How to make a marble pedestal

• A sheet of 9mm thick interior grade untreated plywood
• 3.2m of 18mm x 18mm untreated pine
• Saw
• Sandpaper
• Wood glue
• Electric drill and screws
• Wood filler
• Resene Quick Dry
• Small microfibre roller
• Resene testpot paints in your choice of colour, Fleur used Resene Athens Grey, Resene Mountain Mist, Resene Stack, Resene Go Ben, Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Quarter Parchment and Resene Gold Dust
• Paintbrush
• Small craft paintbrush
• Mixing tray/dish
• Resene FX Paint Effects Medium

Instructions

Step 1:  Start by cutting your ply wood into four panels that are 26.5cm wide by 80cm tall. Cut the pine wood into four lengths at 79cm long. Construct a tall box with the ply and use the pine wood as blocking at each corner. Make sure you set the blocking 9mm down from the top so that the top of the pedestal can be set inside the box. Use wood glue to construct the box and secure it with screws. Make sure the screws are countersunk.

Step 2:  Cut a piece of ply to fit inside the top and glue this in place. Fill the screw heads and any gaps with sand-able wood filler. Once this is dry, sand the filler until it is flush with the plywood. Fleur also sanded down the corners and edges of the pedestal to give it a slightly rounded finish. If you sand, remember to wipe off all sanding dust.

Step 3:  Use a small microfibre roller to paint on one coat of Resene Quick Dry.

Step 4:  Once the primer is dry, paint on two coats of Resene Athens Grey.

Step 5:  Use a watery paint brush to messily swipe on some broad areas of colour. Fleur used Resene Mountain Mist, Resene Stack and Resene Go Ben.

Step 6:  Once this is almost dry, mix some Resene FX Paint Effects Medium with some Resene Bokara Grey in a separate container/dish and paint on some wobbly veining lines. The Resene FX Paint Effects Medium helps to make the paint look translucent and give it a softer look. Do the same thing with Resene Quarter Parchment.

Step 7:  Use a dry brush to flick on some speckles of Resene Go Ben and Resene Bokara Grey.

Step 8:  Finish by going over some of the Resene Go Ben veins with some Resene Gold Dust. For extra durability, paint over the pedestal with two coats of Resene Aquaclear in a satin finish.

Top tip:  For a flatter look finish, apply Resene Concrete Clear flat over the finished pedestal.

Styling and images by Fleur Thorpe. Sep 2022.