{whitewashed farm table}
When we bought this house, I quickly realized that the square counter height table we had wouldn’t work in the rectangle dining room we would have now.  As soon as I saw the space, I knew exactly what I wanted–a large, farm table with benches with a whitewashed finish–perfect for our family and entertaining friends. My husband made the table & benches the week we were moving, and I finished the whitewashing literally as they were getting ready to put it on the moving truck. I absolutely LOVE the finished product, and it was so worth hurrying to get it done before we left!   Â
Whitewashing is so, SO easy, and gives wood a fresh, clean look. It would work on refinished or new furniture, decor (think planked signs…totally cute), headboards…the sky is the limit! You will need to use bare wood–not on laminate/slick surfaces, Â It also works in a variety of spaces, and with different styles, making it very versatile. Â I also love that you can see the grain of the woos
Okay, here are the supplies you need:
*white paint
*water
*bristle paintbrush and foam brush
*wipe on poly and lint-free rag
*power sander
*finishing wax
There are a lot of suggestions and different opinions on the ratio of paint to water for whitewashing. Â I think it depends on how “whitewashed” you want it to look–how thick or thin you want the white paint to be. Â I went with a ratio of 2 parts water to 1 part paint, and I thought it was perfect. Â I could still see the grain of the wood, which I wanted, and it wasn’t too runny, or too white.
Step 1: Â Sand your surface, then wipe it with a damp cloth and make sure it’s dust-free. Â Mix the paint and water, using a 2:1 ratio (2 parts water 1 part paint). Â I mixed mine in the paint can itself, because there was only about 1/3 of the can left, and it was easy to mix it in there. You could also measure it out in a paint bucket, or other paint-safe container. Â ***I WOULD SUGGEST TRYING IT ON A PIECE OF SCRAP WOOD TO MAKE SURE YOU LIKE IT FIRST!!!! Â You can always add more paint if you like.
Step 2: Â I used two different brushes, and I liked them both for different reasons. Â I liked the regular, bristle paintbrush for the majority of the painting–it went on easier, not too heavy, and went pretty fast. Â I liked the foam brush for the corners, and small areas where I couldn’t get the the bristles to cover. Â The foam brush will soak up more paint, so it looks heavier, so be aware of that if you are switching back and forth. Â Start lightly–you can always add more if you need to.
*If you are doing this for a decoration piece, like a planked wood sign, you could stop at this point–the poly and wax are optional. Â If you’re doing furniture, or anything where the surface will get use or wear, you’ll want to complete the next couple of steps.
Step 3: Â Once your paint is completely dry, you can do a light finish sanding, use a very fine grit sandpaper. Â Make sure to wipe off any excess dust with a lint-free rag. Add a coat of poly according to the directions on the can, then a second coat. Â Let dry completely.
Step 4: Â For the last step, I added a finishing wax by Minwax. Â Since it was to be our kitchen table, I wanted to make sure that I could easily wash it, clean it, and provide a barrier for food and liquids that would get on it. Â The wax also makes the surface very smooth, which I especially wanted–no splinters at the table, lol! Â I followed the directions on the can, using cheesecloth to apply a very small amount over the table and benches, letting it try for 15 minutes, then buffing it out. (The timing is important!) Â Make sure to read and follow the directions on your can—it definitely makes a difference. Â It makes the surface so lovely and smooth–the perfect finish for our new kitchen table! Â WARNING: Â Make sure you love it before you add the wax, because once it’s on, it’s on!
