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I'm new to this post. I'm looking forward to hearing some insightful recommendations. Anything would be appreciated.
I took home an abandoned IKEA LACK coffee table in black. It's a plain, four legged table, that's very basic. No rounded off edges or anything like that. But I'd like to recolor it and make it a beautiful, rich brown. I was wondering what the best approach for that was. With real wood, I've heard something along the lines of stripping it, painting a base, and then the color. But this is veneer, so I'm unsure how to proceed. NOTE: There are oddly shaped bubbles on the table. I want to say that maybe they're heat bubbles? They seem to be a part of the table. My friend told me to buff it down with the softest sand paper 2000. The bubble can't be sanded down with it, though. I'm wondering how I can buff down the bubble or if it's even possible. And how would I go about repainting it? TIA!
You might be able to sand, scrape, prime and paint...it's tricky with veneered surfaces. It sounds like the bubbles might be the veneer itself peeling away, in which case, you might want to peel it off completely if you can! Then you can use another type of material to cover the entire surface.
IF it was me, I would simply get a piece of thin plywood in a birch or a maple face and stain that, then contact cement it to the top of the table and trim around the edges. I don't have the patience for stripping, peeling or sanding.
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* the member formerly known as EvaPerconti
The problem with the Lack table is that it's not made of any kind of stainable wood - the table top is honey-combed MDF with an embossed surface (to make it look like veneer, which it is not), and the legs are probably MDF over particle board.
Your choices are to go with Eva's "veneer" plywood idea ( a great solution to the bubble problem, BTW - I defer to the expert ), or some sort of sanding and faux-paint solution. The issue with the sanding is that basically as soon as you start, you're wearing away the embossed surface, and if you use to much "umph" you run the risk of removing the "grain" - you need to use a fine grit paper (220 or 320) and use just enough elbow grease to remove the gloss from the finish so that your paint has something to grab onto, and no more.
The plywood idea actually sounds much easier. Although I'm afraid that the bubble might not sit steady. But contact cement is thick, right? Since I'm VERY NEW at this, I think plywood is the best. BUT I want to have the experience of doing all the other stuff you recommended. I'm hoping that if it fails, I can resort to the plywood. I do have some more questions now.
1. Do you or anyone else have any product recommendations for the paint (faux paint solution perhaps) or prime? Or any products you absolutely hate and think I should stay away from?
2. Even if I did proceed with the stripping, peeling, sanding, and all of that, will a black coffee table realistically stain or color brown? Because I'd be layering a lighter shade over a dark shade. Or is that how prime works? I can probably figure this one out on my own, but some guidance will be greatly appreciated.
3. If I use the faux-paint solution, would I need to prime?
The faux-paint solution sounds interesting to me, and a favorable compromise to what I shouldn't do but am curious about. Thanks again for the info!
Last edited by MesmerizednConfused : Mar 24th, 08 at 7:00 pm.
Reason: Read other comment
One of the advantages of Eva's plywood is that you could then remove the bubble first - cut it out, sand it out, whatever it takes to get rid of it - and then cover it with the veneer. Once the bubble is gone, the contact cement will be sufficient to hold the plywood in place.
As for the primer and paint, talk to whoever it is you're buying from - tell them what you are trying to do, and they (hopefully) will have the expertise to guide you to the right products.
But your choice of products will depend on whether you are painting the existing surface, or staining the new plywood. If it's painting, you should prime first - use a lighter color primer (white or grey, perhaps) and have them add color to it to darken it a bit. This will "knock down" the black, and allow you to paint it the brown you choose. If you stain, you wouldn't prime at all - pass go, and proceed directly to staining with the color you choose.
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), or some sort of sanding and faux-paint solution. The issue with the sanding is that basically as soon as you start, you're wearing away the embossed surface, and if you use to much "umph" you run the risk of removing the "grain" - you need to use a fine grit paper (220 or 320) and use just enough elbow grease to remove the gloss from the finish so that your paint has something to grab onto, and no more.
