Today, I’ll take you on a journey through my chalk painted end tables makeover -turning old end tables into vibrant, charming furniture pieces. This step-by-step guide is filled with valuable tips and tricks on using a paint sprayer when creating your own chalk paint furniture ideas.

So whether you’re an expert DIYer or a beginner, strap in, as we dive into this fun and rewarding process of giving a new lease of life to discarded furniture! Let’s get our hands dirty and transform these tables into something truly spectacular.

Wooden end tables before getting painted with chalk paint

Before we jump in, let’s set the stage. Picture this: you’ve stumbled upon a couple of old end tables that have seen better days. They might be scratched, chipped, or just plain outdated. But you see potential.

You imagine them in a fresh, vibrant color, jazzed up with trendy new hardware, taking pride of place in a cozy living room. Well, that’s exactly what we’re tackling today.

With a bit of patience, the right tools, and some good old DIY spirit, we’re going to transform these end tables from drab to fab. Trust me, it’s easier than you might think, and the results are oh-so satisfying!

Oh, and a little shoutout, thank you Dixie Belle Paint for sponsoring this post and giveaway!

Scroll Down to Enter the $250 Dixie Belle Giveaway!

Table of Contents

Supplies for Chalk Painted End Tables

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Here’s a quick round-up of the supplies I used for this project.

Krud Kutter
Metal Scraper
Nail Gun
Electric Screwdriver
SurfPrep’s Sanding Screens (80, 100, 150, 220) (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
SurfPrep 3×4″ Sander (Use code RAY10 to get 10% off your order)
Shop Vacuum
Tack Cloth
Clear Shellac
Wagner FLEXiO 5000 Sprayer
Chalk Paint – Cottage Door
Wagner Sprayer Cup Liners
Paint Filter
Respirator
Pre-taped Plastic
Painters Tape
Plastic Wood filler
220 Grit Sandpaper and Sanding Block
Dixie Belle Topcoat
Dixie Belle Paint Brush

Remember, your specific project might require additional or different supplies depending on the furniture and finish you’re working with.

Preparing End Tables for Chalk Paint

Did you see what the end tables look like before? They have scratched tops and loose wobbly legs. They have a cute style though!

Close view of the top of a dinged and scratched end table

First I clean the tables with Krud Kutter and remove hardware.

There were some stickers and tape left from the previous owner so I scrubbed off stickers residue and tape. Here’s how to clean furniture before painting to learn more about the step by step process of cleaning furniture.

The drawer on one end table is loose, so I pulled it off, remove the nails and then glue and nail it back in place. Flip tables over and tighten the screws that hold on the legs. The legs are much more sturdy and tight in place now.

End tabled flipped over to tighten the legs with a screwdriver

Sand the top to remove the scratches. Start with 80 grit sandpaper and I am trying to not sand too much because this is for sure veneer over pressed wood. But I almost sanded through the veneer in one spot. I don’t think I can stain the tops without this spot showing up as a different color.

But, I got most of the scratches out, so that’s good enough.

Sand tops smooth with 100 grit sandpaper, then 150 grit sandpaper, and then 220 grit sandpaper to slowly get it to a smooth surface. Moving through the grits like this helps prevent sanding swirls from showing up, even if you paint the wood.

Check out our blog post about sanding before painting furniture to learn more about why it is important.

Remove dust with shop vacuum and tack cloth.

Take end tables outside and spray clear shellac on end tables. The clear shellac blocks bleed through from coming through the paint and it helps the paint that I am using stick better. That’s why I didn’t have to scuff sand the rest of the table before painting.

Let the clear shellac dry overnight to help it block bleedthrough as much as possible. Here’s how to stop stains from coming through paint and how to fix paint bleed through to learn how to prevent this issue from happening and how to tackle it when it’s happened.

Chalk Painting End Tables

I got a new paint sprayer, the Wagner FLEXiO 5000 sprayer, a model just above the sprayer I use all of the time (the Wagner FLEXiO 3500.) The 5000 paint sprayer has the motor in this case, so this is like the air compressor.

And then you don’t have to hold the motor in your hand. This sprayer is an electric sprayer so you just plug it in and put paint in it. It’s one of the best paint sprayer for chalk paint!

Check out our Wagner Flexio 5000 paint sprayer review to learn more about the features, pros, cons, and overall performance to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your next project.

For this makeover, I’m using Dixie Belle’s new cottage paint line color Cottage Door. Dixie Belle sent me a package of supplies for this makeover. Check out my honest Dixie Belle Paint review here.

I am testing out the Wagner sprayer cup liners to see if they are worth it to use.

I pour my paint into a paint filter to prevent my sprayer from clogging, and then I add water to the paint to thin it out so I can get a perfectly fine finish on my furniture.

If you ever run into the issue of clogging, here’s a guide on how to unclog a paint sprayer.

scroll slowly so the photos can load properly

This paint is thick, so I’m thinning it with 20% water. Gotta mix the paint and water together really well to make sure it is all mixed in. Learn more about how to thin paint for the Wagner FLEXiO sprayer here.

This sprayer just clicks together, and then you just flip a couple switches to turn it on.

I test the spray on a piece of cardboard so I can make sure it sprays right before I spray on my furniture. Then I spray the furniture.. and this sprayer is spraying AMAZING. Less overspray, and it definitely is lighter in my hand than the other sprayer.

Learn more about how to use this sprayer in our how to use Wagner FLEXiO 5000 paint sprayer post.

Using a paint sprayer to paint end tables with chalk paint

Look at how well it sprayed on my first coat!! Hardly any texture at all here!

I also pulled the drawers out, so I can spray the edges of the drawers. And yep, that’s plastic around my drawer so I don’t get paint inside the drawers.

Spraying the edges of the drawer on an end table with paint

Dealing with Challenges

I let the paint dry for maybe an hour, but now that I’m looking at it, I can see cracks on the top, so I need to fill them in with wood filler. I like this Plastic wood filler, and I just use my finger to apply it in the cracks. Then I let it dry for an hour or so.

Check out our list of the best wood fillers for furniture to learn more about the different wood fillers and when you should use them. And here’s how to fix cracks in wood before painting for a detailed guide on fixing cracks in wood.

Filling cracks in the top of the end tables with wood filler

And now I have to sand the wood filler flush so you can’t tell that I filled these areas. I am using 220 grit sandpaper to sand it down. And now that I created a bunch of dust, I’ve gotta clean it up. So I vacuum up my dust and then use a tack cloth to make sure the dust is all gone.

And yeah, I use the same tack cloth over and over again until it won’t pick up dust anymore.

Now I have to cover up the wood filler, and while I’m at it, I’m spraying everything just to make sure I have full coverage all over. I really didn’t think I would like this sprayer, but I’m liking it more and more as I use it.

I think this is my last coat of paint, so now I’m going to clean the sprayer and get it ready for topcoat.

I do think that I was able to get more paint back out of the sprayer since I used these liners. I was able to squeeze the paint back in the container instead of washing it down the drain. Now I gotta clean the nozzle of the sprayer.

I just rinse it out and then spray some soapy water through it to make sure the paint is cleaned out of the inside. While the paint dries overnight, my sprayer is drying out too. Learn how to clean the Wagner FLEXiO paint sprayers in our blog post.

Topcoating Chalk Painted End Tables

The next day I mix my topcoat into the sprayer. I’m doing basically the same thing that I did with the paint. But as I’m spraying the topcoat, it’s not going on right.

There is too much coming out, and I’m wondering if I thinned the topcoat too much because I’ve never used this topcoat before. I have my settings basically all the way down and it’s still spraying way too much.

So, I have to brush out the topcoat so it doesn’t drip everywhere before it dries. I’m using a Dixie Belle paint brush to brush them out, and hoping for the best honestly, because it is everywhere!

Here’s how to apply polycrylic to painted furniture by hand, so you can learn the tricks that we use to get a streak free finish!

Using a brush to get rid of drips in the wet topcoat on an end table.

But once it dried, it looked so good!!! I’m impressed! No brush marks in it or anything.

For the next coat, I’m still not sure what to do, and guess I’ll just brush out the drips again… But halfway through I ran out of topcoat, so I have to fill it up again.. and as I’m testing the sprayer again, I realize that my tip isn’t screwed on tight!!

Ugh! That was my issue this whole time with the topcoat! Because now that I screwed it on tight, I had to adjust my settings and turn them way up, and it’s spraying normal again. Ooops!

Learn more about different options of Topcoats for Painting Furniture here!

Final Touches

The next day with the topcoat dry, I’m trying to decide between a couple of knobs, but I think I like how fun these white and gold knobs are, so that’s what I’m going with.

If you’re a visual person, check out our YouTube video below to watch the whole process!

Here’s what it looks like now! These cute peach chalk painted end tables are going to be so much fun for someone! What do you think of the color and the hardware?

More Before and After Makeovers

See All >

Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.

Painting an Antique Buffet

Painting a Dresser Gray

Major Patio Table Makeover

Painting a Dining Table White

close up view of end table showing the inside of the drawer

Now, without further ado, it’s time for some fun!

Enter the $250 Dixie Belle Giveaway here!

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Visit these other furniture makeovers for 4 more chances to win the $250 Dixie Belle Giveaway!

collage of furniture makeovers before using Dixie Belle Cottage Paint

The winner will be randomly picked and announced on Tuesday, September 26th here on the blog. The winner has 48 hours to claim their Dixie Belle Giveaway before another winner is selected so be sure to check back! 🙂