Last year I updated a very sad, mismatched dining table set with a concrete table top and a fresh coat of paint. It’s been 18 months, and our kitchen table is still going strong!
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Seriously…. Kids craft supplies (paint, play doh, crayons, markers) all clean off easily, not to mention food spills. The food-safe concrete sealer that I used is beyond durable.
I love our DIY concrete table top so much that I decided to do it again.
We had this little hand-me-down play table that gets tons of use. BUT – the paint job has taken a beating.
Note the crayon and paint. We needed a new finish that is a bit more durable. Plus, I wanted something that worked a little better with our home decor. A quality gloss paint and a concrete table top were the solution.
I followed the same process as I used on my DIY Concrete Dining Table Top last year – click HERE for the full tutorial!
Just like before, I opted to use one coat of primer, followed by two coats of quality gloss paint. Hi-gloss enamel isn’t my first choice for furniture paint, but you can’t beat the durability when kids are involved.
Concrete Table Top Tutorial Updates + Tips
I followed my original tutorial almost to a T, but there are 3 quick updates for you:
Scoring + Sanding
Last time, I only roughly sanded down my table. This time, I went the extra step of sanding and scoring – I wanted the extra surface area for the concrete to stick to, hopefully making the table top finish last longer. Not a big deal, but if you’re going to commit to concrete, you might as well go all out in prepping your surface.
Two Coats instead of Three
Last time around I did three coats of concrete, sanding between each coat. I almost lost my mind as well, since I was delusional enough to think that I could get a perfectly smooth finish using this method.
This time around (since I’m now an experienced concrete professional) I did 2 coats, and skipped the sanding between. This 2-coat-no-sanding method also worked well since I was covering a smaller area.
The Sealing Process
My original tutorial didn’t include the sealing process. I had made such a mess (amateur!) with the concrete, that I wanted to keep my camera as far away as possible. I was probably also a bit traumatized by that one time I spilled polycrylic clear coat on my cell phone, but that’s a story for another time…
Here’s what the concrete sealer looks like when it’s being applied. It’s a non-toxic, food-safe, and water-based clear coat. And believe me… it’s durable! I followed the instructions on the bottle, and it worked perfectly.
Our new Concrete Table Top Play Table
I love how our little play table turned out. Doesn’t it look so much better in our kitchen? We now have a cohesive set, and I love the neutral tones!
Good idea! I’ve been wanting to do my kitchen counter tops. Maybe I could try a table first!
Great surface finishing! I loved this post. Thanks!
Hi Aimee,
Congrats for your projects, your are really brave and talented. I’m so glad I found your concrete tabletops.
My main concern is sanding: after I vent through several tutorials and forums I was convinced that concrete sanding needs special diamond coated sanding tool/disk or whatever. Do you really do it by hand with “normal” sandpaper??? What grit, please?
I am so inspired to do something similar, I have a similar play table not in use any more (of my 9 year old boy) that could be used as a test before I start something more serious (and expensive).
Thanks and kind regards,
Veronika (from Hungary)
Hi Veronika – since it’s not normal “concrete” like the stuff used in commercial construction projects, it sands perfectly with regular sandpaper.