As per usual, I was out thrifting when I found this amazing clawfoot coffee table for $30! I couldn’t pass it up, even though I have a few (x 2) other coffee tables that we will choose from when we move to the house that we are building. We will have patio spaces, hopefully, that we can use some coffee tables on too.
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You can see in the photo below how the wood veneer is chipping off in various places. When I bought the table, my plan was to take off all of the veneer to see what was underneath. I wasn’t sure if the top was solid wood, or if it was a veneer top. It turns out, I’m still not sure what it is.
I started off by sanding the top and one of the claw feet because I was curious what the wood looked like under that stain on the feet. This Dremel is amazing for getting in the the small spaces.
I used 100 grit sandpaper with my hand sander on the top (I usually stare when 60’for removal) and the finish came off super easy, another reason I’m guessing the top is some sort of wood substitute.
Before I finished sanding, I decided to take off the veneer on the sides of the top, and the sides of the bottom. About an hour into wetting the veneer and scraping it, I realized that scoring it with this multipurpose/scraper tool helped so much to get the water/moisture under the veneer to loosen it better. Don’t get me wrong, it was not easy but it did help.
I used a water bottle to wet the area that I was working on. I have seen others lie a damp/wet towel on the piece that are removing the veneer from and leaving it on overnight. I did try that once and it seem to help a little.
I placed an old wet T-shirt over the area, and used my steam iron on high to get it hot. I held the iron on for up to a minute sometimes. Be careful to watch to see that it’s not burning through, if you are doing this. Also, stating the obvious, it’s super hot… be careful not to touch the hot areas. Sometimes if it was not coming off easily after using the steam iron, I would move to another wet spot on the T-shirt and do it again, until it came off with my scraper.
It was pretty satisfying to watch it all come off with the scraper. Sometimes it came off easier than others. It’s a long process requiring patience.
When I was done removing the veneer and sanded the sides, the table looked amazing already, but the wood was a circus of different colors. I wasn’t even sure if the bleach that I was planning to use would work to make all of the various wood types close enough in color to look good. I have more on the bleaching technique that I used, in this previous post. I thought for sure that the feet would not lighten up. Boy, was I wrong!
It’s perfect!…perfectly imperfect. That’s what I love about it! I love the old raw wood look of it now! It’s amazing and fits in so well!
One of the most popular questions I get when I refinish furniture pieces is, “will you seal it?” I don’t like how sealers sometimes change the wood color after bleaching, so I rarely seal anything anymore unless it’s a high traffic piece. I do seal most table tops with matte water-based poly, but I will leave this one unsealed and we will just use coasters to protect it. Most of the table tops that I seal have a different technique other than bleaching, such as this table, here. If something would happen and it would get damaged, I would just take it back outside and bleach it again.
I have more about how I painted this checkerboard/chessboard that I found at a thrift store, here.
I was wondering if I would like this coffee table better than the one that I had in here previously, because I love that one too! I think this one will be staying in here for now. I guess it’s time to listen to Trav and start stacking.
You can see where someone had drilled holes in the top. I used the sanding dust and some wood glue to make my own wood filler and filled the holes. I don’t mind that the marks are still there. Those would obviously go away if I would paint it, but I really wanted to keep it the raw wood look if I could, and I love it the way it is! I will most likely always have something sitting on our coffee table, so the holes will mostly be hidden anyways.
Isn’t the “before and after” eye boggling?
If I decide to not use this as a coffee table in our new house, I will remove these claw feet and put them on something else that we use for our kitchen. One of you said they look like monster feet, and another one of you suggested turtle feet…I love that!
It turned out exactly how I was envisioning! I’m so glad that I took the time to remove the veneer! If the veneer had been in good shape and it hadn’t been chipping off, I would have left it and just bleached the veneer, after sanding it. I would love to hear what you think of it!
It looks lovely now but I would make it as a dining room or kitchen table …somehow incorporating the claw feet .. they are so cool!!
I love those feet too! I have an idea for them for our kitchen if we don’t use this table ????????
I love following you. The coffee table looks amazing. Your love of life is inspiring. I am 74 and lonely alot. The first thing I do in the morning is check in to see what the kids are up to.
Thank you so much, Sherran! I love that you are here! ♥️
It turned out beautiful.
It’s amazing! You inspired me to sand and stain a wood bench today.
Sweet! I love hearing about others using their creativity ????????
Success, it’s beautiful!❤️
Thank you so much, Debbie!
This is so beautiful Natalie!!! I seriously love how it turned out!! Your talent always blows my mind!! ✨????????????
It’s such an interesting piece of furniture! It turned out great! Well done!
It’s beautiful ????
???????????? I never would have believed the “after” was the same table if I didn’t see you working on it. It’s so, so pretty!!!
Turned out great. Love it!
Love it! The feet and how it lightened! ????
I absolutely love all your projects and your personality.. I really love how much you love Jesus… oh everyone needs Him so bad… what a Blessing you are♥️♥️♥️♥️
I love this so much! Thank you for sharing often times I will refer back to your post when I am doing my own DIY! You are definitely a mentor!
Your work just blows my mind every time! I wouldn’t have guessed it would have turned out that beautiful!
FABULOUS !!!!!!!!
Natalie, Another masterpiece! I love how this turned out – the feet are great! It looks perfect in your family room.
I love what you have done with this table as well as how you embrace the imperfections. So beautiful.
You truly have a gift, my friend! Kind of how God can see past our messes, see the beauty and value in us and can transform us with His power – you can see the beauty in items that others have discarded and then bring that out in them. (Obviously you have to work for the latter and the first is a gift from God we cam receive but hopefully you see the analogy.????????) You truly are your/our Father’s daughter and one of the things you have inherited from Him is your creativeness and the amazing ability to see the beauty within! And that in itself is so awesome!! ????????❤
PLUS you use your gift(s) for Him! Love it!!! Thank you for sharing.
These claw feet are so unique! Love the coloring! @whatrtheeodds ????????
This might be my favorite transformation yet, and that’s saying a lot. Those feet!!! Can’t wait to get my veneer off my dining table!
Those feet are worth the price alone! Removing veneer ain’t for the faint of heart, but what a difference it made on this table! And yes to removing those fabulous feet to use for something else if you tire of, or don’t have room for that table in the future
I absolutely adore that gorgeous table. You did such a beautiful job. The detail on those beautiful feet are captured so perfect. I was told they are called are lion feet/foot .
Your love & work for repairing and bringing your furniture back to life is awesome!! That table is beautiful ????
I need to try this on an old cedar chest I inherited. The top is peeling off and I didn’t know how to fix it. Thank you for the inspiration. ????????
I know you said you don’t seal your pieces, but I found a product from @velvetandlinen called Modern Masters Dead Flat Varnish that works great. She used it on her wood countertops at Patina Farm. I’ve been using it on my doors and furniture. I was nervous at first, but once it dries you seriously can’t tell there’s a sealer on it!
The top turned out fabulous and those feet. They remind me of one of those fantasy lions. Do you know what I’m talking about or have I lost my mind?????