Introduction: Broken Bed -> Weathered Gray Entry Table

About: Where there's a will, there's a way! Never give up, never give in...BE the good you want to see in the world. :)

This entry table is a two-fer from a previous challenge by my husband to build entryway furniture for "nothing" using things we already owned. You can see the entryway bench with shoe storage that I made here: https://www.instructables.com/id/Trash-2-Treasure-...

The table spawned from the excess material I had left over from the broken dorm-style bunk bed frame I used to make the bench. I used the headboard from the frame for this table. Not to mention, we still needed an entryway table to catch our keys, mail, and extras for right when we walk in the front door. BONUS! :D

Let's get started...

Step 1: What You'll Need

Like I mentioned, I used JUST ONE headboard of the bunk bed to make this entire table, but I am including the dimensions of the wood pieces I used, if you need to recreate this with new materials.

WOOD DIMENSIONS:

1 - 37" L x 4 1/4" W plank

1 - 37" L x 5 1/2" W (at curve) plank

^ NOTE: These two pieces will be adhered together to make the table top.

2 - 30 1/2" L x 3 9/16" W planks (for the legs)

2 - 9" L x 2 1/2" W x 2 1/2" H posts (for the bases to the legs)

1 - 24" L x 7 9/16" W plywood that's 1/2" thick (for the shelf)


MATERIALS:

1 1/2" to 2" nails or screws

Liquid Nails Fuze It

Rustoleum Weathered Gray Stain

Rustoleum Kona (warm brown) Stain

Lint-free rags (some for applying stain, others for wiping off the stain)

4 Pegs (that came with the headboard if you're using a headboard)

80 grit sandpaper

100 grit sandpaper*

120 grit sandpaper*

220 grit sandpaper (for "distressing" the stained wood)

*NOTE: You have to use exact sandpapers (as directed on the stain cans) before applying the stain to your wood. The Kona stain required three additional sandpapers in finer grits, but I concluded that these three I already used (as listed here) were sufficient.

TOOLS:

Any special tools for taking apart the headboard (if using one)

Hand saw (or electric saw such as a jigsaw)

Hammer and/or screwdrivers

OPTIONAL: cordless drill

Caulk Gun

OPTIONAL: sanding block or electric sander

Work Gloves AND Mask (sanding with finer grit sandpaper sends tiny particles of sawdust into your lungs and eyes...these two things are a MUST!)

Disposable gloves (for applying the stain--it's MESSY!)

Step 2: Disassemble the Headboard

If you're reusing a headboard, it's time to disassemble it.

This is pretty self-explanatory.

I used a special hexagon shaped head to undo the screws in my particular headboard. Then I just pulled it apart (because the horizontal pieces were simply pushed together with pegs into the posts).

I saved the pegs for later.

DON'T FORGET: Cut your headboard pieces to size if needed (either by hand or with an electric saw).

After seeing how hard I worked with a hand saw on the bench project, my husband splurged and bought me a cheap jigsaw! Hallelujah! ;)

Step 3: Sanding

Oh, yes, it's back.

If you followed along with my other project (the bench), you know the joys of sanding off this finish. But it's a necessity, so onward we go. Yay...

1.Put on your work gloves and safety glasses. Trust me, you'll thank me later. Not to mention, for some reason I've never been cut by sandpaper, so I didn't even know it was a thing. But, I made the mistake of sanding without gloves on one part (thinking that the wood was smooth enough not to give me splinters so no problem)...yeah...my cut in my thumb was so deep from the side of the sandpaper going over it that it's still healing! Ouch!

2.Use 80 grit sandpaper to sand away all the finish of the headboard wood. Make sure to sand ALL surfaces of the wood. Skip this if you brought home new wood for this project, and proceed with #2...

3. After this sanding process is complete, wipe off the sawdust with a clean cloth or slightly damp one. Allow to dry if using a slightly damp one.

4. Now use 100 grit sandpaper to sand all surfaces of the wood pieces again. Wipe off.

5. Finally, use 120 grit sandpaper to sand all the surfaces of each wood piece. Wipe off.

**I think it would be really cool to put a wire brush on a drill and give the wood some reclaimed wood texture, too! But do this BEFORE sanding ;)

Step 4: Staining

It's time for the fun part now! Staining your wood. :)

NOTE: If you are staining your wood indoors (like I had to because I don't have a garage, and it's winter), make sure to keep a window open so it takes care of the smell, and keeps the air inside at a safer toxicity level (it helps to ventilate).

1. Put on your disposable gloves.

2. Shake up the weathered gray stain well.

3. Open the can with a flat head screwdriver, or needle nose pliers.

4. Using a clean, disposable rag, dunk a little corner in the stain. Wipe it onto ONE side of ONE piece of your wood going WITH the grain.

5. Allow to soak in for 30-45 seconds.

6. Wipe off with another clean, disposable rag. (I just designated on for applying stain, and the other for wiping off. When the wiping off one got too full, I changed it out for a new one.)

7. Once you've done 5 of the 6 sides of the piece, go on to the next piece and repeat these steps until all pieces are done.

8. Put the top on your gray stain, and allow these pieces to dry for 1 hour.

9. After these pieces have dried, using 220 grit sandpaper, distress the areas of the wood that a real old table would be distressed at (such as the edges).

10. Shake up your Kona (brown) stain well, and open the can.

11. Apply the stain to the distressed areas of the wood and in a random fashion over the grain of the wood (to make the "raw" colored wood pop).

12. Only allow this stain to sit on the surface for 10-15 seconds, then wipe off. It absorbs quickly into the wood and is very dark, so you don't want it to overstay its welcome and take away the beauty of the weathered gray color. So work in small sections, still applying it WITH the grain as much as possible.

NOTE: Yes, you have to do the weathered gray first, and then the dark brown over top. You can't switch them and do the dark brown first because it won't leave any "bare" areas for weathered gray to show through. Always do the lighter stains first to peak through the darker stains.)

13. Finish staining in this way all of the wood pieces. Allow them to dry 1 hour.

14. When dry, turn over the pieces to expose the final side that isn't stained. Repeat these steps to stain this side on all pieces too.

Step 5: Making the Tabletop

Once your pieces are all nice and dry, take the two pieces for your tabletop and adhere them together with the Liquid Nails Fuze It*.

*NOTE: Some people had issues with the Liquid Nails Construction adhesive that was white. The formula of this one (if you can still get it) is terrible and will NOT hold anything together, nor ever seem to dry. That's why I specified to use Liquid Nails **Fuze It** because this stuff works AWESOME! It's a gray color when it comes out. And anything you want to adhere together is basically stuck together after just 10 minutes. I've used it on LOTS! It's really, really good. Highly recommended!

1. Using your caulk gun, locate the little circular hole at the back in the handle. This is actually a tip cutter! Insert the plastic tip of the Liquid Nails bottle into this hole (only as deep as you want it cut), then pull the handle to cut the tip. (A little blade is inside that cuts the tip.)

2. Insert the Liquid Nails bottle into the caulk gun. To quickly pull back the metal bar for inserting the Liquid Nails container, press in the metal flat piece (that the bar goes through) and pull the metal bar back. Insert your Liquid Nails container, then pull the handle a couple times to quickly push the metal bar into the end of the container, keeping it secure. Now it's ready to use.

3. Press out a line of adhesive onto one inside piece of wood. Then press that together with the second inside piece of wood to complete the tabletop.

NOTE: Use a level (if your wood pieces are uneven heights) to make sure the tabletop is flat on top.

4. Once you are satisfied with the lay of the pieces, use painter's tape (or clamps) to keep the pieces together while drying.

5. Dry for 4-6 hours (or overnight).

Step 6: Assembly

Here's how I assembled my exact pieces (since I used the headboard parts). You may have to tweak your approach based off of what you have to work with.

1. Put the legs into the bases. I used the pegs that already came in my wood to simply drop the legs into the bases. Everything was already pre-drilled...lucky for me because I don't have a drill (which is why I used the bed frame headboard in the first place).*

2. Nail or screw the shelf into place between the legs. I set my shelf at about 15" up on the legs (not including the base heights) so it'd be centered along the length of the legs.

3. Nail or screw the tabletop to the top of the legs. (I personally like the look of nails because they make the table look more true-to-life reclaimed.)

4. You're done!

*NOTE: If you want to have easy in moving around your finished table, glue the pegs into the bases so the bases (or feet) never fall off the table.

SUGGESTION: If you have new wood you're using, you can nail or screw the bases to the legs from underneath the bases, or use the Liquid Nails Fuze It to adhere them together. That stuff is super solid!

Step 7: Time to Decorate!

You're done! WHOOP WHOOP! Time to decorate :)

What I'm planning to do to cover up the holes on the tabletop sides is get decorative metal strips (adhesive or not) to look like nail heads (like on upholstered furniture) or other decorative styles. I saw some cute ones at Walmart that were adhesive.

Decorate with an entryway mirror (mine will be framed in metallic gold), some faux or fresh flowers/plants in cute vases, a little decorative dish for holding your keys (or add hooks for key hanging into the table), and a basket on the shelf with a throw blanket or as a place for scarves, hats, and gloves, etc. Enjoy!

Don't forget to check out the entryway bench with shoe storage here (if you haven't already): https://www.instructables.com/id/Trash-2-Treasure-...

In that same 'ible about the bench are tips about sawing by hand, reading a tape measure, and using a level too!

Thanks for stopping by :)

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