DIY Nightstand

Hi there! I’m proud of this project, guys, because I was able to use a couple of things from our basement to create a totally new side table for our bedroom. I happened to have a round table top left over from one of those decorator tables you’re supposed to cover with a round tablecloth. I also had one sad, lonely bar stool. Happily, these two items had just the right dimensions to make a nightstand that would fit into the narrow space beside our bed.

First I sanded and primed both pieces. The table top, however, was made out of that really rough chip board (I think that’s what you call it), and it just wouldn’t sand out smooth. I had plans to stencil the top, but that just wasn’t gonna work. So, I went to plan B and decided to cover the top with fabric so I could achieve a smooth finish. This worked out great! After spray painting the stool, I Mod Podged fabric onto the table top. My husband cut shelves to fit on the rungs, which I also primed and painted. Now…what to do with the edge of the table top that still looked chippy? I tried painting it, but it just wouldn’t accept paint very well. So I bought some nailhead trim and that finished it off perfectly.

Now I’m happy. So what do you think?

Here’s my process:

Bar Stool Table
Nap Rating = 5 or more (This was definitely a more time-intensive project, and it was hard to determine a nap rating because there was so much stopping and starting. Paint, dry time, layer of mod podge, dry time, more paint, dry time…just take it one step at a time and you’ll eventually finish!)

Tools and Materials

Bar stool
Round table top
Sanding sponge
Primer
Paintbrush
Spray paint in color of your choice (I used heirloom white)
One yard of fabric
Fabric pencil if you have one (but I just used a pen)
Scissors
Mod Podge (gloss finish)
400 grit sand paper
Steel wool
Spray sealer
Nail head trim (I used Dritz Nailhead Trim in antique brass and was super-happy with it. I purchased it at Jo-Anns, where it sells for $19.99, but I had a 40% off coupon. It’s great because you only have to tack in every third nailhead using pre-spaced holes. So easy!)
Tack hammer
Plywood (we had some scrap)
Power saw
Wood glue or Liquid Nails

I’d like to include a little breakdown of my costs. I don’t always do this because my projects are typically pretty cheap, but this one was pricier. I spent a little over $30 on the whole thing, which is still pretty good for a new table and I love that I got the stool out of our basement where it was just taking up space.

Costs

Stool and table top–Free! (from our basement)
Plywood–Free! (Neighbors were moving and they were gonna throw it out.)
Fabric–$5
Spray paint–$6
Steel wool and sandpaper–$8.50
Nailhead trim–$12 (It’s usually $19.99 but I had a coupon)
MY TOTAL = $31.50

I had everything else already, and I suspect you may, too. But if you have to buy everything, this project could be cost-prohibitive. I mean, if you have to buy the stool…it might not make sense to tackle this particular project since you could buy a brand new table for less than the cost of materials. Just think it through is all I’m sayin’.

Steps

Measure the space between the rungs on your stool and cut plywood to fit using a power saw.
Lightly sand your stool and shelves with a sanding sponge.
Paint the stool, shelves, and table top with one coat of primer. Let dry completely.
Spray paint the stool, shelves and table top with one to two coats of semi-gloss spray paint in color of your choice. Let dry completely.
When the table top is completely dry, lay it on top of your fabric and trace the circumference with a fabric pencil (or pen).
Cut the circle from the fabric.
Coat the table top with a thin layer of Mod Podge and lay the fabric circle on top.
Coat the top of the fabric with another thin layer of Mod Podge and let dry.
Repeat step 8 at least 3 more times, letting each coat dry about 30 minutes.
Wet sand the table top using the 400 grit sandpaper. I just used a spray bottle to spritz the sandpaper a little and then rubbed the whole table in a circular motion.
Wipe the table dry with a paper towel.
Rub the table top with steel wool to polish it even more.
Finally, spray the table top with a clear sealant and let dry.
Using a tack hammer, apply the nail head trim to the edge of the table top.
Assemble the table by applying wood glue or Liquid Nails to the stool seat and placing the table top on top. You may have to do this with the shelves as well, but ours fit so snugly, I didn’t see a need.