Drum table makeover: How To Tutorial With Chalk Paint.
“Put down the sandpaper.”
That’s one of the first things Amy Howard, the creative genius behind the wildly famous furniture brand Amy Howard Home, said at a workshop teaching us how to use her innovative, artisan quality Amy Howard at Home products.
And my heart skipped a beat. Followed by breaking out in a cold sweat.
I’ve shared before that painting furniture is not my strong suit. I’m impatient. I get drips. I have a dog whose hair always seems to creep its way onto the brush and into the paint and onto the piece I happen to be painting.
So when Ace Hardware asked their blogging team (myself included) to revitalize a piece of furniture using the Amy Howard at Home products that are now sold at their neighborhood Ace stores, dreams of sandpaper danced in my head.
That was before the Amy Howard workshop.
But now? Now after I’ve learned some amazing painting techniques at the right hand (okay, I sat at the left hand but you get the idea) of the fabulous furniture finisher extraordinaire Amy Howard? Now I can’t possibly use sandpaper.
Sigh.
I felt doomed.
And panicked.
Like, what if Ms. Amy Howard herself sees this post? And if not Amy herself, what about her talented staff?
Cue the cold sweats again.
So I reluctantly put the sandpaper down, as Amy Howard asked.
Okay, more like demanded. 😉
And I picked up her paint and waxes for my drum table makeover …
Drum Table Makeover: Step One With One Step Paint
Materials
Amy Howard at Home One Step Paint (in Bauhaus White)
Amy Howard at Home Light Antique Wax
Amy Howard at Home Dark Antique Wax
Simple Green Concentrated Cleaner
Lint Free Rags
Sponge
Clean
1.I started by giving the table a thorough cleaning. Amy suggested Simple Green. But don’t spray it directly on. It’s concentrated and needs to be diluted first (see directions on bottle). Also, make sure you give your piece a full wipe down with a wet sponge to remove any Simple Green residue. Let dry completely.
Paint
2. Apply a thin coat of Amy Howard at Home One Step Paint. This paint is great because, other than cleaning your piece, there is no prep. No sanding. No stripping. No primer. In fact, you don’t even have to seal it. You an just paint your piece and be done. The first coat will dry in about 30 minutes.
3. Give your piece a second (and third) coat as needed. Because as Amy says, “Just because it’s called One Step doesn’t mean it’s always one coat.”
4. Let dry before moving to the next optional step.
Now, the pre-Amy Howard workshop Linda would stop just here. Especially the Amy Howard at Home One Step Paint is fine as is. No sealant needed. But the post-Amy Howard workshop Linda knows now how playing with waxes can add additional depth and character to the piece …
Light Wax
5. Start with the Amy Howard at Home Light Antique wax first. Load up your brush with wax and then use a piece of cardboard to offload most of it.
6. Using a cross hatch motion, apply wax over paint. Don’t just brush it on in the direction of the paint (you know, like my pictures. ;). You can move quickly across the piece.
7. Let sit for 15 minutes or so before moving on to dark wax. Finish should be tacky to the touch.
Dark Wax
7. Like the light wax, load your brush and offload most onto cardboard. For me, I wanted to use a light hand with the dark wax.
8. Apply in areas where you would naturally see aging – on edges and in crevices.
9. For me, I used a lint free rag to immediately wipe away excess wax. I wanted my finished piece to be more light and beachy than darker and traditional.
Buff
10. After letting the wax dry for 30 minutes or so, buff with a lint free rag.
And that’s my drum table makeover. Well, for the base of the table.
I hope Amy approves. 🙂
For the tutorial on how I used liming wax to whitewash the table top, click here …
I used Amy Howard at Home Lime Wax to give it a whitewashed look.
I’m giving away a $100 Ace Hardware gift card. You can enter here …
Good luck!
🙂
For the tutorial on how I whitewashed the table top wit liming wax, click here ...
You might also like …
Armoire Makeover with Chalk Paint (click here)
How to Paint Stripes on Table (click here)
Today’s post was written as part of my role as an Ace Hardware Blogger. I was compensated by Ace for this post and for the products used, but all opinions about the Amy Howard at Home products used, sandpaper, and Ace Hardware are my own.
i would LOOOOOOVE to put it toward painting supplies for the house we recently bought !
I wold use it to buy a few tools for my husband for work.
linda it turned out so beautifully! i LOVE the lighter top paired with white base!
I have two of these in my basement i was about to send to good will. I think I will play with them myself.
BTW you have sooooo many advertisements on your blog that it now crashes on my iphone and is unreadable. I might have to discontinue you if it continues.
Ugh. Sorry. I’ve sent a message to my ad network to see if we can fix this issue!
Paint, I would love to try some of this paint to try. It looks so fun to use.
Your table make over is Gorgeous
I have been putting off on redoing a table cause wasn’t able to afford the paint or stain so I would certainly use it on paint if I should happen to win
Thank you for this giveaway opportunity
I would buy mulch for winterizing and new garden tools
I am ready to jump in with the painted furniture. I have a desk and dresser that I can attack. I am buying paint!
Just the other day while browsing thru Ace I saw her paint line… Yummy colors!!
Can’t wait to see your finished table and give her paint a try!
to get supplies for renovating our basement!
Love the table. It looks fabulous.
It looks great Linda! I LOVE liming wax, but I haven’t tried hers. Are all the products going to be available at ACE? If they are, well, I would use the gc to buy her stuff. I was able to be in her workshop at Haven. I have the little sample molding I did hanging in my living room!
Thanks Karen! High praise from one of my favorite furniture refinishers!!! Ace has a full end cap with Amy’s One Step paints (including a base paint that you can custom mix to any color you want!), all her waxes, brushes, crackle medium, lacquers (which I’m dying to try on mason jars!), plus antique mirror and zinc look mediums. A pretty extensive collection!
I would buy paint for our daughter’s bedroom.
Love this look! I’m a sucker for crystal pulls!
I forgot to say what I’d use the gift card for! I would love to paint the dresser in our bedroom, it’s really dated looking!
my house is full of gold walls and black wrought iron everything. goodbye tuscany, hellooo light, bright, and breezy!
I would use it for for paint for our bathroom.
I have been wanting to paint an old buffet my dad rescued. I would try out Amy Howard’s paint. Your table turned out fabulous!
I love my local Ace Hardware store! I go to them for everything including advice!
I use ACE hardware as a “go to” for most of my projects. I would definitely try this new paint.
I have a dining table that I bought 5 years ago that I was going to sand down and revarnish. Now I won’t have too! I’m excited to watch this technique and apply it to my table and chairs!
Would love to try the Amy Howard paint & techniques on the repurposed buffet in my dining room. I painted it last year but have not been thrilled with the look I obtained.
Oh I love how that turned out! So beautiful! I have an old wooden corner hutch that I have been trying to figure out what to do with. Oh I would love to try that on it! So pretty!
repurposing a toy chest
I want to build an extra shelf or two for the bottom of my pantry, so I’d use it for supplies.
I would buy paint with this gift card
We have a few painting projects we want to tackle in the spring, so I would buy some paint. I would also buy some lawn and garden bags for the fall.
I would use it for paint to paint my dining room.
I’d use it for materials and paint for some wall shelves.
Your table looks great! Painting furniture intimidates me sometimes, but this looks like it would be a lot easier. Great job?
The One Step paint really is easy to work with! Give it a try!
I need to pant the three chairs I am going to attempt to reupholster!!
I have a very similar table (but without the cute drawer) that I have been afraid of painting even though it desperately needs it. Sorry to be a copy-cat but I am going to do mine exactly like yours 🙂
Copy away!!! That’s the whole point of the blog, right? To share and encourage. I have my fair share of copycat projects all over my house! 🙂
I would buy some paint to fix up my living room.
I’ve got several pieces of furniture that I want to paint, but am rather hesitant to dive in and go for it, because of the sanding process. Amy Howard’s One Step Paint sounds like my solution! I suppose I have no reason not to go for it, considering how this paint will make this painting process so much easier for me.
Thanks for sharing!
I would use it to buy Amy Howard’s paint & stain Thanks
I would buy paint to paint my living room:)
You did a beautiful job on that table! I would use the gift card to buy some paint! We have a couple rooms that need attention! 😉
I have been DYING to try Amy’s chalk paint! I would most definitely use the gift card to buy the Bauhaus Buff paint, round brush, clear wax, and dark wax. Thank you so much for the chance to win!
I would buy shelves to organize our garage.
I’d use it to freshen up the house for the holidays 🙂
I would buy a bunch of Amy’s paint in Massy Hill to add a pop of color to my living room.
And I’d probably also get some bug spray, because they say we should be getting a lot of rain in California this winter, and that means all the earwigs will be trying to find a way in. And they all must die.
We are updating our bathroom within the next year and this gift card would definitely help with that!
I’d purchase this paint, because I’ve been wanting to repurpose a dresser of mine. 🙂
I would love to try out Amy Howard’s products so that is exactly what I would do with this giftcard. Fun!
I’ve been following all the ACE bloggers and their projects, but I have to say, I think your drum table is now my favorite. I couldn’t wait and had to click the link to see the lime wax tutorial which is waiting to be read as I type this comment. Thank you for sharing. You’ve inspired me to try some new techniques I hadn’t considered before and I’m certainly on the look out for Amy Howard products at my local Ace Hardware store.
You are so sweet!!! Thanks for making my day! I have to admit, I don’t fancy myself a furniture painter/refinisher. I never really got much joy from it — until now!! Perhaps it’s the products. Perhaps it’s because we received a hands-on tutorial from Amy Howard herself. But this is the first piece I’ve worked on that I’m truly proud of!!! I sit next to it everyday as I blog and check emails and can’t help myself from looking at it and touching the finish! 🙂
I would use the gift card to buy paint.
i would give it to my hubby and let his spend it
I’ve enjoyed your blog for a few years and you have inspired me to do a few projects. I checked out the Amy Howard line on Wed. at my favorite Ace Hardware store (50 miles away). They had a sample furniture piece and I talked with one of 2 guys that went to a workshop with Amy. I have been making my own chalk paint, as that is what I thought all good retired art teachers should do. This paint is wonderful and when I settle on the perfect color for my island cabinets, I am on my way to my favorite Ace in Pullman, Wa to get what I need for a beautiful finish. Thank you for your blog on this paint.
I would put it towards shelving units for my garage.
Entered the Rafflecopter as “Wild Orchid”
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com
Very pretty!
I would use it to buy paint for my bedroom!
I would buy some paint for my bathroom.
This turned out brilliantly! Just love the simplicity and elegance. Pinned it. 🙂
A double thanks for your lovely comment and the!
Great article Linda, thanks for sharing this 🙂
It’s a lovely table you have managed to renovate.
I do a lot of snooker table restorations so really appreciate articles that can offer me little tip bits for my work.
Keep up the great work Linda!!
Absolutely love this, having been searching for exactly what you did with your table…thanks