Upcycled Stool – Child’s Table and Chair

Upcycled Stool – Child’s Table and Chair

Last week I showed you all how I repurposed this thrift store find, a wooden bar stool, into a much shorter, antique looking, milking stool.

When I cut off my soon to be milking stool I was left with this nice set of legs.  You know I couldn’t just toss those legs. 😆 

It wasn’t that much of a stretch that when I was finished the milking stool, and  set it next to the cut off legs, and added a wooden top I had laying around, I had a cute little child size table and chair.  My next project. 

Before assembling, I began by painting the underside of the table and the legs in black chalk paint.

Turn the tabletop over and center the legs on the underside of the tabletop.

Outline the legs with chalk.

With a small drill bit, find the center of each  chalked square and drill a hole  all the way thru the tabletop.  The drill bit should be smaller than the screws you will use to attach the top to the legs.

Turn the tabletop over.  Use another drill bit about the width of the head of your screws that you’re going to attach the top to the base.  Find those small drill holes that you made from the bottom and make about 1/4″ deep hole.  When you insert your screws the head of the screw should be just below the level of the tabletop.  You know, countersunk.

Start inserting your screws.  Use those chalk lines you made on the bottom of the tabletop to line up your legs.  Finish screwing in the screws.

Fill in each of your countersunk screws with wood putty.  I’m using Durham’s water putty.  It comes in a powder so it never dries out.

Once the putty is dry , you may need to add another coat of the putty until the hole is flush with the tabletop.

If needed, sand your tabletop to get it ready for painting and those holes you just filled.

Paint as desired.  I’m using Maize chalk paint to match the milking stool I created last week.

A harlequin diamond pattern will finish off my table top.

Start painting.  I’m contrasting the Maize chalk paint with a Blue Gray.

Many times you will find that chalk paint only needs one coat to cover.  That was not the case this time.  Those diamonds definitely needed a second coat of paint.

I didn’t want those chair rungs to go to waste.  I added 5 shutter slats, glued on with wood glue, to make a small shelf under the table.

Glue and clamp until dry.

My newly painted table does not match the faux antique wood stool at all!

To take my table back a few decades I had to sand off some of the paint on those edges and once again attack the piece with more antique wax. If you want less of the antique wax look consider a first coat of clear wax.  The wood will absorb less of the brown.

Now I have a matching set.

This table and chair may well be heading up to New York next month.  We’re celebrating my nephew’s one year birthday.  I’ll also be on the lookout for a matching stool to make it truly a set.

Until next time, stay inspired.

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