How to cover wooden countertops in the kitchen

Required tools and materials

To make a beautiful wooden tabletop and legs, you will need the following building materials:

• sandpaper;
• antiseptic;
• white primer;
• waterproof varnish or paint;
• masking tape.

You need to make sure you have the tools in advance:

• brushes and rollers;
• paint tray;
• grinding tool.

To paint your table while protecting your hands from harmful chemicals, make sure you have rubber gloves.

Necessary tool

Many enamels have an unpleasant odor and take a long time to dry, so it is better to paint in a non-residential area. The floors in a small workshop or garage are covered with film or old newspapers so that you don’t have to clean up traces. For coloring you will need:

• fungicide or antiseptic for impregnating wood;
• wood primer (white or transparent);
• paints or varnish;
• solvent;
• wood putty;
• means for removing the old layer.

It is advisable to restore the table in a separate room on a flat, hard surface. In the process of preparing the kitchen table for painting, it is important to mark the legs, drawers and other parts with numbers so as not to get confused during assembly.

Important! If the legs are not loose, it is better not to disassemble the product. When the legs of the table are wobbly, it is better to disassemble it, it will be more convenient to paint. After assembly, it is possible to strengthen it with a frame or corners, significantly extending its service life.

Before painting the table, prepare tools and working equipment:

1. Screwdriver (needed during disassembly of the product).
2. Working tools (roller with attachments, paint brushes, spatulas).
3. Work clothes and protective equipment (goggles, gloves, respirator).
4. Auxiliary containers for preparing paint, a container for applying paint with a roller.
5. Special compositions for decorating tabletops.
6. Fine-grained sandpaper, sponge, masking tape, rags.

Helpful advice! Sometimes a beautiful product only needs to be replaced with a tabletop or 2-3 legs. You can turn to a carpentry workshop for blanks. It is better to change the legs all at once so that they do not differ in texture, shade of wood, or type of processing.

Antiseptic for wood

Wood putty

Primer for wood Pay attention to: How and with what to paint penoplex

Which paint to choose?

The following types of paints are sold in stores:

• water-dispersed;
• oil;
• acrylic;
• alkyd;
• enamels for wooden surfaces.

You can paint wooden furniture using any of them. However, before purchasing, be sure to check the type of wood of the table so that the type of paint is chosen correctly. Then you will be able to do the job efficiently.

Water-dispersed

This type of paint is designed for furniture used in heated rooms. It contains no dangerous harmful substances. It is evenly distributed over the entire surface and dries quickly, so even an inexperienced painter can paint a wooden table. The paint creates a durable coating that is resistant to moisture. But it does not withstand mechanical stress when cleaning with abrasive particles. To avoid rapid wear and tear, it is better to wash such a table using a soft sponge.

Oily

The basis of oil paint is drying oil - a greasy agent, due to which the painted surface takes a long time to dry. Used for interior and exterior finishing of any wooden products. After application, a thin oily film remains, but after a short period of time it dries out and peels off.

This outdated type of painting work is used less and less, since modern enamels are more economical and wear-resistant.

Acrylic

After treatment with acrylic enamel, a beautiful glossy coating is formed on the surface, resistant to fading from the sun. The drying process does not require much time - a durable film appears within 15-60 minutes, depending on the conditions where the painting work is carried out. It is not harmed by mechanical impact, therefore, due to wear resistance, enamel outperforms other analogues.

Alkyd

If the table will be used outdoors, then it is better to opt for alkyd enamel. It has proven itself best when carrying out external work on finishing wooden surfaces. A rich color palette, glossy sheen and matte finish will allow you to get any desired result.

The paint withstands exposure to aggressive detergents, frost and direct sunlight. Available in the form of aerosol bottles and liquid. It should be taken into account that its strong smell can take a long time to disappear from the room.

Enamels for wooden surfaces

Using wood enamels allows you to repaint furniture to suit any color and taste. They allow you to protect surfaces from thermal and mechanical damage, which is especially important for countertops. Negative weather events do not harm them.

The main requirement when choosing enamel is that it matches the type of wood from which the table is made.

To increase the wear resistance of a table treated with enamel, after it has dried, the surface must be coated with waterproof varnish in at least 2 layers. This will give greater strength and extend the time until the next restoration.

Surface preparation and painting

It is better to disassemble the table if you plan to paint all its parts. If only the countertop requires updating, then you don’t have to do this. You only need to cover with masking tape those areas that will remain untreated.

Preparing the surface for painting includes the following steps:

1. Cover the floor with oilcloth or newspapers if you will be working indoors.
2. Using a sander or sandpaper, carefully sand the desired area of ​​wooden furniture. Remove any dust remaining after cleaning the table parts.
3. Defective areas are leveled with putty or primer of the same color as the paint. Let the treated surface dry.
4. Pour the paint into the tray and use a brush or roller to apply it to the parts, evenly distributing layer by layer until you achieve the desired effect.
5. When using an aerosol, shake the bottle first. Apply paint from a distance of 30-50 centimeters from the tabletop and legs.
6. Allow the previous coat to dry before applying a new coat.

To increase the wear resistance of the paint, you can apply an additional layer of acrylic varnish on top of it after drying. 10 hours after treatment, you can remove the masking tape.

Decorating the table surface

The painting of the table will be decorated in an original way if you use the decorative technique of decoupage. It is important to decide on the color and pattern, which should be in harmony with the overall interior of the room. For example, an image of a geographical map will go well with the interior of an office if it is placed on the surface of a desk.

Specialized stores for decoupage sell napkins with various designs, so choosing a suitable design will not be difficult. Or you can go the other way and make the table lace using tulle. Here you need to rely on your imagination, and your table will become a piece of art.

Decoupage technique in vintage style

To paint a countertop in vintage style, you will need the following materials and tools:

• sanding machine or sandpaper;
• glue (use PVA or special decoupage glue);
• aqualak;
• primer;
• varnish for a wooden table;
• decoupage cards or drawings, photographs from magazines;
• a jar of white acrylic paint or other light colors;
• fan brush or roller.

Features of table decoration

When the paint is completely dry and hardened, it's time to start decorating. There are several techniques you can use at home. They are good because they do not require expensive investments and are easy to create at home. This is a great option for updating a child's room.

1. Decoupage. For this technique you will need napkins with a beautiful pattern, brushes and PVA glue. Select the topmost layer of paper with a decorative element, attach it to the tabletop and apply glue on top with a brush. Make sure that the napkin does not tear, form air bubbles, or move from its original position. After the glue has completely dried, the decorative element is coated with transparent varnish.
2. Tulle. Find a piece of tulle with a beautiful pattern. Wet the material, apply it to the table surface and fix it. Using spray paint or a brush, paint the tulle fabric evenly. After drying, remove the improvised stencil. It will look especially impressive if you use contrasting colors of the paint composition.
3. Artificial aging of wood looks stylish in a home interior. To do this, sand the surface of the table with sandpaper and wipe certain areas with ammonia. When they darken, go through sandpaper again and varnish.
4. Patination. This method produces beautiful, dark, vintage stains on a wooden surface. Apply the patina using stain or other suitable means, wait until it dries and remove unnecessary layers with a foam sponge.

Varnishing a wooden table: recommendations from experts

The choice of furniture in modern furniture stores is quite wide, as is the material from which it is made. But products made from natural wood have not lost their attractiveness. For example, a kitchen set made of solid wood. Such a product will be 2-3 times cheaper if you order it from a craftsman. You can try to assemble it yourself, even better. That parts for such furniture are also widely available in stores. But, we will talk about what kind of varnish to cover a wooden table so that the furniture is protected from all kinds of damage and is pleasing to the eye.

Benefits of painting

Under the influence of unfavorable conditions, paint peels and crumbles. Old furniture is a carrier of a special atmosphere. Many homes have chairs, tables, armchairs or sofas waiting to be restored. When renovating woodwork, if you properly paint the table white, it will last for many more years. Many products of cabinetmakers of the past are recognized as masterpieces, but over time they need restoration. The legs of the table become loose, the wood wears away, it swells from moisture, rots, turning into dust. If it was not damaged by fungus, it is not too late to fix everything.

Note! Modern compositions will help restore an antique product, giving it an “antique” look. New enamels, stains and impregnations will help restore and decorate any handmade product.

It is impossible to explain in a nutshell how and what is the best way to paint a wooden table, but any modernization provides undeniable advantages:

• updating the appearance of the product or improving aesthetic properties;
• protection against soaking, rotting and fungal damage;
• updating the shade and enhancing the texture of wood;
• the ability to combine several products with a single color or decorative technique;
• the table will fit organically into a modern interior;
• When painting a table, parts are restored or minor repairs are made to individual components.

With a creative approach, you can transform the entire kitchen furniture - the room will look completely different. You can not only repaint an old table white, but also effectively decorate all work surfaces. After restoration, the countertops can be reliably “preserved” with flexible glass or a multi-layer water-repellent composition. All stages of preparation are easy to do yourself.

Comparison of the table before and after restoration

Varnish selection

Preferences in choosing a paint material depend only on consumers. Our task is to familiarize them with the properties of each type. Varnishes for table coverings are:

• Water-based are the most environmentally friendly. The substance is almost odorless and does not pose a health hazard to the consumer. Water-based varnishes are most often used for children's furniture. But professional craftsmen rarely use them, since after drying the treated surface becomes matte.
• Acrylic-based materials are affordable and quite easy to process. It is best for beginning craftsmen to start with these varnishes. If mistakes are made during the work process, they can be easily corrected. To do this, use white spirit or grind the surface.
• Polyurethane based and recommended for professional craftsmen. It is better to apply this substance by spray. In this case, the surface will look quite stylish. It is better to purchase such material in branded stores.
• For very expensive wood, specialized furniture oils are used. This composition is quite expensive, so it is rarely used. Apply only by hand using a swab.

Varnishing the table top

The varnish can be applied in different sequences. The stain can be used both before the surface is covered with a primer mixture and on top of it.

What is the best way to proceed depends on the wishes of the one who carries out the coating, since there is no difference in the final result.

Since the varnish is applied in several approaches, after the first layer has completely dried, the tabletop must be sanded well.

It is imperative that a primer and stain be used first.

Among other things, their use significantly saves the consumption of varnish, the pricing policy of which is by no means cheap.

When choosing a stain, you need to take into account the composition of the varnish that will be used to cover the wooden table. Alcohol, aqueous and self-diluted solvents are used.

Work order

1. To begin, apply a small amount of stain to the countertop. It is necessary to ensure that there are no smudges, droplets or humps on the surface. After application, the surface must be allowed to dry. Depending on the composition, varnish and stain require different times. Since painting is carried out in stages, you need to ensure that each previous layer dries well before applying the next one. This can be determined by touching the base with your fingertip. If it is not sticky, you can continue working. Upon completion, the table should be left to dry thoroughly (24 hours is sufficient). The exception is compositions made on the basis of water or polyurethane.
2. If the countertop needs to be shaded, it is recommended to cover it with several layers of stain. With each subsequent layer the surface will become darker.
3. To give the tabletop a smooth finish, it must be sanded during operation using sandpaper. This method eliminates unevenness in the surface fibers. But the first sanding is carried out only after the first layer of varnish has been applied and completely dried.
4. In general, in order for the coating to be truly durable and to extend the life of the table, it is recommended to cover it with three layers of the product.

The coating can be done on your own, saving some of your finances.

It’s just important not to rush and carry it out according to all the rules.

Tips for choosing varnish color

For beginning craftsmen, a very important question is what shade to choose varnish for a wooden table. The customer must also put an end to this issue. You can not disturb the natural texture of the wood or cover it in the color of cherry or walnut. But you don’t always get the result you expect. To prevent this, you should familiarize yourself with some features:

• Colorless varnish will not always preserve the original appearance of wood. Most often it gives the wooden surface a yellowish appearance. Therefore, if it is necessary to maintain the original shade, it is better to use polyurethane materials. They eliminate the appearance of yellowness.
• When visiting branded stores, sellers will provide a large assortment of colors to choose from. To get the color that you prefer, it is better to take a color that is 2-3 tones lighter. After all, the desired gloss on a wooden surface is formed only after applying 5 or 6 layers. With each subsequent layer, the shade will become darker.
• In the case when 2-3 layers are applied and the result is the desired surface color, but the required gloss is achieved, then this problem can be solved with the help of colorless varnish.
• Varnishing should begin only after high-quality sanding has been completed.

How to coat wooden surfaces for their decoration and protection

All wooden structures used in the construction of buildings must be subjected to coating treatment. This will not only increase their wear resistance, but also significantly improve their appearance. The paints and varnishes used for this serve as reliable protection against moisture and ultraviolet radiation, which have a detrimental effect on wood. However, they must be used at the earliest stage of construction.

Wooden surfaces experience constant loads, the degree of which depends both on the location of the building and cardinal directions, and on many other factors. The material wears out especially strongly in the coastal zone and in open spaces. At the same time, the wall of the building located in the north wears out much less than on the southern and western sides.

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Painting wooden surfaces - a whim or a necessity

Since wood is a natural material, it can be destroyed under the influence of certain factors. Among which:

Ultraviolet	Its impact has a detrimental effect on wooden surfaces, destroying and modifying them. The material turns gray, and its fibers begin to stick out in different directions. Such surfaces quickly become dirty.
Moisture	Promotes swelling of wood. When it dries, its volume decreases, and since these factors cause a state of tension, over time it completely cracks.
Moisture-saturated air	It is a catalyst for the formation of fungi, blue stains and mold affecting wood. The former tend to penetrate into the structure of the material, coloring it gray-blue, while the latter form on the surface, covering the wood with dark spots. Unlike these two, rot fungi contribute to the destruction of wood, making its further use impossible.

How to cover a wooden table outdoors yourself

What needs attention

The wear resistance of painted wood depends not only on its quality.

This factor is also directly influenced by the correct layout of building structures, which needs to be taken care of in advance:

• make wider overhangs;
• increase the height of the plinth;
• paint the joints of the seams and parts of the boards located below with your own hands;
• make the shape of the roof of a wooden house correct and provide it with a drainage system;
• leave an opening under the outer skin for ventilation.

Tip: Lumber is constantly exposed to the environment, so it should be kept covered on the construction site, allowing access to air.

How to cover a wooden door outside in a private house

Three-layer painting system

In order for the wood to last as long as possible, a three-layer painting system should be used.

1. Apply the first layer of antiseptic primer, which protects the wood from moisture and fungal formation.
2. Next, use a primer paint that allows the finishing coat to be absorbed evenly. In this case, both topcoat paint and a special primer can be used.
3. A topcoat paint, oil or acrylate, is used as the finishing layer. It is used to give a wooden structure the required color and shine, and serves as additional protection by creating a paint film on the surface.

Finishing materials

Coating with special oils and wax for wood will help protect the wood from many negative factors. However, stain, whose price is lower, is also suitable for these purposes. Although the waxing process is quite complicated, it can be done at home.

How to use stain

Protective compounds and stain are applied to the already prepared wood in the same way as paint. A uniformly colored surface can be achieved if these materials are applied quickly and continuously so that the entire surface dries evenly. If any area dries faster, the border will remain noticeable.

In the photo - wood stain for decorative work

Each of the wooden sections is painted with stain in stages by applying in the direction of the grain. Do not wet the brush too much, otherwise drops will form on the surface. If this cannot be avoided, the drops should be thoroughly smeared, not allowing them to dry out.

You also need to ensure that at the junction of sections of the structure, the layers do not overlap each other. Considering the technological complexity of this process, you should first practice.

Waxing

The most convenient material for applying wax is a piece of cloth, but some compounds can also be applied with a brush. To create deeper color and shine, the material must be applied in two layers.

Applying wax or coating on wooden furniture for durability

Tip: It is more effective to apply wax in the direction of the grain, but this is not a necessary condition.

To treat the surface you need:

• Use a piece of soft cloth to collect wax from the container;
• start rubbing;
• when particles of coating begin to remain on the surface, the rubbing process can be considered complete;
• then the wax should dry, but not harden;
• after which polishing is carried out to ensure smoothness using a clean rag.

After a certain service life of the wooden structure, waxing can be repeated.

Protecting wood with oil

The oil serves as additional protection against adverse factors affecting the wooden surface. Whatever the oil used for processing, they are all applied in the same way.

Depending on the purpose of the surface being treated, the following oils are used:

• tung is non-toxic, so its use is ideal for treating countertops and other surfaces used for food preparation;
• Danish and teak are used for processing hardwood and outdoor furniture, giving them a special gloss;
• linseed oil is suitable for treating any surface, but requires preliminary boiling (preferably double boiling), which allows it to dry faster and eliminates stickiness.

Any of the oils is applied with a soft brush, generously moistened with the composition, in the direction of the fibers with rubbing movements, which allows you to cover large areas and penetrate deeper into the structure of the wood. After absorption, excess oil is removed with a piece of cloth. If there are no other instructions in the instructions for the composition, the wood should be left for half an hour, and then polished with a dry rag.

What is the best way to cover a wooden table in the kitchen?

How to work with varnish

Despite the fact that varnishing does not require special care, this material must be applied along the grain and in good lighting, as it is often colorless, which is why some areas may remain untreated. You should also regularly check treated areas for gaps.

Coating wooden walls inside with acrylic varnish

Tip: each section should be processed in stages, while even application of varnish is possible with smooth brush work.

Before applying the next layer, you need to take a damp cloth and wipe off the first one. This action is explained by the fact that the varnish tends to spread along the fibers of the wooden surface.

Wood paint requires protection

To obtain the required shade, paints are often mixed with each other. But before moving on to this process, you need to make sure that they have the same base, which can be either water or oil.

The paint is applied along the fibers, without overlapping the already dry and wet areas with each other. Please note that coloring alone is not enough.

The material also often requires a protective layer - wax or varnish. But before you start applying it, you need to make sure that the finishing materials used are compatible with each other.

Materials used

When you visit a Leroy Merlin store or other online stores, you will find a huge assortment of countertops that are installed in the kitchen and bathroom.

We are talking about products for the kitchen, although similar designs can be used for the bathroom. You decide.

As for materials, there are several options:

• MDF;
• chipboard;
• tree;
• stone;
• granite;
• marble;
• acrylic;
• glass;
• stainless steel

Since some of the presented materials are already resistant to moisture by nature, I propose to focus on countertops based on chipboard, MDF and natural wood. Such designs are quite inexpensive, they can be found in a wide range in St. Petersburg, cities like Moscow, Kyiv, Kharkov, Chelyabinsk and Novosibirsk

Yes, in principle, in every city where there are furniture stores, there will probably be countertops that suit you

Such designs are quite inexpensive, they can be found in a wide range in St. Petersburg, cities like Moscow, Kyiv, Kharkov, Chelyabinsk and Novosibirsk. Yes, in principle, in every city where there are furniture stores, there will probably be countertops that suit you.

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Chipboard and MDF

In terms of price and quality, laminated chipboard coating is considered one of the best options. To create a laminated surface, the coating is made of moisture-resistant plastic. Good examples of quality production can be seen among the HPL or Egger assortment.

In total, the laminated surface should have 3 layers:

• kraft paper;
• decorative coating;
• protective coating made of acrylic and melamine resin.

The paper is impregnated with synthetic resins, which allows you to create a durable multi-layer structure.

The outer layer provides such countertops with excellent properties in terms of wear resistance, light protection and heat resistance. They do not become deformed if dishes, sharp objects accidentally fall on the countertop, or if powerful detergents are accidentally spilled.

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But high-quality lamination is not always performed by manufacturers. I would like to note that such products should be green in cross-section. This color is due to the use of special impregnations, which increases the moisture resistance of chipboard and MDF.

If you buy a low-grade design, you cannot count on its long service life. With constant exposure to moisture, gradual swelling occurs.

I accidentally conducted an experiment myself, leaving a section of a chipboard tabletop in water. Nothing actually happened to the material itself. That is, it did not become saturated with moisture and did not swell. But water leaked between the chipboard and the plastic surface used for lamination. Here she was just deformed.

It is unlikely that this could happen in real conditions. Only if the lamination is not completely done, there are rough seams or cuts that will be constantly exposed to moisture.

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Tree

Wood countertops are highly valued by designers, although a real housewife will probably tell you that wood is not the best option for a kitchen.

Similar designs are made from solid walnut, cherry and oak. These are the most popular tree species.

Wood is considered extremely sensitive to possible damage and does not like contact with liquids or hot objects, which makes caring for such a tabletop much more difficult.

I would advise you to avoid using wood if you want a truly high-quality, moisture-resistant countertop. It will not last long, and caring for it is too difficult. It is better to buy an excellent dining table made of wood.

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Alternative options

I will briefly describe several other options that allow you to count on moisture resistance when choosing a countertop from the specified materials.

As you can see, there are worthy options on this list, and there are also those that are better to avoid. What do you think about this? Be sure to write your reviews if you have experience working with such countertops. Explain their strengths and weaknesses using personal example.

Still, the greatest demand among us is for moisture-resistant countertops made on the basis of chipboard and MDF. This is due to the reasonable price and good performance characteristics.