Sunday, November 8, 2009

Old Wood...New Table!

Everybody is talking about recycling these days. But I think about recycling as being something more than just putting a plastic bin out for the recycle truck. I like the aspect of recycling where someone else makes use of something I'm getting rid of, i.e. yard sales, thrift stores and such. But, I also like recycling of a different kind. I think the new term for it is "repurposing." This is my first time joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/

to share my "repurposing" story for Metamorphisis Monday.
Our old house dates back to 1724. Oh, we've added on a garage and new living room and we've remodeled the kitchen and breakfast room. We still have enough projects here that need doing to last us a lifetime. Hubby says it's his retirement job. I agree. Not only do we both enjoy remodeling and recreating, but it's the best investment we could make living here on Old Cape Cod.

When we took up the old floors to redo the kitchen, some of the boards were over twenty inches wide. Many were rotted and in horrible condition. Not to be denied, I set out to sort through them and save a few. Hubby has already "repurposed" a few of the boards and made several items for our home out of the old wood.
Ahhh...but I can always think of something else. We needed a small table in our new
kitchen/breakfast/tv room. Eating on our laps has proved to be detrimental to the furniture. I spill things. A lot of things. There are always crumbs around me when I eat on my lap. It's an easy but bad habit to develop...watching television and eating on one's lap...Nasty.
Fast forward to this morning when I got to photograph the new "pub" table hubby crafted out of a beautiful old, wide pine board (pictured above) that we salvaged from the original floors. It's a "Table for Two," and it fits perfectly under the double window that looks out onto our back yard and deck. The board turned out to be a beauty. After planing it down, the grain and knots stood out more clearly than I'd even imagined. Hubby has a way of making table legs that gives the illusion that they are chamf
ered. I don't know how he does it. I just know that I like it. We decided to paint the legs and base black to accentuate the top which was, after all, the crowning glory.
But...nothing ever goes completely smoothly in our house. I wanted to finish the table with a stain and tung oil finish. Hubby wanted to use polyurethane. This wasn't going to be an easy persuasion, because using tung oil finish requires more time and elbow grease than brushing on a coat of poly. With tung oil, you need about 5 coats at a minimum. Between each coat, you need to lightly rub it
out with steel wool. There's not much "bang for your buck" with the first couple of coats as they don't appear to be doing anything. But, by the third, you start to see the soft glow of the wood coming out. The end result is a finish that doesn't look too shiny or like it's been coated at all. It just looks like beautiful, glowing old wood. I love it.
Anyway, after begging and pleading, I finally convinced hubby to try the tung oil. Now he's a convert and in total agreement that it reaps a most beautiful finish. I think you ca
n see it in the pictures. I love, love, love it! It's perfect. We ate dinner last night, seated at the new table, on the antique chairs I purchased years ago for ten dollars each. It was nice. It also completes our new room. I'd been switching things around in that space in front of the window, but up until now, nothing seemed right. The new table is perfect. Really perfect. And because it's a piece of the history of this old house, it's even more perfect.


As usual, I'm working on a new apron. Check it out at
http://www.apronsgonewild.etsy.com/
And...for the record...I love it when you leave me a comment.

25 comments:

  1. how smart and "green" are YOU! a home that old certainly has its challenges, but how wonderful to have history surrounding you every day. Old Sweetwater is only 135+ years old (a young pup - *wink*).

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  2. Beautiful table a real Treasure, looks great in front of the window. Love your new light fixture too, Im just catching up. Sorry to hear about Heart & Hand in its day it was a great place to shop...I use to leave hubby at the Eagle Tavern while I shopped to my hearts content. I noticed this week while I visited my favorite shops in PA that the customers were all of a certain age.....guess the younger gals dont get the look we all love. :-(
    Hugs ~ Connie xox

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  3. Love your table and all you're doing!
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  4. This is gorgeous--I love hearing stories about re-purposing something. This makes me happy!!

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  5. It's a beauty and will keep that beautiful piece of wood working into another generation.

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  6. Beautiful! Is Tung oil the same as teak oil/ My hubby loves to use that stuff!

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  7. Oh my, that is one beautiful table.

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  8. Hey, great project...looks beautiful. Other than recycling plastic the only green thing nearby is something in the refrigerator...and it was moving last time I checked! hahaha....just kidding. this is great-repurposing!
    Blessings,
    Debbie

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  9. I love the table. Tung oil? I have a few tables that could use this treatment.

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  10. Oh I love that table! You were right, it fits perfectly! I am gonna have to sneak over and peek in your windows one of these days!! I also love the new light fixture!!

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  11. Wow! Wow! Wow! What a wonderful way to reuse the wood from the house. Soooo clever. xx

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  12. Well blow me away girl, the table is gorgeous!! You can enjoy this creation for years to come. How very inviting it all looks, here's sending you lots of kudos. How very perfect for a breakfast with a view.

    Ya have yourself a blessed week tyin' many apron strings!!!

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  13. Great job. I have been thinking about doing something similar for my boys to use when sitting on their beds and doing school work.
    Come by for a visit.
    I clicked to follow.
    Cheri

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  14. The table is beautiful. I am on the search for an old 6 ft , wide plank farm table for my dining area. My house was built in 1852, young compared to yours!! I just love century homes. Of course as you know, they aren't without their challenges.

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  15. I totally agree with you. So many things end up in a landfill when we could "repurpose" them for a whole new use. The table is lovely, has a wonderful view. And you will enjoy so many meals there with your talented husband!
    Brenda

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  16. what a wonderful idea and you're are doing a good deed at the same time.
    It turned out lovely
    Dena
    sweetpicklesandchocolate

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  17. Oh, what a beautiful piece of wood!! And the fact that it came from the house is the best! That is a perfect little table! Hubby did a great job. I have an old gateleg table that I'm working on that will be painted black with a stain on top, but I may just use that oil now! What an inspiration! Thanks!

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  18. I love how you think! What a great table and reuse of the old floor. To think you created an heirloom piece too.

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  19. Just wanted to say that I love your Etsy store...and I am passing along the Kreativ Blogger award to you and have linked your blog and Etsy store on mine! You can check it out at http://rubymoondesigns.blogspot.com! Have a blessed day!

    -Grace

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  20. Thanks for your post. Your table looks so lovely. The little spot you have created for the two of you two dine is very charming.

    I have an old table...not really an antique, we bought it in 1982. After rearing 5 of our own kids, and countless day care kids around that table it is pretty beat up and badly in need of a makeover. At first I was insistant upon replacing it with a new, round table but last night it occured to me to just refinish it.

    I was contemplating painting the legs and base black and refinishing the top. After reading your post I am convinced this is the way to go. Tung oil would have never been on my radar, but now I will look for it. Such a nicer finish than the polyurethane.

    Cogratulations on a job well done!

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  21. Thanks for your visit yesterday! I'm following you!
    Dena

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  22. well hello there neighbor...i just found you from hooked on houses...so nice to see another cape codder on etsy and blogging...i'm in sandwich..so we really are close..love your home, blog, and shop ~ sue

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  23. Lovely table and what a nice finish compared to poly. I'll have to give it a try I usually wax mine with a soft French wax instead of the poly.

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  24. And kudos to the hubby! That table is beautiful. I absolutely love old wood. I have a shop full of barnwood. It's my little treasure trove. I even helped dis-asseble that barn so I could get my hands on that wood.

    I love the black legs and chairs with it too. Just gorgeous!

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