What a makeover! This awesome slate topped huge coffee table was a custom job. We brought it back from the dead as it was in pretty rough shape with a finish that was the old thick rough and nasty varnish. Prepping is definitely the key! Quite the project, right? But once we finish, it will be perfect in the young person’s apartment (once moving day occurs). For now, it will go in mom and dad’s basement family room and still be used by young people. 🙂

The first thing you need to do is spend some time contemplating how to remove the top. Oh, and to find a place to store the slate top until needed again. No problem, it resided under our living room couch until needed. 🙂

The top sanded easily to get it smooth enough to paint. A good cleaning and two coats of our Missouri Limestone Paint Company chalk-style paint “Coal Shovel” and two coats of Varathane Crystal clear water based polyurethane in satin finish later, it was ready for curing.

Sanding the bottom piece wasn’t working at all. Danny got a good amount off with stripper, then I did another round of stripping with mineral spirits mixed in. That helped a lot. Then another round of mineral spirits. Cleaned well them sanded again. Used a tack cloth to get rid of any sanding dust. Then cleaned really well again. That finally got it smooth enough for painting.

Painted with two coats of Missouri Limestone Paint Company chalk-style paint “Coal Shovel” (https://sharsumpaint.com/missouri-limestone-paint-company-colors/) and sealed with two coats of Varathane water based polyurethane in satin finish. This table is now ready to be put back together!

Now came the task of lining the top and bottom holes for screwing it back together.

The beautiful slate top was rescued from under the couch and got a good drink of Wise Owl Lemon Verbena Salve. What a difference that made! It smells good now, too!

So happy how it turned out. This table is eventually going in a young person’s apartment. I can just see a group of young people gathered around it. Sitting on colorful pillows that could easily be stored underneath.