Do you have an old side table you want to turn into something fresh and new? You are going to love this easy step by step tutorial for turning an ordinary wooden table into a metallic finished rustic side table. With simple to follow steps, you'll have a new piece of furniture in your house in no time! This project takes a few days to complete, but the results are absolutely incredible.

Rustic Side Table Restoration

Side tables are a must in most homes. They can be great for holding lamps, storing books, or in this case, can even be turned into a little beverage cart. No matter what you use it for, this restoration project is sure to please. It takes a basic wooden table and turns it into a gorgeous furniture piece that is truly unique to you. One of my favorite things about these little rustic ideas is that no two are alike!

What Type of Table Works Best For This Makeover?

I prefer reaching for a true solid wood furniture piece when doing a makeover like this. The solid wood is sturdier and likely to last longer as well as be easier to refinish. Look at your local thrift shops, garage sales, flea markets, or even friends and family moving and getting rid of items for quality pieces.

My favorites are older pieces that have chipped paint or stains that could use a refresher. Even though you are giving it a distressed or rustic look, this finish is much neater than some of the damaged pieces you may have on hand.

More Fun Restoration Projects

We have tons of great inspiration here for you to check out if you like redoing furniture or upcycling items. Whether you are looking for something like a large furniture piece similar to our distressed curio cabinet restoration, or you are looking for something small, we have you covered. Start with a great list of things like this one with how to repurpose old household items. Then move on to the great ideas on the list below!

What Tools Do I Need?

Start Preparing Your Work Space and Project Piece

Always get your workspace ready by cleaning, laying out drop cloths, gathering supplies, and then getting started on cleaning the piece you are going to makeover. These steps make sure the final product is the best it can be!

Place furniture in a clean workspace. If working in a garage be sure to sweep or blow all dirt and debris out of the area you will be working in. Lay a drop cloth down to ensure the paint does not drip and ruin your flooring.
Take one lint-free cloth and dampen it with mineral spirits. Clean the entire piece of furniture with the spirits to remove any and all debris or oils that may be on the surface. Be sure to wipe down anywhere you will be painting, including the inside of drawers and/or doors. It is advised to wear a mask or be sure you are in a well-ventilated area.

Sand the entire piece using 220 grit sandpaper. If you have an orbital sander you can use this for the top of your piece and any larger areas to save you time and energy. If not, no worries sanding blocks and regular sandpaper will do just fine.

Be sure to rough up the existing finish to expose the natural wood grain. Smooth out any imperfections and ensure your piece is smooth to the touch. Be careful around any small details. Sanding is all about the pressure you apply. Heavy pressure in areas that have a thick existing finish, light pressure on corners, and areas with detail you do not want to disturb.

Take another lint-free cloth and remove all dust particles from the sanding process. Take your time, you do not want any lingering particles that will live under your paint. If you have an air compressor gun you will be done in no time. Don’t miss the corners and crevices!

Start Painting Your Side Table or Furniture Piece

Follow these steps to turn the old furniture into something gorgeous. Make sure to cover all important items and furniture as well as floors with a drop cloth to protect from any paint drips. Working in a well-ventilated area is a must!

Shake your Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue for 30 seconds.
Pour Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue on to a paper plate. A little goes a long way. Best to add more to your plate as you go to ensure you do not waste.
Using your Natural Bristle Chalk Paint Brush, coat the bottom of your brush and start painting the top of your piece.

Be sure to work the paint in the same direction as the wood grain. Working from top to bottom will help minimize drips. Coat the entire piece with the exception of the feet, leave those as the natural wood finish for now. Be sure to open any drawers and paint all that you would like to be blue to the eye. Don’t worry if the paint looks streaky it will all flatten out.
Let dry for 30 minutes.
Flip piece and paint the underneath with Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue. Be sure to focus on any edges, drawers, or areas that might be visible to ensure full coverage.
Let dry for 30 minutes.
Flip piece to have top of piece parallel with the ceiling.
Apply a second coat of Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue to the entire piece of furniture. Work in the same direction as the wood grain. Don’t worry about the underneath, no need to flip.

Let cure for 24 hours (depending on weather and humidity)
If necessary, using 220 grit sandpaper lightly sand any areas of paint drips or build up. This would be the time to check for any bristles from your brush or dust that was trapped in your paint. Light sanding will remove and give you a smooth surface.

Using your lint-free dusting cloth remove all dust and debris.

The Finishing Touches for Finalizing Your Project

Using your natural bristle flat paintbrush and Dixie Belle Moonshine Silver Bullet apply a thin coat to the entire piece. With the Moonshine Paint, less is more. You can dip your brush right into the paint container. Remember to apply a thin coat. You don’t want to glob on a lot of paint onto your brush, only a workable amount.

Work the brush back and forth, without overlapping the paint, smooth even strokes. Work small sections at a time, complete, and move on to the next section. Work quickly. If your paint starts to dry before you're satisfied in that area, lightly mist the paint with your misting spray bottle and rework the section. Water reactivates the paint.
Only one coat of Dixie Belle Moonshine Silver Bullet is necessary on top of your base coat of Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue for an opaque finish. Don’t worry if you see brush strokes, as long as you didn’t drag the paint everything will flatten out once dry.
Let cure for 24 hours (depending on weather and humidity)
Using your Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding Wax dip your dominant index finger into the tin. Apply Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding wax to any detail areas that you want to stand out. Any hardware or detail that you would like highlighted simply finger wax the area. A little bit goes a long way. If you would like the tone of the Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding wax deeper you can reapply in 10 minutes.

Using your fine natural bristle paintbrush and Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue Chalk paint finish the feet of the piece. Leaving these areas solid will give a unique finished look.
Let cure for 24 hours (depending on weather and humidity)
Using your Rust-Oleum Chalked Protective Top Coat (Matte Clear Spray) spray all the areas you gilded with the Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding Wax. Holding the spray can approximately 8 inches away coats the gilded details. This will seal the area to ensure additional protection.

The full Cure time is 30 days. (You can gently use your furniture after the first 48 hours) Be sure not to clean or drag anything across your beautiful creation before your 30 days are up.

Always Clean Your Space When Finished

Never leave your workspace dirty. Always take the time to clean up after you finish a project so everything is ready when you start a new project. This includes putting away tools, cleaning items, and putting all tables and tools back in order.

Clean all chalk paint brushes and painting brushes immediately after use with water. If buildup occurs you can gently clean with mineral spirits.

Yield: 1

Metallic Finish Rustic Side Table Restoration Tutorial

This easy step by step tutorial for turning an old side table into a gorgeous metallic finish rustic side table is sure to be a favorite new way to turn trash to treasure!

Prep Time 2 hours

Active Time 5 days

Additional Time 2 days

Total Time 7 days 2 hours

Difficulty Medium

Estimated Cost $20

Materials

Instructions

Start Preparing Your Work Space and Project Piece

Place furniture in a clean workspace. If working in a garage be sure to sweep or blow all dirt and debris out of the area you will be working in. Lay a drop cloth down to ensure the paint does not drip and ruin your flooring.
Take one lint-free cloth and dampen it with mineral spirits. Clean the entire piece of furniture with the spirits to remove any and all debris or oils that may be on the surface. Be sure to wipe down anywhere you will be painting, including the inside of drawers and/or doors. It is advised to wear a mask or be sure you are in a well-ventilated area.
Sand the entire piece using 220 grit sandpaper. If you have an orbital sander you can use this for the top of your piece and any larger areas to save you time and energy. If not, no worries sanding blocks and regular sandpaper will do just fine. Be sure to rough up the existing finish to expose the natural wood grain. Smooth out any imperfections and ensure your piece is smooth to the touch. Be careful around any small details. Sanding is all about the pressure you apply. Heavy pressure in areas that have a thick existing finish, light pressure on corners and areas with detail you do not want to disturb.
Take another lint-free cloth and remove all dust particles from the sanding process. Take your time, you do not want any lingering particles that will live under your paint. If you have an air compressor gun you will be done in no time. Don’t miss the corners and crevices!

Start Painting Your Side Table or Furniture Piece

Shake your Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue for 30 seconds.
Pour Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue on to a paper plate. A little goes a long way. Best to add more to your plate as you go to ensure you do not waste.
Using your Natural Bristle Chalk Paint Brush, coat the bottom of your brush and start painting the top of your piece. Be sure to work the paint in the same direction as the wood grain. Working from top to bottom will help minimize drips. Coat the entire piece with the exception of the feet, leave those as the natural wood finish for now. Be sure to open any drawers and paint all that you would like to be blue to the eye. Don’t worry if the paint looks streaky it will all flatten out.
Let dry for 30 minutes.
Flip piece and paint the underneath with Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue. Be sure to focus on any edges, drawers, or areas that might be visible to ensure full coverage.
Let dry for 30 minutes.
Flip piece to have top of piece parallel with the ceiling.
Apply a second coat of Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue to the entire piece of furniture. Work in the same direction as the wood grain. Don’t worry about the underneath, no need to flip.
Let cure for 24 hours (depending on weather and humidity)
If necessary, using 220 grit sandpaper lightly sand any areas of paint drips or build up. This would be the time to check for any bristles from your brush or dust that was trapped in your paint. Light sanding will remove and give you a smooth surface.
Using your lint-free dusting cloth remove all dust and debris.

The Finishing Touches for Finalizing Your Project

Using your natural bristle flat paintbrush and Dixie Belle Moonshine Silver Bullet apply a thin coat to the entire piece. With the Moonshine Paint, less is more. You can dip your brush right into the paint container. Remember to apply a thin coat. You don’t want to glob on a lot of paint onto your brush, only a workable amount. Work the brush back and forth, without overlapping the paint, smooth even strokes. Work small sections at a time, complete, and move on to the next section. Work quickly. If your paint starts to dry before you're satisfied in that area, lightly mist the paint with your misting spray bottle and rework the section. Water reactivates the paint.
Only one coat of Dixie Belle Moonshine Silver Bullet is necessary on top of your base coat of Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue for an opaque finish. Don’t worry if you see brush strokes, as long as you didn’t drag the paint everything will flatten out once dry.
Let cure for 24 hours (depending on weather and humidity)
Using your Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding Wax dip your dominant index finger into the tin. Apply Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding wax to any detail areas that you want to stand out. Any hardware or detail that you would like highlighted simply finger wax the area. A little bit goes a long way. If you would like the tone of the Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding wax deeper you can reapply in 10 minutes.
Using your fine natural bristle paintbrush and Dixie Belle Bunker Hill Blue Chalk paint finish the feet of the piece. Leaving these areas solid will give a unique finished look.
Let cure for 24 hours (depending on weather and humidity)
Using your Rust-Oleum Chalked Protective Top Coat (Matte Clear Spray) spray all the areas you gilded with the Dixie Belle Bronze Gilding Wax. Holding the spray can approximately 8 inches away coats the gilded details. This will seal the area to ensure additional protection.
The full Cure time is 30 days. (You can gently use your furniture after the first 48 hours) Be sure not to clean or drag anything across your beautiful creation before your 30 days are up.

Always Clean Your Space When Finished

Clean all chalk paint brushes and painting brushes immediately after use with water. If buildup occurs you can gently clean with mineral spirits.

Notes

Follow these steps for any wood furniture piece.

Recommended Products

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Rustic Side Table Restoration

What Type of Table Works Best For This Makeover?

More Fun Restoration Projects

What Tools Do I Need?

Start Preparing Your Work Space and Project Piece

Start Painting Your Side Table or Furniture Piece

The Finishing Touches for Finalizing Your Project

Always Clean Your Space When Finished

Materials

Instructions

Start Preparing Your Work Space and Project Piece

Start Painting Your Side Table or Furniture Piece

The Finishing Touches for Finalizing Your Project

Always Clean Your Space When Finished

Notes

Recommended Products

More Furniture Makeovers

Reader Interactions

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