A STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL ON HOW I UPDATED THESE TRASHED CHINESE CHIPPENDALE END TABLES INTO A GORGEOUS DESIGNER MAKEOVER| YOUTUBE VIDEO COMING THIS SATURDAY!

Hi, beautiful friends! Spring is in full swing here, and it feels great. I’ve started cleaning up the garden and have even mowed the lawn twice. That may not sound overly excited but after our long, freezing, cold winter, I’m so into it. I also have a sweet surprise and proof of spring for you at the end of today’s post. Aside from working outdoors, I’ve also had fun restyling and upcycling today’s salvaged find. While I was antiquing with my friend over the weekend, Terry spotted these trashed Chinese Chippendale End Tables. I put on the brakes, and we loaded them into my FUV. I can’t wait to share how I transformed them from the 80’s to designer beauties!

In today’s post, I’m also sharing –

• Why use a CLEAR primer
• A quick and easy way to update with one paint color
• How to add cane rattan to furniture
• And more!

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There are affiliate links in this post to other companies/products I use and love as well.  You will never be charged extra when you purchase through these affiliate links. If you purchase from my links – A BIG thank you for supporting me and the #siblog! To see my full disclaimer, click here.

Below are the Chinese Chippendale tables we found curbside. That lattice pattern is a dead giveaway—it mimics the fretwork seen in classic Chinese-inspired Chippendale pieces. There are no markings on the back, so I’m guessing these reproduction tables might be Ethan Allen, Drexel or Basset as they were commonly made by these companies in the 1980s.

When I brought them down to my studio, it was time for a better look. The glass inset tops are a modern adaptation, as the original Chinese Chippendales were usually solid wood or marble. The glass and wood base were all in great shape. A little wear and tear, but nothing a restyle can’t take care of.

The only damage I could see was this piece of wood missing from the lip under the glass top.

THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE.  YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

SUPPLIES

Chinese Chippendale End Tables – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Auto Sponge
Sanding Sponge
Two Part Wood Epoxy 
Bonding BOSS Clear Primer
2″ Angled Paint Brush
Black Sands SILK Mineral Paint
All Natural Cane Rattan (8% off as of writing)

TOOLS

Plastic Putty Knife
Bosch Orbital Sander
Pneumatic Upholstery Staple Gun
5″ Interface Sanding Sponge for Sander

CLEANING/PREP

To start preparing this piece for its makeover, I removed the glass tops and cleaned these tables with a  heavy-duty furniture cleaner, and a large automotive sponge. To get the dust and dirt out of the grooves, I used a dollar store brush.

SCUFF SANDING

Once the tables were all clean and dry, I brought them into my sanding room for a good scuff sand. I used my Bosch Orbital Sander with a 120-grit sandpaper. I also added this sanding sponge attachment to easily get around the curves. And if you can see my NO DUST sanding set up here. It’s inexpensive and works amazing!

I’ve been asked why I clean my tables before I sand. First, I don’t like working with dirty furniture. Especially if it’s been found curbside, I like cleaning it right away. Also, I don’t want to grind or sand any oils, dirt, or grime into the wood with the sander. Thirdly, if you sand and then use water/cleaner, it opens up the wood grain. In many cases, that may be just fine, but I prefer to clean, sand, and then use a tack cloth to remove all the dust before priming.

 CLEAR BONDING PRIMER (WHY IT MIGHT BE A GOOD CHOICE)

 

I recently ordered some more stain-blocking CLEAR bonding primer. Unlike traditional white or gray primers, a clear primer seals the surface without altering the wood’s natural tone, making it a great option when you want to preserve some wood detail or avoid color distortion. Great if you do distressed or vintage finishes, where you want some original finish to peek through. And just like ‘regular’ white or gray primers, it also helps improve paint adhesion and can reduce blotchiness, odors, and bleedthrough.

PREPPING CANE RATTAN

To prepare the cane rattan for installation, I rolled it out onto a table. It feels stiff and wants to roll back onto itself so I use two paint cans on either end to hold it down. Then using a measuring tape, I measure the length and width of the table inserts where the rattan will be installed. I transfer those measurements to the rattan and cut it using a straight edge and a box cutter. Once cut to size, I add some water to a sink and soak the rattan for a half hour. This softens it up even after it’s dried overnight. This step makes it so much easier to install.

EPOXY REPAIR/FILL

To repair the missing piece of wood, I used this two-part Wood Epoxy. It’s really fun and easy to use. It reminds me of Play-Doh! I take equal amounts of parts A and B and knead them together in my hands until the color is uniform. Then I mold it to the missing area. For extra support, you can add some nails to mold the putty around. This works as a rebar or a DIY short reinforcing bar. I also used a paint stick clamped to the back of the table to get a smooth, straight finish. This WoodEpox is very maleable, so it molds to curves easily.

PAINTING BLACK SANDS

Now for the fun part – paint! I was originally going to use Coffee Bean – a gorgeous brown black, but then changed my mind to Black Sands SILK All-In-One Mineral Paint. This is a classic soft black. I painted two coats for full coverage. This paint can be sprayed on OR brushed on. It self-levels beautifully. The primer and topcoat are included, so it’s a huge time saver as well.

INSTALLING CANE RATTAN + GLASS

Once I had brushed on two coats of paint and let everything dry overnight, I came back the next morning to install the cane rattan onto these tables. I like using a pneumatic upholster gun, but if you have a manual stapler, that will work just as well. To install, I placed the (previously cut and soaked cane) squares onto the back with the front side facing down. I like to use one staple on each side, stretching the rattan out before I staple it all in. I’ll share the full demo for you in this weekend’s YouTube video.

As I mentioned, the Silk All-In-One paint includes the topcoat; no spray finish was required. The last step was to clean the two glass inserts with some window cleaner and put them back onto the end tables.

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STEP-BY-STEP END TABLE MAKEOVERS