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 Before we get into the process of making a new table look old…  I hope everyone had a lovely weekend!  We spent a much needed Saturday at home.  Between sickness and traveling over the past few weeks, we were all behind on our chores, laundry, cleaning, mowing, etc., so we took a day to take care of those things.  Picking up toys turned into organizing the basement and picking out toys to give to younger boys.  That turned into hours of great playtime with toys that had been buried and forgotten.  So, it was a balance of work and fun and a great lesson on the joys of being able to actually find your stuff!

Sunday was a bit more restful and involved church, some light yard work (the day was gorgeous), errands and dinner out with my parents.  It was a nice break from the frenzy-that-is-my-life in the weeks leading up to the Lucketts Spring Market.

Anyway, today I’m going to share how I made a new-ish table I bought off of Craig’s List look like an old farmhouse table.

Would you believe that this…

…started out as this?

I had been hunting for a really great, large farm table for my space at Lucketts, but everything I was finding was just too expensive to sell at a profit.  So, I decided to open my search to include new, solid wood tables that could be refinished to look old.  That search yielded this newer table that had a great shape, but the shiny, orangey finish wasn’t the look I was going for.

I tried stripping off the finish with a chemical stripper, but it only took a little bit of the shine off.  So, we had to go to sanding.  Kriste sanded off the finish one afternoon when it was pretty and the table could be carried outside of the studio.  It took some time, but she was able to get it down to the raw pine boards.  Now it looked like a brand new, unfinished table.  I wanted this new table to look old and worn, so I abused it with various sharp and blunt objects…denting, dinging, scratching and poking it.

I tried to be random with the marks, except for clusters of pinholes I made with a nail, meant to look like worm holes.

I wanted to give the wood a rich patina and a finish, so I slathered on some Antiquing Wax.

When the excess is wiped away, the Antiquing Wax stays in the dents, dings and “wormholes”, simulating the look of age, wear, and patina.  It’s not quite as warm as pine that has been aged over decades, but it’s a great option for making a new table look old.

Here is a quick video on the finishing process, so you can see it in action.

The cool thing about using the Antiquing Wax is that it’s one step.  It’s the technique and the finish all in one.  I only applied one coat, buffed it by hand and then buffed it with a buffing pad on my orbital sander to make it smooth and slightly shiny.  It’s not glossy, but the buffing pad brings out a luster.

And I love how it turned out.  When I showed it to Kriste she said it didn’t even look like the same table.

 We lightly sanded the table base and applied a coat of Lucketts Green followed by a coat of Ironstone.  We then distressed and left the paint unfinished.  (I say “we” because Kriste and I both worked on it during various stages.)  I like the two-tone look for the legs, because it’s pretty common to see that on old tables.   It also gives the legs some visual texture, since they are pretty smooth to the touch.  The effect definitely made this new table look old, like it’s been hanging around in a farmhouse for a few decades.  That’s just the look I was going for!

The table, and pretty much everything else in the photoshoot, will be available for sale at the Lucketts Spring Market!

And I just got boxes and boxes of ironstone and other goodies on a great shopping trip on Friday…

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    32 Comments

    1. Misty

      Love this table!! Will you be putting anything else on top of the wax? I am in the process of making a kitchen table and I am thinking of using your antiquing wax. Just was wondering if it would need something else on top of it?

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        No, it doesn’t need anything else. Treat it carefully for about 30 days as it cures, but you can use it during that time. The really nice thing about wax is that if it starts looking tired or it gets marred, just lightly sand the area, apply more wax, buff it out and it looks good as new.

    2. Sue Pagels

      I don’t know why, but the weeks up to your Luckett’s sale just fascinate me!! You do sooo much and it’s all so cool!

      • Miss Mustard Seed

        Thanks, Sue! This time is such a “creative crunch” for me and I feel like I do some of my best work during it. 🙂

    3. Katy B

      Doesn’t look like the same table for sure.
      I have an old 5 legged farm table that extends to 12 feet. It is oak and I want to lighten the finish up. Any suggestions? I can’t paint the top, as my in-laws had 6 leaves custom made for it.

    4. Shelley

      That turned out beautiful!! Is antiquing wax the same thing as the AS dark wax?

    5. Sue @ My Painted Door

      Your table turned out beautiful Marian! I watched your video a couple days ago and used antiquing wax on some new wood crates and I love how they turned out. As usual, thank you for all your great ideas!

    6. Jessica @ Dear Emmeline

      Another super pretty piece! My husband read the post before I did and he was impressed that this started as a newer piece. In his words “I really like the finish on the top of this table”. Heard him watching the video too 😉

    7. Lee Joyce Pinchuk

      I love the look of a distressed table, but how do you take care of it? I would think that food debris would get caught in all the holes and crevices.

    8. Cynthia @ her lovely nest

      truly amazing! you all did a fantastic job on this table, whoever snaps it up is one lucky dog.

    9. LayLa Benson

      I have a table and I will be doing this to my lovely orangey table! Thanks for the inspiration once again!

    10. Beverly Farkus

      Where do you find your ironstone?
      Love your blog and the farm table, and just about everything you do. Keep up the good work. Thanks for all the info you provide too.

    11. Linda Leyble

      Hi Marian…the table turned out great!! I bought a new farmhouse table many years ago at Macy’s and the top is a shiny pine! Love the pine…hate the shine! I just painted and antiqued the legs – so now on to the table top. Thanks for the inspiration! I’m off to sand it and to use your antiquing wax (which I am such a huge fan of). I love your regular wax as well – best stuff in the world.

      Thanks…you looked great in the video!

      Linda

    12. Barbara Ann

      I have some grandchildren that would have been happy to distress the table for you! Seriously, probably would not have turned out as thoughtfully placed as yours!

    13. Holly

      I love what you do… And how you do it. You inspire me everyday. You make me think out of the box. I love the table and I like your style… It’s so comfortable. I Thank God for you Marion!

    14. Pamela @ FlowerPatchFarmhouse.com

      I have a table similar to this that I was going to strip the top off as it has a light oak finish and I wanted to make it look more distressed/darker. Thanks for the heads up that stripper would most likely be a waste of my time so out to the deck it goes to take a belt sander to the top.
      At least now the weather is great so I can do that.

    15. voleen erickson

      i, too, have a gorgeous “new” farm table with orange top. It also has factory made dips made to replicate hand planing. Will the orbital sander get into the dips or is there a better tool? Besides my hand that is….looking for the lazy girl’s way out.

    16. Paula Gross

      Lovely work, the painting, refinishing and beautiful styling! Marian, you have a gift, thank you for sharing with us and serving as an inspiration. Wish I lived near Luckett’s to meet you in person.
      All the best,

    17. Cathy

      Thank you for sharing tutorials on how to do finish a table in this manner. I have an old table that was my grandmother’s and I may get brave enough to try this.
      Do you ever offer consultations for a fee?
      Wish I lived close enough to shop the Lucket’s sale.

    18. Deborah

      How do you decide whether to use a wood stain or whether to use the dark antiquing wax after you get down to the raw wood? I’ve been using wood stain and never thought about using the antiquing wax.
      Love it!

    19. Linda

      Love those chairs, I’ve been looking for those chairs. My grandmother had them in her house when I was growing up. Love your work!

    20. Tracy@www.bluridgevintage.com

      What a transformation….I am like Kriste, I can’t believe this is the same table. I love that you roughed up the table top to create a more antique/vintage feel. This is definitely a winner all the way around. You will keep the Lucketts visitors stunned for a long time at the great pieces your taking.

    21. Diana

      Love the dishes. Last year, I found of stack of this same pattern at Salvation Army. I spent $14.95 for 8 dinner pales, 8 bowls, and 7 salad plates. Great find!!

    22. Lauren

      So for the table base did you use a bonding agent or wax or just the two paints and then leave it? I love this so much. I have never tried doing this before and you have inspired me!! Can’t wait for your response then I’m going in!!!

    23. Leila

      love the table!! it inspired me to re-finish my childhood desk that is similar style. it had been finished in a clear lacquer of sorts, do you have any tips for the sanding process? i have been trying to hand sand it off but i’m not making much progress, is a random orbit sander the best tool for the job?

    24. Amanda

      That looks beautiful! Would your wax work on a pine floor? Would you have to top coat with polyurethane?

    25. Kathy

      Can you put this wax over a stained table? Or would I have to sand it first??

    26. stacey

      Do you think you can do this with a exterior cedar farm table (brand new-no finish) ?

    27. Joanna

      Very pretty! Love the hedgehog pine cones!

    28. Alisa Jack

      Looks amazing!! Would you mind telling me what colour your cabinet is painted behind your lovely table?

    29. Kendra

      Do you know if you could apply this to a freshly stained piece (with no poly or top coat applied)?

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