The $50 Oak Table That Stole My Heart

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a small table to fit in our little café nook in the kitchen. Something with character, but not too big or too fancy.

One Saturday morning, I was scrolling through Facebook Marketplace (as one does) when I spotted a solid oak table listed for just $50. The photos looked promising. A few scratches, sure, but nothing a tablecloth couldn’t hide. I didn’t think twice. My Papaw happened to be in town that weekend with his truck, so I sent my husband, my dad, and Papaw off on a little furniture rescue mission.

When they brought it home, the table looked a bit rougher than the pictures had let on. The top had definitely seen better days, but I shrugged and said, “I’ll just clean it up, throw a tablecloth on, and call it a day.”

My papaw wasn’t having it. He told me it would be super easy to refinish the top and that it would look like a brand-new table with just a little elbow grease. And when my Papaw tells me I can do something, I believe him.

So the next day, I ran out to grab some sandpaper and got to work. Luckily, we already had an orbital sander, so I started with what the 60 grit sandpaper we had on hand to strip off the old finish and smooth out all the scratches and marks. That part actually went faster than I expected!

Next, I switched to 180 grit and sanded by hand (since I forgot to buy the right kind for the sander — whoops). It wasn’t bad, though; the 60 grit had already done the hard part. I finished it off with 220 grit for a silky-smooth surface before cleaning the top with a little soap and water to get rid of the sawdust.

For the stain, I used the same one from our mudroom bench project. It’s always satisfying to use what you already have, and it ended up being the perfect match. After two coats of stain, I ran to the hardware store for a top coat. I ended up doing three coats total (my first two were way too thin), and when it dried, I stood back and couldn’t believe how beautiful it turned out.

I’ve never refinished furniture before, but this little $50 oak table turned into something really special. It fits perfectly in our kitchen’s café nook and looks like it was made for the space. I’m so glad my Papaw talked me into tackling it instead of hiding it under a tablecloth.

I did “borrow” the chairs from our dining room for now, so I’m officially on the hunt for replacements but honestly, they look better here anyway.

There’s just something about bringing an old piece back to life that makes a home feel extra cozy. If you love a good before-and-after, you can check out my DIY mudroom bench next — I used the same stain, and it turned out beautifully.