IKEA Hacks have to be my favourite type of DIY projects. Especially if you already own tons of IKEA furniture and are thinking of sprucing them up. I always wanted a beautiful wood table with copper accents (can’t get enough copper!), but $3,000 for a coffee table is a bit much for my wallet to handle. So, because I always get what I want – one way or the other – I decided to craft my own reclaimed wood table with 1% of the cost. Now, my table obviously isn’t as fancy and ornate as a $3,000 table, but I love it and have had many a compliment on it. The best part? It only cost me stain and spray paint.
Start with the classic IKEA coffee table.
Wipe clean in order to get a nicer finish. There is one spot on my leg that has a bit of fluff stuck to it and now it drives me absolutely nuts. However, sanding free and re-painting will clean that right up.
Spray your table in the colour desired. I chose copper.
Get yourself some old wood. This can be found at a friend’s house, specific wholesalers, or if you just recently took down an old weathered greenhouse (like I did), in your own backyard. Luckily for me, I didn’t have to do much to the wood; the natural weathered colour was exactly what I was going for and the stain helped to bring it out. If you’ve no access to weathered wood (because not everyone does, Pinterest), simply buying 2×4’s from the local hardware store will suffice. You can stain it any colour you wish and use the tea and vinegar hack to make it look aged.
I used different sized pieces to make it look even more farmhouse chic and didn’t worry about nail holes or knots in the wood. That’s the style I was going for, but if you’re going for a more polished look, starting with fresh wood and staining it to your preference will work nicely.
Sand the wood down to get a soft finish. Stain as recommended. I used three coats of stain to get the desired colour, bringing out the natural tone of the wood with a hint of grey. Finish with a sealant that will protect the wood against any spillage that may occur on a table.
Once dry, line each piece up as you see fit (if going for the different sized look) and simply glue on with wood glue and clamp. I had one warped piece of wood and decided to use screws on that section to keep it from popping up. Either way will work and just depends on how confident you feel with a drill.
*If going the glue route make sure that you clean up any drips of glue (from being glue happy) that may have happened right away*
Et voila! A beautiful farmhouse table that will have all your friends talking and green with envy.
