Turn a dining room table into a console table

AvatarCaxton magazines staff
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Have an old dining table that you love, but no longer have space for? Don’t get rid of it, revamp it! By simply splitting it in half, upcycling guru Sacha Olivier shows you how you transform it into two chic wall-mounted consoles

Console table - white

Console-table_before

THIS IS ALSO A GREAT IDEA TO TRY IF…

  • You’ve spotted a fabulous table in a junk store that’s too big or small for your dining room.
  • You’re looking for a fun project to do with a friend – you can share the work and the costs, and each end up with a custom piece of furniture.
  • You want to create a pair of matching bedside pedestals from a small table.

GETTING STARTED:

HOW TO MAKE THE CONSOLES

  1. Using a pencil, draw a line dividing your table in half down the middle. Check that there are no metal bits, like brackets or screws, underneath the line. Then cut the table in half using a circular saw. Remove any dust with a damp cloth.
  2. To stabilise and attach each half of the table to the wall, you’ll need two separate cleats – one for each console. For each cleat, you’ll simply need a rectangular piece of wood that’s the same length as the sawn edge of your table. You can paint this the same colour as your wall.
  3. To wall-mount one of your consoles, lean it against the wall and then use a pencil to trace a line along the sawn edge underneath the table top – this is so you’ll know where to attach the cleat. Check that this line is level using a spirit level.
  4. Drill holes at regular intervals along the length of your cleat; this must be done along the widest side of the rectangle. Line the top edge of the cleat up with the pencil line you’ve drawn on the wall, then trace the holes to mark the spots where you’ll need to drill corresponding holes.
  5. Drill holes into the wall. Then attach the cleat to the wall using sturdy screws and plastic plugs. Check that the cleat is level using a spirit level.
  6. Your console is now ready to be painted.
  7. Carefully rest the console on top of the cleat, then secure it in place by drilling screws through the cleat into the underside of the console; be careful that the screws don’t protrude through your table top. Touch up the paint if necessary.

PICK UP A PAINT BRUSH: MELLOW YELLOW

Console table - yellow

To get this console’s quirky, antiqued look:

  1. Lightly sand and then prime your console with Plascon Wood Primer. Allow to dry.
  2. For the base coat: mix Dulux Luxurious Silk in Lemon Chiffon and Plascon Paint Effects Universal Stain in Yellow Ochre together; add the stain to the paint a few drops at a time until you get the right shade. Paint the console using a large brush; don’t worry about getting a smooth finish, brush strokes add character. Allow to dry.
  3. For the antiqued paint effect: mix 6 parts Plascon Acrylic Scumble Glaze with 1 part Plascon Paint Effects Universal Stain Yellow Ochre. Use a brush to apply this mixture all over the table, making sure to get into all the crevices. Leave for a few minutes and then rub off with a cloth. Allow to dry.
  4. To enhance the aged look, use a small paint brush to highlight certain areas using Reeves Acrylic in Burnt Umber.

REACH FOR THE SPRAY PAINT: SNOW WHITE

To get this console’s crisp, clean look:

  1. Lightly sand and then prime your console with Rust-Oleum Primer. Allow to dry.
  2. Spray your console using Rust-Oleum Painters Touch Ultra Cover in Flat White. Hold the can about 20cm away from the wood; hold it too close and you’ll apply too much paint and end up with runs. Remember less is more!
  3. Spray paint gives a smooth and flawless finish, but you’ll need to apply a few coats to get an even coating. Let the paint dry between coats.