DIY An Ugly Side Table To Awesome In Minutes

DIY projects make my heart sing. Especially to DIY a side table. I love taking things apart and putting them back together. This includes furniture. Actuall, especially furniture. So, when a side table was needed pretty quickly, I looked at the old zebra topped side table and knew it could be updated. Using spray paint and some ingenuity. Plus saving some big bucks in the process.

My daughter’s room has long been in need of a makeover. Taking her room from the little girl to the now grown teenager.

After much shopping both locally and online, we decided on an Ikea bed frame Hemnes in white. It is sturdy and a perfect fit for my daughter. After making the three hour trek to Ikea in Atlanta, the bed was put together. The bed frame fit the room both in style and size. She went from a twin size bed to a queen size.  The larger bed has been needed for some time. She loves it.

Retrieving the zebra topped side table she had owned for years, it was set beside her new bed. Looking at it in horror, she said that it had to go. I agreed.

So off we went, searching for a new side table. All the tables we looked at were rather expensive. Cheaply made. I was upset with myself for not thinking about the side table while at Ikea. I could have purchased a matching table for very little while there.  The prices and quality are so much at Ikea, better than anything we could find locally. Unfortunately, driving the three hours back to Atlanta was out of the question.

That meant I was making over the ugly zebra side table.

Beginning The DIY Table Project

All I had to do was unscrew the existing table top from the metal legs. That was so simple and only took minutes.  I used my plastic sawhorses and a scrap piece of plywood to work on.

Sawhorses are a great investment for any DIY project. These plastic ones fold when not in use. They are under 30 dollars at the hardware store.

I cleaned the table before painting so dust wouldn’t interfere with the paint adhering to the metal legs. I didn’t prime this piece. I just used a spray paint that had primer already in it. The paint is Rustoleum Painter’s Touch in Satin Heirloom White. My stand by color in spray paint. Great to work with.

Note: Spray paint in a well ventilated area. Preferably outdoors.

Here it is painted. I only used one coat of paint to cover the black paint. I tried to paint the zebra top but that didn’t work. I couldn’t cover those stripes.

I bought a round wooden top at the hardware store. These come in many sizes. I got one that was a little bigger than the existing table top. These tops are already sanded so all that needs to be done is paint or stain.

Note: When applying stain, do this in a well ventilated area. Outdoors is best.

I stained the top using Minwax in Weathered Oak. Then left all pieces to dry overnight. This a pretty stain. Not dark at all. Really complements the white table legs.

To put the wooden top on the table, I traced the holes from the legs onto the wooden top. Then I drilled pilot holes into each of the traced holes so the wood wouldn’t split when I screwed it together. I found screws that had large heads but weren’t too long so they didn’t pierce the top. I have used too long screws in the past so make sure you measure the length of the screw compared to the depth of the wooden top. The head of the screws had to be large enough to hold the legs in place.

That’s it.

• Take the old table top off.
• Spray paint the table legs.
• Stain the purchased wooden table top.
• Let it all dry overnight.
• Screw the legs onto the new tabletop.

This project took minutes to do not including drying time. The cost was minimal since I only purchased the wooden top.

My daughter loves the new side table. This table can hold a lamp, a clock and book. I may look into getting a glass top to protect the table top since it is only stained.

Look around your house to repurpose any items before you consider buying any new furniture. It’ll save you money. Plus this was a very satisfying project.

Have you made over a side table?