More pics

Before pics

Decorative glass knobs I bought for the table

Those knobs are DARLING! I'm loving the green ones in particular. I would get some pretty cream spray paint and just go to town. ;-p Be sure to sand lightly before painting/staining.

Thanks I got the knobs from amazon. Can you elaborate on the spray paint advice? Just sporadic sprays?

Forgot the last knob

Hold the can about 6-8 inches away from the furniture piece. After you spray the first coat wait for it to dry and then determine whether or not you need a second coat. With the knobs you chose I would definitely do an antique cream color. I would get about 3 cans total.

I was just planning on the stain however the paint sounds good too but I am afraid to mess it up lol I will think about it hahaha

The staining is nice if you like the wood look and the color works. A nice gentle finish is to do a wipe-on poly urethane in a satin or semi-gloss. The level of "finish" depends on the number of coats you use, so it doesn't look plastic. Danish oil is similar. It is great for durability for a chair or cabinet, while not looking fake. BTW, a gloss adds a touch of specialness, and the wipe-on again doesn't look as heavy as a spray or brush on varnish. Try it on a scrap and see.

I meant to also say, the color on the top pic looks good, and a finish will darken it anyway.

Is this a good choice or no?

Staining is pretty tough I think. I love the color choice. Can you get some advice on how to get the light side a little darker? Can a second coat match it up to the rest? Is there a way to do the same to the little spot on the upper left of the table top?

I've never seen sanding to "distress" a stained piece. But if you paint it also, then sanding and/or rub through would look really nice. Google, chalk paint. There are a lot of really great products out there to get a cool distressed effect. And many shops offer classes on using the paints.

I love the new stain colour and I particularly like the pink glass knob for this dark stain. Before you think about urethane and finishes of it, I would sand down the edges for a rustic 'worn' look. Which is supposed to mimic real life wear but then not really, as that would be like the before - not nice!. ;) Just rub around all the edges with a fine sandpaper and then I would suggest a non-shiny finish protective coat for a finished shabby chic look.
Hope you love it in the end no matter what you do!
As for the paint options, anything goes there and it would be solid so you wouldn't see the grain. White, black, navy, red, pink, yellow... the options are endless with paint.
Have fun!

I did some staining on my own, and then I went to a class at a Woodcraft store. The info was priceless. See if they have on in your area. They can give you expert advice and they offer classes as well. Go to Woodcraft.com

Re: the poly: no. Minwax makes a wiping poly. Your pic is a good choice, but somehow I got the idea you wanted to avoid a varnished look.. If not, that is a great choice but you might be happier with a semi gloss look. .Again, try a scrap. For lighter areas, add another coat of stain. Wipe off right away so avoid going too dark. Or just accept the differences as character. http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/interior-clear-protective-finishes/minwax-wipeon-poly. Tung oil works nicely too. A gentle look.

Yeah tomorrow I will stain certain parts to darken them and make them match a little better. I will also google chalk pain but as fair as paint goes...is everyone suggesting a light coat of paint so you can still see the stain through it? I'm sorry hahaha I'm still don't understand completely

Thanks everyone! All the advice is greatly appreciated! ;) I'm done for tonite. I will figure it out in the days to come

What do you think of this? Check out Annie Sloan on pinterest. There are lots of pictures of her products on pieces of furniture and at www.anniesloan.com you will find shops that offer classes for her products. So glad I looked this up, i now remember why I wanted to take one of these classes. On pinterest you can see pieces that are full on painted also.

That's pretty. Very country-ish or shabby chic...I think lol unlike it. Is that chalk paint?

I meant...I like it

The picture above is an advanced staining technique that I would not recommend trying on your first attempt. It requires layering and alot of experience to get it right. I like what you have done. Rather than doing a polyurethane coating which may end up looking uneven and polished,try a simple waxed finish. This is the same finish you get on a wooden cutting board. It will seal it up, protect it, and keep it looking more matte. It is also super easy to touch up with more wax if you scratch it down the road.

Okay so I suppose I will take the polyurethane back to the store. I believe wax is the way to go. It is more of the look I was going for. As for Annie Sloan...I did briefly look up her name on Pinterest and I live the ideas. Still not sure what my finished product will look like but I'll be sure to post it when I do. Tomorrow I'm going to work on even-ing out the stain. Can't wait until I'm done and can appreciate the pieces in my living room. I have a second end table to begin sanding once I complete this one ugh lol

THANK you everyone for the input!!!!!!

I'm no expert by any means but I think Creative's suggestions to wax rather than use a poly sealer is excellent and will make the table look much more antiqued.

Cross-post. Glad you like the waxing advice.

ONLY use wipe on finish for this. it will soak in, show the grain texture and still have the feel of wood. Do not treat this as though its a table at a buffalo wings joint or a wood floor.

Btw, what color stain did you use?

Wipe on finish? Is that what it's called? What's the brand? ...the stain is minawax ebony

For future reference, if you want to raise the grain of wood, strip it,sand it, then use de-natured alcohol before you stain.

Why would you use furniture wax on a cutting board? Also, if this is heavily used, waxing becomes a maintenance item, ok if you don't mind. I believe mnoswad1 is referring the the poly wipe-on, which is Min-wax (see the link in the above message) avail at Lowes etc.

Hi Nachoz, glad you like the Annie Sloan too. Your project reminded my to sign up for a class. Check her website for shops that offer it. I didn't even know that my favorite little antique and furniture shop at Jax Beach now offers the classes. And all of the beautiful pieces in their store are done with Annie Sloan products.

Honestly, I don't think you have to take a class to figure out her techniques, but if you don't, I would definitely get some of her books. I have used the paint for basic stuff and it's super easy and I love the finish. You could practice on small pieces like picture frames.

If you want to be certain things will work out OK with your table buy a piece of similar wood, stain it, and wax it. See how it works out. Test it for water stains, that would be my biggest concern. That way, you'll have an idea of what your finished project will look like and if it will hold up. And remember, each project you do you'll learn more and more, you'll be an expert in no time!

Can't wait to see the finished project.

@ black dog. I was not suggesting using a furniture wax on a cutting board. I was referring to the end LOOK of the product- matte finish but still protected. High end hardwood flooring companies use this finish and it is becoming more and more popular. Floors looks like they may have 100 years ago. This finish can also be applied to furniture. Here is a link from duChateau explaining the process. http://duchateaufloors.com/about/about-hard-wax-oil-finish/

Thanks again! I will take everyone's advice into consideration. This truly is a learning process. For example...after staining the table I left it in the car port last nite. I didn't want the stain smell in my apartment. However I didn't take the temperature into consideration. This morning their was condensation. I think I ruined my stain job :( now I can't wait to get out of work so I can try to fix it. Now I'm definitely going to antique it with chalk paint lol I think the knobs will look better with the antique look as opposed to just the stain

Ah, well thats different. I guess I missed the product or link before.