How to: Refresh a Patio Table

It usually happens this way.

I’m sitting down relaxing outside while my girls play, observing my surroundings and minding my own business when inspiration will strike.

Ooh, that would look cool if I painted it turquoise.
I bet if we built a wall we could hang all of our wrought iron crosses.
Let’s hang a million lights in our patio.

Then I jump up and start a project. But then this happens…I look up — nowhere near being done — and its almost midnight and my back hurts and my kids ate popcorn for dinner.

But this project isn’t like that.

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I wanted to refresh an outdoor table that my husband built from scrap wood. We spend a lot of time enjoying our patio even though we are already in September. Southern California shows no signs of welcoming fall at all and I knew we’d still have plenty of time to enjoy this table. Michael didn’t want me to paint it (because I paint everything), so I thought a happy medium would be to paint the legs.

Super easy, right?

You can paint a table or a chair would work, too.

If you want to be fancy, you can sand the legs and fill in any cracks with wood putty. I didn’t bother. I knew this table was going to be outside in the elements so why not just add to its rustic-ness?

Choose the area you want to be painted and then tape it off. I chose “fern” green so it would blend with my outdoor room and succulents.

You could cover the table with plastic so it doesn’t get any overspray, or….you could just be very careful because you don’t want to go looking for plastic like I did. Let dry in between coats and then remove tape.

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Now, see how easy that was?