Union Jack Patio Table

My mom had this table for over 35 years and during that time it was yellow, black, blue, maroon and rusty! I have had it in all it's peeling glory for a few years until this summer I decided it needed to be stripped back to the metal. I don't have a before picture, but this is during and it gives you an idea of the layers of paint 

 

My husband drilled a few holes along the rim to allow the rain to run off and then I used black Rustoleum Spray paint to cover the top and base. After that I made two stencils to form the Union Jack (it is not exact I know, I did do a Union Jack Trunk which is correct and I love!) I sprayed one coat of a cream colour for the lines and three coats for the triangles using leftover paint we had so the total cost of this project was $0 which you can't beat!

Do you have any favourite outdoor projects?

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Ikea Hack For FREE!!

Yes, you read that correctly, this table was FREE! It is made from two different IKEA products found in the garbage.

 

 

First you take one Klubbo side table which looked like it had been left out in the rain...

 



 

Then you add the slatted bed base from the Fjellse bed...

 

 

 

and you get this gorgeous table all for $0.00!

 

 



 

 

I found the original table in a neighbours garbage and thought I would buy some wood to make a new top.  Later that evening I noticed the bed slats in another neighbours garbage and realized it would be perfect for the top. 

 

I started by measuring my wood so I have about a 3/4" overhang and I cut the wood  (using my husbands mitre saw all by myself for the first time ever!).  I used black satin finish Rustoleum spray paint and covered the base with three coats.  While that was drying I lightly sanded and then stained the wood using Special Walnut colour stain.  When dried I laid the wood on the ground and used some offcuts of the wood to join them all together on the bottom.  I attached the top using wood screws to the frame.  To finish off the table and to protect it, I used two coats of Polyacrylic in satin finish and left it to dry. 

 

I love the combination of the smooth, modern metal and the rustic, aged wood.







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Sharing With:

Funky Junk Interiors                                   French Country Cottage

Life On Lakeshore Drive                            The Thrifty Groove
Be Different Act Normal                            The Chicken Chick
Thrifty Decor Chick                                   The Dedicated House
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An Original Belle                                       A Pinch of Joy
Serendipity and Spice                                 The Tumbleweed Contessa
The Rustic Pig                                            Elizabeth & Co
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Bedside Table

Three years ago when we bought our cottage it suddenly dawned on us that we had to furnish a full cottage and a guest cottage and had no money to do it! It's amazing what you can get for free. I will write a post one day with all of the items we were given and how we sourced them, but for now I wanted to show you the before and after of this cute little bedside table. Unfortunately the pictures don't show the full extent of the bad condition it was in, but it was free and we all love that, don't we?

When I was sanding the piece I found the note below taped to the top of one of the cubbies.  I had to put it back in once the piece was finished as it's part of the history of the table. I will try to remember in 10 or 20 years to look up this little girl and see what she is doing for a living.

I hadn't heard about chalk paint so thought I had to sand it all down to paint it and as I started sanding I realized what a great solid wood piece it was and it became harder and harder to convince my husband that it should be painted. In the end we compromised and only painted the cubbies to save me the work of sanding those. 

I used two coats of "Colonial Oak" coloured stain. That was okay, but not the colour I was looking for so I then added a coat of "Special Walnut". It didn't go as dark as I would have liked, but the wood seemed to be "full" of stain and wasn't absorbing anymore so I settled on this colour. I did two coats of Polyacyrlic all over and four on the top (I am obsessed about protecting the wood on pieces I refinish and don't even get me started on coasters, I have them everywhere!) I used homemade chalk paint on the cubbies and two coats of polyacrylic on those after to protect them.

 

 

What is your favourite freebie project?

 

 

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A Pinch of Joy      The Dedicated House        Crafty, Scrappy, Happy         An Original Belle
A Humble Creation   

Power of Paint

I was so exicted to open an email this week from Maryann at Power of Paint and find out that my Union Jack trunk was selected as one of her features!  She has so many super projects from such fantastic bloggers that I'm honoured to be chosen.  If you haven't been to her blog yet, do stop by for a visit, you will be amazed at what you see.  Off to do my little happy dance now...

 

 

Read more about My Take On The Union Jack Craze 

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Top Furniture Projects for 2012

Having only started this blog in November I don't have many projects to choose from, but I wanted to look at the best of 2012.

 

Bird On A Stool which was made and finished by my 12 year old son, Justin is a favourite.

 

And My Take On The Union Jack Craze as I was so pleased with how it turned out and it had the most views of any of my projects.

Wishing you and your family good health and great happiness in 2013.

 

 

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