DIY painted coffee table

A painted coffee table is an inexpensive way to give your living room a new look. Adding clever detail can even give it a high-end look. Let me show you what I did.

The moment I saw this coffee table on Facebook Marketplace, I knew exactly how I could give it a more glamorous look and how it would be perfect for the living room makeover I had in mind.

It has the same fluted legs as one of the end tables I recently painted (also for the living room makeover I have in mind). Even the brass detail on the legs is similar.

The top of the coffee table was in rough shape, but since it is not solid wood, painting it was the obvious thing to do anyway.

Prepping Before Painting

Removing brass detail from the coffee table before sanding it down

I love these little brass plates! At first, I thought they were identical to the ones on the end table, but not quite. I used a flat-head screwdriver to remove them before sanding the wood.

The top has a layer of oak veneer, forming an interesting pattern.

Oak is extremely hard, and other than the end table, I did not sand through the veneer layer while taking off the thick varnish coating.

I considered leaving the top with a natural wood look, but the pattern was too busy for my liking.

The sides and legs only got a light scuffing for the paint to grip well.

Painting the Coffee Table

If you read my post about the end table makeover, you might remember that I used the color “In the Navy” in Dixie Belle’s chalk paint range. I was not 100% sure about my color choice. It was slightly darker than what I had in mind.

I chose the color “Nautical” for the coffee table in Dixie Belle’s Silk paint range.

As I started painting, I immediately knew this was the right color! The one I had in mind from the beginning. I re-painted the two end tables, and in “Nautical,” they look so much more alive!

The Silk Mineral Paint has a built-in primer and topcoat. I decided to add a bit of wax anyway.

It gives the paint a lovely, lustrous shine, and I am crazy about the smell of the Orange Grove Big Mama’s Butta.

Added Detail for a Custom Look

The first time I saw this coffee table, I imagined it with caster wheels. I’m not sure why, but what I do know is that I have a thing for caster wheels!

I have never owned furniture with wheels on, but I love the look.

I think that it gives a high-end look to any piece of furniture if it is the right kind of caster wheel, of course.

Adding Caster Wheels to the Legs of the Table

Since I have never put caster wheels on anything before, I was curious to see how it is done. It is so easy!

Each wheel is attached to a metal pin called a stem. These stems fit into metal shafts called t-nuts.

Drilling holes in the legs of the coffee table for caster wheels

Step one is to drill a hole right in the center of each leg.

Start with a smaller drill bit than needed and follow that with the correct size bit. It makes the process a lot easier.

The most challenging part was not to set the table alight! The friction between the drill bit and the plywood causes it to get really hot! If it starts to smoke, stop and wait for everything to cool down.

Luckily, there are four legs, so you can move on to the next one while waiting, and so on!

Once all four holes are deep and wide enough, insert the t-nuts. The long, narrow parts should fit easily by just pushing them into the legs by hand. The flat heads have teeth that need to be hammered into the wood.

Lastly, the stems can be pushed into the t-nuts by hand. Easy-peasy.