How to paint a stained coffee table

You will need

• Electric sander
• 80, 120 and 180 grit sandpaper
• Painters tape
• Ruler and right-angle set square
• Resene Colorwood wood stain testpot in your choice of colour; Fleur used Resene Colorwood Mahogany
• Soft cloth
• Resene Aquaclear in a satin finish
• Paint brush

Instructions

Step 1:  Use an electric sander to remove the old varnish. Start with a high grit sander (80 grit), followed by 120 grit and finish with a fine sandpaper of 180 grit. Once the varnish is removed and the wood is smooth, wipe the dust away with a soft dry cloth.

Step 2:  Use painters’ tape to make your pattern. Use a set square to get right angles. Top tip: Instead of using a ruler to measure out the distance between each row of tape, put your first tape length down and then put another second length of tape down right next to it. Put a third length down next to the second length. Remove the second length and both the first and the third lengths are nicely parallel to each other.

Step 3:  Make sure you press the tape down firmly to avoid the stain bleeding underneath the tape. Use a craft knife to neatly cut the ends of the tape.

Once your tape pattern is finished and the tape is firmly pressed down, use a soft dry cloth to wipe on your chosen Resene Colorwood wood stain. This product comes in a handy testpot size which is great for small projects like this. Fleur used Resene Colorwood Mahogany.

Fleur applied one coat of stain, but if you want a darker finish, apply multiple coats, allowing it to dry between each coat.

Step 4:  Carefully remove the painters’ tape.

Step 5:  Once the stain is dry, apply two coats of Resene Aquaclear in a satin finish.

Top tip: Use contrasting Resene Colorwood colours for your pattern to bring in more colour to your design.

Styling and images by Fleur Thorpe, 2019.