modern thrifter
I love beautiful things and thoughtful design. I also live in one of the most expensive cities in the country, and our family lives off a single income so that I can be at home with our kids. Patience and persistence have been the key to finding stylish things on a tight budget.
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![[ THE NEW TABLE: BEFORE ]
Here are a few sneak peeks at our new table. It was a Craiglist find, originally listed for $75 at a consignment shop. I sent Patrick out to pick it up, and he called me from the store to tell me that he thought we should pass on it. It really was in bad shape—so wobbly you’d get seasick eating on it, scratched and dinged, but the worst part was a strange color, mismatched finish that had been applied to the middle section. It’s hard to see it in the picture, but the color was really strange. It had a strange purplish pink hue.
I guess I’m an optimist when it comes to thrifty finds, because I asked him if he thought it would be worth another look by me the next day. I had seen two other tables on Craigslist that were nearly identical in design (but presumably better condition) ranging from $400-$700, so that probably added a little motivation. I ended up offering $60, and we took it home later that day.
After tightening every screw and bolt, our first step was to tackle some of the cracked and lifted veneer. I did a little research and came up with this method, which worked surprisingly well:
1. lay a sheet of wax paper over the damaged area, with a similar-sized piece of chipboard on top of that.
2. Apply firm pressure with a hot iron for a minute or two
3. Add weight to the top of the cardboard (we added a book underneath to distribute the weight more evenly) and let it sit for 24 hours.
note to my trainer: I promise I use my kettlebell at home for working out, but it is pretty handy for home repairs, too!
Next came a lot of sanding with a super fine sandpaper. Since the top is veneer, I had to be extra careful. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get that strange purple-brown color off of the main section of the table top and legs, but I was hopeful. I followed The Brick House’s instructions for restoring vintage wood, which you can find here. So without going into too much detail, the rest of the process went like this: a good wash with wood soap, teak oil, more teak oil, and then feed-n-wax.
I was super pleased with the results (especially for $60) and I can’t wait to share how the table looks in the dining room.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lkjtegrs631qc7v1bo1_500.jpg)
[ THE NEW TABLE: BEFORE ]
Here are a few sneak peeks at our new table. It was a Craiglist find, originally listed for $75 at a consignment shop. I sent Patrick out to pick it up, and he called me from the store to tell me that he thought we should pass on it. It really was in bad shape—so wobbly you’d get seasick eating on it, scratched and dinged, but the worst part was a strange color, mismatched finish that had been applied to the middle section. It’s hard to see it in the picture, but the color was really strange. It had a strange purplish pink hue.
I guess I’m an optimist when it comes to thrifty finds, because I asked him if he thought it would be worth another look by me the next day. I had seen two other tables on Craigslist that were nearly identical in design (but presumably better condition) ranging from $400-$700, so that probably added a little motivation. I ended up offering $60, and we took it home later that day.
After tightening every screw and bolt, our first step was to tackle some of the cracked and lifted veneer. I did a little research and came up with this method, which worked surprisingly well:
1. lay a sheet of wax paper over the damaged area, with a similar-sized piece of chipboard on top of that.
2. Apply firm pressure with a hot iron for a minute or two
3. Add weight to the top of the cardboard (we added a book underneath to distribute the weight more evenly) and let it sit for 24 hours.
note to my trainer: I promise I use my kettlebell at home for working out, but it is pretty handy for home repairs, too!
Next came a lot of sanding with a super fine sandpaper. Since the top is veneer, I had to be extra careful. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to get that strange purple-brown color off of the main section of the table top and legs, but I was hopeful. I followed The Brick House’s instructions for restoring vintage wood, which you can find here. So without going into too much detail, the rest of the process went like this: a good wash with wood soap, teak oil, more teak oil, and then feed-n-wax.
I was super pleased with the results (especially for $60) and I can’t wait to share how the table looks in the dining room.
