Sage Green Sofa Table Transformation with Chalk Paint

Sage is a beautiful color idea for furniture. When choosing to update an old, worn down side table, sage was a great way to brighten up the simple piece. Chalk painting this side table was perfect as the wood was so worn and painting was a clean and easy option.

Transforming This Side Table with Sage Chalk Paint

For this piece, I chose Country Chic’s Sage advice. Their product is eco-friendly and also has rave reviews. I’m always on the lookout for products that are safe around my children and pets, and safe for the environment. Country Chic is the perfect product for the environmentally conscious. 

Prepping the Side Table for Painting

The first step was to prep the wood, as is with any painting project. Not only did it need to be cleaned of dirt and spider webs with mild soap and water, but it also needed to be sanded because of the peeling veneer.

This took considerable time. However, once the wood was smooth and free of dirt, I then wiped it down with a damp wash cloth to remove any sawdust.

Painting with Chalk Paint

Using the Country Chic Oval Paint Brush, this piece was easy to paint as there isn’t a ton of wood. The paint went on smoothly and easily. However, there was definite bleed through with the first coat from the dark veneer that was still present underneath.

The wood pieces of the side table took around 2 hours to dry from the first coat. Once dried, I used sand paper to sand any bumps that formed and applied a second coat. The second coat was quick and easy.

This color is so easy and offers such great coverage that no additional coats were needed! Starting with a 16oz can, it took about half the can to finish painting the table.

Related: How to Get a Brush Stroke Free Finish with Chalk Paint

Distressing the Side Table

Using 220 grain sandpaper, I then lightly sand down the corners and edges of the table to expose the raw wood underneath. Distressing is best done in areas that seem like it is worn naturally. This process on a piece this small can be quick and easy. I completed the distressing in a little over an hour.

Using Wax to Seal Furniture

Using Country Chic’s 4oz Natural Wax and a waxing brush, this table was sealed to provide some durability. Gently apply the wax throughout the whole piece of furniture. Then take a dry lint-free cloth and wipe off any excess wax.

Buff the wax using a circular motion until it no longer feels tacky. The wax should be dry enough to handle in about 24 hours. Although, if the piece you are working on will be used heavily or handled often, wax can take up to 30 days to cure completely. 

Updating the Hardware

The hardware on this piece was a tarnished, with a brassy finish. Using a metal specific spray paint, the hardware was painted black to offer a great contrast to the light sage color of the wood. This took 24 hours to dry completely before I was able to handle it. 

Finishing the Furniture

After I reassembled the sofa table, the piece turned out simply beautiful. This will be used on my patio for gardening supplies and summer cocktails! The color is soft and soothing.

The paint quality is definitely top of the line. To top it off, this piece was so easy to complete. The sofa table transformation turned out exactly how I imagined. 

Thoughts for Future Pieces

After completely this piece, there are a few things I would have done differently:

1. I would have done a bit more sanding. The veneer was drastically chipping on this piece, and even with my initial sanding, there were areas that remained bumpy even after the painting.
2. I applied too much paint in some of the corners and edges. I should have been a bit more conservative. Chalk paint is forgiving and I was able to sand the dried drips of paint. It would have been nice not to add this extra step to the painting process.
3. I didn’t buff the wax well enough and it was still tacky when I went to reassemble the table. I was able to wash the dirt and fingerprints off the piece and buff out the wax, but again, it was an additional step I could have avoided.

Want More Chalk Painting Ideas?

• How to Pick Out Furniture to Chalk Paint
• Caring for Your Chalk Painting Brushes
• How to Chalk Paint Furniture for Beginners

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