yayyyyy!!!!!!!!!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 22, 2016 at 3:39 pm

      Girl I soooo miss it. I’d rush home from school so I could catch it at 4:00 most days. Haha! I love the huge makeovers and all but HGTV and DIY Network need to help out us small-budget people. 😉

      Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 22, 2016 at 3:38 pm

      Thanks, Alissa! My mom is the same way. Those inventive mommas are great teachers like that, aren’t they? 😉

      Reply

  14. Deanna says

    August 22, 2016 at 12:19 pm

    Hi,
    Can this stain be used on builder grade oak? I am looking for ideas on what to do with my 80’s oak fireplace mantel.
    Thanks,
    Deanna

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 22, 2016 at 3:37 pm

      I believe so! But the most challenging part would be in the prep work. Your existing oak would most likely need a varnish/stain stripping job and sanding. But it could certainly be done.

      Reply

  18. Janet McKay says

    August 22, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    Beautiful! I love it! Where did you find the rug? Also the lantern on the table I like it with the small plants in it! Different! Keep the pictures coming. ❤️?

    Reply

  20. Alexis says

    August 22, 2016 at 4:15 pm

    Lovely makeover, the colours on the top are so pretty

    Just curious, is there a legal reason why you can’t include a pic of the inspiration piece along with your link to it? I see it’s on final sale now and I’m sure anyone who reads this post in the future will just get a “item not found” dead link.

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 22, 2016 at 6:25 pm

      Thank you! Yes, to be on the safe side, I didn’t include the inspiration picture because of potential copyright issues. It might be okay, but it wasn’t a risk I wanted to take.

      Reply

  21. Candy Walsh says

    August 22, 2016 at 6:41 pm

    Oooh, aaaaahh!! It came out amazing! I have some of that colored stain and this weekend I was redoing an old antique chair and just touched a spot with it and it seemed too light, so I went a little darker. Now seeing how it dries with such a beautiful grayish color, I so wish I would’ve stuck with it!! But the chair still came out nice. Thanks for showing this color, now I know what I’ll use next time for sure!
    I have a question about staining tho, I’m fairly new to all of this refurbishing, recovering, sewing and just everything in general. I had to go on Disability Retirement 6 years ago at the age of 43 and I loved my job! But…on my good days, I was finding myself crazy bored and didn’t want to go all Looney Tune crazy from it, lol. Anyway, when you put your stain on, how do you do it? With a brush, a foam brush or a cloth?
    Thanks so much and keep doing what you do~I love and look forward to your posts every day!
    Blessings,
    Candy

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 23, 2016 at 9:58 am

      Thanks, Heather! We’re really loving it. Just noticed you’re from Ole Miss! I saw in an article yesterday that there is some major home decor competition going on in the dorms there. 😉

      Reply

  23. Gwen says

    August 22, 2016 at 8:33 pm

    Oh yes!!! I did not know it could look so grayish if it was oak!!!! You really know how to budget plus diy!!! Reminds me a bit of me when I was young? Today I felt radical finally dumping every single item anyone has shoved under the guest bathroom sink and I just ignored it….well I was injured when the last moved out so I do give an excuse. But it was my workout and purging!! Oh and from a cupboard. I found new sponge curlers!!! Recycle. I think I like your time on a project results a whole lot better!!!!! Sigh!!! Gorgeous

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 23, 2016 at 9:55 am

      Oh gosh, Gwen. You just reminded me I reeeeaaaally need to do the under bathroom sink organizing too. That might have to be a post in the near future. Want to just come over and do that for me? Haha! 😉 Thanks for the love on our table!

      Reply

  24. Judy says

    August 22, 2016 at 10:49 pm

    I’ve been waiting for someone to inspire me to paint my kitchen island with white chalk paint and stain the top. You have done just that! Your table is beautiful.
    One last thing I must say. . . Oooh Aaaaaaahhhhhh.

    Reply

  25. Katherine says

    August 23, 2016 at 4:29 am

    Love the table. I’m wanting to restain my honey coloured pine dining table. Just wondering if you sanded between staining and/or before vanishing. I have a friend who restained and varnished her table and wasn’t happy with the result because it isn’t smooth. She sanded really well but after staining the table felt a little rough. Any ideas? Thanks, Katherine

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 23, 2016 at 9:51 am

      Thanks, Katherine! So to answer your question, I did not sand between staining coats but I DID sand between each polycrylic coat per the instructions on the back of the can. You have to apply a very thin coat of polycrylic with a good bristle brush or foam brush to get it smooth and even and sand with fine grit (220) between each coat once it’s dry. Also, you should try to avoid overbrushing as it dries really quickly and can get uneven that way too. It could just be that she applied her coats unevenly or too thick. In the beginning, as I was learning how to stain, I waited way too long before wiping the excess stain too. Usually 1-2 minutes is all it needs. Sometimes I even wipe immediately on the first coat after applying since some stains react differently than others to the wood and seep in faster. It does take a little bit of practice. So if your friend is extremely unhappy, even though it’ll probably be more effort than she wants, she can always take the coarse grit sander to it and refinish with thin coats to get it right. I’ve messed up on it before too. It’s not at all fun but worth it.

      Reply

  26. Bridget says

    August 23, 2016 at 10:33 am

    LOVE! We are in the process of buying a condo at the beach (“Life’s short…buy the beach house”-so we did). I’ll be on a TIGHT decorating budget and your table and chair techniques should be JUST THE THING to bring the ‘dated and drab’ furniture that comes with the condo to ‘fabulous’! Your dining room is stunning.

    Reply

  27. Shelby says

    August 23, 2016 at 2:08 pm

    Love how it turned out!!! And i’m quite obsessed with the Weathered Oak stain myself. Even my husband is like, seriously, you’re using that stain AGAIN! Ha. I’ve used it on so many things – it is just the prettiest color. 🙂

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 26, 2016 at 9:51 am

      Haha! Hey, if it ain’t broke… I’m going to keep rockin’ this stain too. Didn’t know what I was missing!

      Reply

  28. Mary says

    August 23, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    Your table turned out beautifully! I love the top with the weathered look, and I also really love that you didn’t distress the bottom part of the table- it’s a really pretty contrast! I’m definitely saving this for when we redo our kitchen table. (P.S. I just stumbled across your blog a couple days ago and I’ve been loving all of it so far! Thanks for the inspiration!)

    Reply

  29. Lavinia says

    August 23, 2016 at 5:21 pm

    You are my answered prayers! We bought a house that was build in 1926… We gutted the kitchen(pics on my Instagram lavisworld). Well seeing how we put so much money into the house we can’t get new furniture. So we have this kitchen table that I wanted to sand down(we literally use the table for everything) and paint/stain it a new color to go in my new kitchen. Only issue was I couldn’t think of what colors.. And to my rescue you come! Lol I’m in love with the way your table turned out! I’m emailing my hubby your blog post and I want to get started ASAP! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 26, 2016 at 9:49 am

      Wow! Just checked out your Instagram and your kitchen turned out beautifully! So glad this little makeover could inspire you! 🙂

      Reply

  30. Kelly says

    August 24, 2016 at 7:13 am

    I love your table I have been looking for a stain that has grey tones but not grey I’m trying to redo my dining room chairs to save money this looks like it will work! Thanks again for sharing!

    Reply

  31. Marcia Banach says

    August 24, 2016 at 12:13 pm

    Gorgeous! I have an old oak table, may have to give this a try! Keep on doing amazing makeovers, please…

    Reply

  32. Lisa says

    August 25, 2016 at 12:07 am

    Love what you have done with your dining room, want to give my table a facelift now! On the rug is it soft underfoot or is it a bit scratchy to bare feet?

    Reply

  33. Stephanie says

    August 25, 2016 at 1:08 am

    Beautiful table!!! I’m just curious if you sanded the base before painting it? Thanks for the inspiration!!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      August 26, 2016 at 9:06 am

      Thanks, Stephanie! I didn’t sand the base. I just wiped it down with a washcloth with soap and water to break through any wood oil or residue that might be on it, let dry, and started painting. Chalk paint requires hardly any prep work, if at all.

      Reply

  34. Jaime says

    September 11, 2016 at 8:50 am

    Just found your blog and living it. Love your table. I am not great with decorating. I have a table that needs to be redone. Question. Do you think I could use this finish on my kitchen table when I have cherry cabinets or should I go darker? It already has a white base. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      September 13, 2016 at 10:30 am

      Thanks, Jaime! I think if you like this finish, go for it! Cherry is really tricky to coordinate with other wood tones since it’s so red. Ours were a cherry color for a couple of years too, and I just tried to ignore the red and decorated with the wood tones I preferred.

      Reply

  36. DeAnna says

    September 27, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    Love the table Lauren. I have a question in relation to the table base. You stated you used the chalk paint but would it also work to just spray paint with the Rustoleum primer and then spray paint with the Rustoleum paint/primer? Without sanding? I have a dining room table I want to do that is more like a “spindle” type leg, and sanding all those is what is keeping me front starting the project. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      October 3, 2016 at 11:46 pm

      You could definitely do that! It wouldn’t have the chalky finish, but if you don’t want to distress it, spray paint is totally fine. You could use a paint sprayer too if you wanted to use chalk paint or latex paint.

      Reply

  37. katherine says

    October 26, 2016 at 9:11 am

    I’m not sure if you mention this is the article or not, but what type of wood is the table top? We have just installed very nice white oak floors and I need to pick a stain color. I like a rustic older look so I’m considering weathered oak. How do you think this stain would look on floor boards? And, again, what is the type of wood that you stained on your table top?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      October 26, 2016 at 9:25 am

      I’m pretty sure ours is an oak table as well, so I think this stain would work beautifully on your floors. 🙂 Hope they turn out well!

      Reply

    • Lauren says

      December 7, 2016 at 1:35 pm

      Thank you! I only sanded the top, not the base. I would wipe it down with a deglosser or a little warm soapy water though just to make sure any wood oil is gone.

      Reply

  42. Heather says

    April 12, 2017 at 8:38 pm

    Wow! It’s beautiful! I have a round table just like this and the space I want to put it really needs a square table but after I seen this I’m totally doing it and using my round table! You saved a table from destruction! Just one question did u sand the bottom part before you painted it white?

    Reply

  46. Lena says

    June 7, 2017 at 3:33 pm

    I love this table. I’ve been wanting to try a weathered look and need to get some of this stain. BTW, I make over a lot of tables and I use my orbital sander to remove the original finish because it’s a workhorse. My Mouse works well when it’s time for a smooth finish before staining. Maybe it’s time to buy yourself a present!

    Reply

  47. Megan says

    July 19, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    Sorry I’m late to the party. I love what you did to this table. I have a well-loved wood table from Ikea that needs a make-over and I think this is a good route. However, this is a table that gets a lot of use, as it’s in our eat-in kitchen. You mentioned polyurethane would be a better bet than polycrylic. Do you think the polyerethane will dramatically change the appearance of this weathered look? Thanks

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      July 31, 2017 at 11:18 pm

      Hi Megan! I would use polyurethane for high traffic for sure. It can sometimes have a tendency to yellow though, so you might want to test it on a small spot first before you poly the entire top. BUT Fusion Mineral Paint makes this stuff called Tough Coat that I’ve really been loving lately, if you want a different option. It seals but won’t yellow like polyurethane. I haven’t tried it on a table top yet, only our kitchen backsplash and a pair of doors so far. But it might be the best option!

      Reply

  48. Melissa Ivey says

    August 2, 2017 at 9:31 am

    Hello Lauren,
    love this? I’m going to try my best to replicate it! My question is what size is the table top and the size rug purchased? Also how long did you leave the weather oak on between the two applications?

    Reply

  49. Ginger Sonneborn says

    August 9, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    I have this exact table, maybe a larger size, from Pottery Barn. I have owned it for maybe 15 years. It has taken a beating and it is in desperate need of a refinishing. I think you have inspired me to try this. I have always done small projects but never anything this large. I am so nervous!

    Reply

  50. Mandy says

    September 30, 2017 at 3:44 pm

    Love this! In the process of doing mine but I’ve got yellow bleeding through after painting base. I did sand it already. Ugh. Guess I’ve read that I need to prime it with a sealant primer. Did yours ever do this?

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      November 8, 2017 at 2:08 pm

      Oh no! Yes, you need a color blocker, so Kilz primer should do it, or I can usually get away with just spraying a piece with shellac and then painting.

      Reply

  51. Laurie Higbee says

    November 5, 2017 at 5:56 pm

    Does chalk paint stand the test of time? I’m refinishing a table and 6 chairs. The tops of the table will be stained as well as the seat of the chairs. The rest will be in white. I want to find something that will last a long time.

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      November 5, 2017 at 8:41 pm

      In my experience, Fusion Mineral Paint tends to stand up better than chalk paint does. It’s acrylic based that can be used for outdoors too, so it just handles wear and tear better. Chalk paint weathers more over time.

      Reply

    • Lauren says

      November 6, 2017 at 8:33 am

      Yes, you can apply a water based poly over an oil based stain as long as you let the stain completely dry before sealing. I like using polycrylic over polyurethane because polyurethane can sometimes yellow and alter the color of the stain.

      Reply

    • Lauren says

      January 30, 2018 at 11:57 am

      Yes, I like to use that particular angle brush for painting most furniture. For the stain though, I used a stain brush and a dry rag to wipe up the excess.

      Reply

  55. Stephanie says

    April 13, 2018 at 10:50 pm

    I love this table! We are planning on doing the same thing to ours. Did you have to sand the pedestal stand before applying the chalk paint?

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      April 15, 2018 at 7:50 pm

      Nope! I gave it a simple wipe down to get any dust or wood cleaning residue off, but you really don’t need to prep with chalk paint.

      Reply

  56. Amy says

    July 12, 2018 at 7:43 pm

    Obsessed with this look! I have an old oak table that I have completely sanded. Do you recommend that I use a primer on the base before I paint? Our family uses this table a lot.. meals, homework, crafts ect. I have polyurethane matte but I don’t want it to turn yellow. What should should I use instead? Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Lauren says

      July 17, 2018 at 1:21 pm

      It really depends on what type of paint you’re using. For chalk paint, you should be okay not using a primer. Same with Fusion Mineral Paint (which is the one I prefer). Fusion has a product called Tough Coat (which doesn’t yellow) that helps it stand up to scuffs even better that is great. Your best bet, if you want to use a latex paint though, is to use water based matte polycrylic because it doesn’t yellow like polyurethane does.

      Reply

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