Restore an Outdoor Table for under $25!
If you are like most young people making their way in the world, you would have been at least once to Ikea and purchased something.
Ten years ago we purchased the APPLARO drop leaf table. This table still available at Ikea today, has seen it all! Triple J’s hottest 100 parties, many family get togethers and most recently more kids poster paint splatters than it would have liked.
Our trusty outdoor table with matching bench seats has also been banged about moving house several times and had the legs chewed by a very enthusiastic puppy.
Initially I thought it’s days were numbered, but I am also mindful of our commitment at Milestone Property Services to be conscious about sustainability. Although not an expensive piece of furniture I wanted to give the table a second lease of life and not fall into the all to common trap of it is “cheaper to throw it out than buy a new one”.
Giving the APPLARO another lease of life cost less than $25 ($23.62 to be exact) and some of my time! I am lucky that we had an orbital sander at home, however if you don’t have one or are unable to borrow one. A sanding block and a little more time will still do the same trick.
Instructions:
Sand the table, chairs and side leaf wings using the orbital sander (wear a dust mask, if not in a well ventilated area)
Thoroughly clean the table after sanding, I used a bucket of water and a rag. Then Let it dry.
Shake the tin of stain well and apply the first coat, have a break and then do the second coat. There was enough in that tiny tin to do the entire job.
Do a little tidy up. The stain is water based, the brushes will wash out with water.
Setup in your desired location and enjoy!
Taking a before and after photo is very rewarding too.
The day after my arms were sore from sanding, but more importantly I had a huge amount of pride that our table didn’t become another hard rubbish casualty. The APPLARO lives to see another day and who knows what it will have to endure next.
With the next generation to follow, it is important to demonstrate that we need to look after the resources we are fortunate to have. Our kids were amazed with how the “new table” turned out and I am happy they will have the chance to create more memories around this table just as we have.
At Milestone Property Services we always endeavour to order accurate amounts of the materials we require for each task. Minimising costs for our customers and importantly ensures less into landfill.
