Scavenger Chic

Flea Market Flip, Upcycled Wire Spool Table

• By Joan
• January 8, 2020
• 8 Comments

Upcycled Wire Spool Table

Do you remember my flea market haul from back in August? Today I’m tackling one more of of those projects.  I’m calling this a wire spool but frankly I don’t know what it is.  It has the holes as if it was originally attached to other pieces like a spool but the wood is much smoother than the 2 other wire spools I’ve transformed. And the one thing that really sets it apart from other wire spools is that it has a metal band around the edge.

My other wire spool projects were this ottoman and an oversized (53 inch) clock.

Well, whatever it was in its past life, it is about to become a table top.

In order to create my table I needed some nice legs.  This is where I have to thank my new favorite son Keith.  He brought me over 2 cast iron table bases, some bar stools and a couple of pendants that he salvaged from an old restaurant.  Did I mention that he is my favorite?  My other 2 sons definitely have to step up their game. 😆  You’ll see those other pieces in upcoming projects, but today we’re just using this table base.

If you don’t have a son supplying you with a table base check out places online like ebay, etsy or Amazon.

Look at all those little holes.  It looks like the top had an infestation of powder post beetles in its past but it doesn’t look like there is any current damage and I do like all the holey character.

Normally I love me some rust, but since this was the side of a table I wanted it to be a little smoother.  Out came the sander to get rid of all the big rust pitting.

While I do like the smaller buggy holes,  I do not like having the larger holes on a tabletop.  Super easy to plug up as long as you have a couple of dowels.  Add a little glue to the sides of the dowel and hammer into place.

Sand your tabletop, getting rid of any splinters, nicks or gouges and sanding those new plugs until they are smooth and level to the height of the table.

I chose to leave some of the miscoloring of the wood for character, but that too could have been sanded out.

A coat of American walnut stain really brings out the warmth of the wood.   Apply with a rag and wipe off the excess.

The tabletop was finished with 2 coats of dark walnut Danish oil.  Rub on with a lint free rag.  Let dry between coats and repeat.  If the surface is rough to the tough, buff with fine steel wool between coats.  While the oil was dark walnut, it added very little additional color to the finish.

I used the same oil on the rusty metal band surrounding the table which gave it the perfect amount of finish.

As bad as the legs looked, they only needed a good scrubbing to become like new again.

This is the rusty band after the sanding and a coat of the danish oil.

Every time I complete a project from my flea market finds it becomes my new favorite.  So this week, you’re looking at my new favorite flea market flip, a wire spool bistro table.

My pile of junk is still coming together.   Of course the wire spool table, a bar cart, the  shelves made from the desk drawers,  lamps made from the jack stands, a star made from tobacco sticks, whale weathervane from a jack, coffee table from silo doors, and a pair of raised stencil headboards from a free roadside find.  Click on any of the links for the full DIYs.

Until next time, stay inspired.

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