The table and chairs are finished!!!  (maybe)  I am so excited!!! (well I was for around 24 hours).  Remember what they looked like before:

And the top was very worn:

And now, drumroll please…………….

Taaa Daaaa!! I love, love, love it!!

Ideally I would have loved a dark brown stained piece for this area, but I didn’t want to deal with all that came with staining this particular table.  It does go well with the kitchen area because we have a black fireplace insert right next to this table and my kitchen countertops are black as well.  Overall I am very satisfied with the results!

I was worried that the top of the table was so worn that I wouldn’t be able to get it smooth again, but thanks to my sanding friend:

It turned out fantastic!  I did use this sander on any part I was able to for the table, including the legs.  I did have to use hand sanding on the detail parts of the legs, of course.

Here’s a better shot of the smooth, shiny top:

General Finishes recommends being careful with the furniture until the topcoat has a chance to achieve maximum hardness at 14 days.  I plan to do just that.

**UPDATE AFTER ONE YEAR OF WEAR AND TEAR**

If I were to do this over, I would probably clean the top of the table with some TSP or other grease removing cleaner.  And I would probably use a primer, but just on the table top.  I’ve got a few spots that have lifted up when a glass is sitting with condensation pooling around it for a few hours (I’ve said that we are not careful with this table!!).  If you use protection for your table, like placemats/tablecloth and you don’t leave glasses dripping on it the entire day, you probably don’t need to take the extra measures.  But overall I am still in love with the results from all the work and I would definitely do it over again!

Now, remember that “maybe” in the title??  If you have read the other posts in this series (which you can do–and I recommend you do if you want to learn more about the products and the process I used– if you click on the “Painting the dining room table” category on the right sidebar) you know that I did not paint the bottom of the table because nobody would see it.  Well, I got to enjoy that wonderful, incorrect thought for less than 24 hours after I finished the last application of topcoat.  I walked up the stairs from our basement and saw this:

&(*&%%*&^$#@@@!#$%^

Now I had my contacts in, so the view was in focus, unlike this picture.  But I refuse to retake this shot.  I. don’t. want. to. paint. the. bottom. of. the. table.

I think I’m going to end up painting the bottom of the table.

Darn it.

Would love to hear what you would do in my situation–paint or don’t paint???  Once the chair is in its spot, it isn’t as noticeable.  My Man doesn’t think I need to worry about it.  What about you?  What do you think?

Quick recap:

1) Sand the shine down on all pieces you are going to paint.  Took about 20 minutes per chair.

2) Used 3 coats of General Finishes milk paint in Lamp Black.

3) Sand lightly with 320 grit.

4) Topcoat with General Finishes High Performance Water Based Topcoat in Satin.  Five coats on chairs.  Five coats on table legs and sides.  Eight coats on top of table.  I did not sand between ALL coats of the topcoat as recommended.  Some of them I did though.  Used 320 grit sandpaper.

5)  Need 14 days before the topcoat achieves maximum hardness, so be gentle until then.

**Don’t forget that if you want to learn about the products and process I used for this DIY project, click on the category in the right sidebar titled “Painting the dining room table”.  That will bring up all the posts for this series.

Linking this post to these blog parties:

Power of Paint Party at Domestically Speaking

Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Passion for Paint at Mural Maker and More

Weekend Wrap Up Party at Tater Tots and Jello

Saturday Night Special at Funky Junk Interiors

Saturday Soiree at A Little Lovely

Remodelaholic Anonymous at Remodelaholic

Catch As Catch Can at My Repurposed Life

Flaunt it Friday at Chic on a Shoestring