Choosing your base

*This post is sponsored by Unicorn SPiT, but all statements and opinions are mine.

A while back I had refinished a coffee table for a friend and replaced the old worn out top with reclaimed wood. I never throw things away and still held onto the old top. I also had a set of hairpin legs laying around from another table I had taken apart. While cleaning up a few things in my work area I decided to put those odds and end to good use and build a new table.

Using the top of this old coffee table as the base I started by first sanding and painting a coat of Cece Caldwell’s Beckley Coal. Then measuring and marking lines for the center of the table. Once I had the center marked, I started cutting my wood shims for the center design at a 45 degree angle on one end. Then using wood glue and an 18 gauge brad nailer, attached them in double layers in the arrow pattern from the center out.

I did not pre-stain the shims before nailing them because I knew I would be trimming and sanding them after the glue was dry. It didn’t make sense to double my work when I can do it correctly the first time.

Then using a chalk line and a drafting square, I snapped chalk lines for each edge of the table to be a guide for trimming off the edges.

Once I had the sides trimmed with the circular saw, I filled and sanded any gaps and nail holes. After I cleaned off all the dust with a microfiber cloth, I grabbed a few colors of Unicorn SPiT colored gel stains.

I started with Weathered Daydream. Then added Rustic Reality and White Ning.

Using 1 x 2, I measured for my miter cuts to trim out the edges of the table.

A little more sanding and I stained the trim with Rustic Reality. I attached the hairpin legs with 1” Spax screws, which by the way are the best thing since sliced bread!!

I did a light sanding over the entire table to even out the colors and to give it more of the worn barn quilt look.

After I was happy with the color I put on one quick coat of a shellac wash coat (50/50 denatured alcohol and shellac). Once that was dry I finished the entire table with a few coats of Black Dog Salvage Guard Dog sealer in matte.