Saturday, November 14, 2009

Advice requested.

So, We bought this dining set. I've had my eye out for something this shape for ages and finally found something on Craig's list Hurrah!
The only trouble is this shell motif that's carved in the legs. I'd really rather have smooth legs (that's why I shave every day)

It seems to me that with a combination of wood putty and sanding, I could make the shell design disappear. But I don't know anything about refinishing furniture, or wood working, or anything of the sort. I'm planning to paint the whole thing so the bare wood won't need to look pretty.


Tell me friends. Is my goal attainable?
Will elbow grease and the advice of more experienced friends leave me with a smooth legged table, or should I learn to live with the shells?

Also, what kind of paint and brushes should I use? And how do I avoid paint drips? And what else do you think I should know?
All advice will be appreciated, thank you.

2 comments:

Kate said...

OK my fun friend! Here is my unprofessional advice... you could try one chair to see if it works maybe in a smallish sort of place, my only worry about putty would be it cracking and coming loose. But definitely worth the try if you hate it.
As far as paint goes. I don't like brushes, they leave stripes everywhere, so I prefer spray paint, or if you know someone who owns a spray gun that you could borrow, that would be more cost effective and time effective. Just don't paint too much at one time.
By the way.. I miss you and your cute family, so tell them all "hi" from us!
Love you all!
Katie

Stefannie said...

Wood putty is mighty awesome stuff. Just smear it into the sections you want to fill, and once it dries you can sand it down to the shape you desire.

I'd recommend sanding the surface of those legs first, so you're not trying to get wood putty to bond to a smooth already-painted surface.

Ditto on the spray paint. In a fit of redecorating, I painted a chair with leftover semi-gloss paint from our walls and a mangey brush. The color is lovely, but the paint chips easily and the brush left streaks.