1930's Drum Table Makeover

Oh curbside drop-offs... I love you! 

If you are like me, then you are a redo'er, renewer, recycler lover that sees something in others' unwanted "stuff". 

This old, once a beauty, was sitting at the curb.  I ain't shy... so I snagged it up. Once home, I discovered why. Obviously the original front and drawer are gone and replaced with a repurposed one... and ...

cobbed. 



To keep the original table top and frame work, the repair person used plywood screwed from the bottom of the frame. The plywood was covered with cloth. 

The attempts to keep the framework together was done with screws... that was determination! 

The glue and layers of wood was more work than I thought it would be... but I didn't quit. 

The framework needed to be repaired first. 

So I took it all apart. 

Then put "Humpty Dumpty" back together again. With wood filler and glue. 
And clamps. 
Many of them. 

While my strange clamp sculpture was going on, I went back to the table top. 

Scraping, soaking, sanding... so frustrating! The belt sander gave up too... I wondered what I was thinking when I wanted to salvage the original top.  I even thought this table just wasn't worth any more effort. 

Two long days of work and little progress on the top, I replaced the repaired frame piece on the front of the table. 

With glue and clamps in place, I still wanted to keep the original top without modifying the frame in any way. After all, a drum table is meant to be round. 

It is going to painted anyway. So floor leveler will fill the the whole thing. And that's what I did. And sanded some more. 

Then painted primer on the top. 

Then I was off to sand down the globby old varnish runs. 

The drawer, was a repurposed project for this table and I decided to keep that as well... and the handle.  With some sanding and painting on both of them, they will do fine. 

Sanding the entire table: Top,  sides, legs and drawer made it paint ready. 

Then I added a drawer support that was missing. 

Painting began. First the top. 

For the base of the table, I was given the opportunity to try Websters Chalk Paint Powder. 

They provide simple and easy instructions. 

I have a tip, if you don't already do this, use plastic storage containers for your small amounts of paint.  Unused portions can stay in the container for another use with the tight lid. Easy to stir in, dip brushes into and you can mark the lid to label what it is and what you used it for. Store it in your paint area and you're golden! 

For Websters Chalk Powder, all you need is one cup of your latex paint, one tablespoon of water and two tablespoons of the chalk powder.  Drinking a cup of coffee is optional. 




I used flat white paint with a few drops of brown and black paints to tone down the bright white. 

The paint coverage was exceptionally nice. I dry brushed the embossed areas and wet painted the other areas. 

It even covered the drawer very well. 

To line the drawer, I used this velvet fabric. 

Then I went back to the table top with a design in mind to complement the column looking legs.  

Repeating the one design all around the table and allowing the brush strokes to show was the look I was trying to achieve. 

Then I went back to the base to give it an antique look with black paint and an artists' brush. 

Then a little drawer handle detail... 

with silver rub and buffing. 

Finally. My frustration disappeared. 

It was worth the work after all. 

This would make a fine wedding cake table. Or lamp table. 

Whatever suits one's needs. 

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