Refinishing the Deck Table!

The Cocktail Table on the deck is our favorite gathering place on a summer evening.

We love being able to pull up the chairs and enjoy the view.

It has a built in firepit....but alas....

Mr. S. doesn't think a fire on the deck is a good idea...GO FIGURE!!!

So we drilled a couple of drainage holes and put pots of plants in instead!!!

The poor thing  has been around for more than a few years.

We used to take the tile sections indoors during the winter....but over time we have gotten lazy about that....

Besides....I like to do seasonal arrangements all fall and winter that give us something nice to look at out the kitchen window!

So you can imagine.....given the harsh seasons in Minnesota....the tile was getting "pretty shabby"!

A new table exactly like this one.....is available for as much as we paid for the table AND chairs all those years ago!!!!

Yeah.....and that is JUST what I DON'T want to spend my money on!!!!!

So it was time to get creative!!!! (or I might as well admit it.....CHEAP)

I figured I could refinish this.....

what did I have to lose....

It couldn't look any worse!!!

We had this Gel Stain.....it said on the label: wood, fiberglass, metal and other surfaces....


this was certainly an OTHER surface....


so on it went! 

I was afraid it wouldn't dry and I would have to wipe it off....


but amazingly enough it did the trick.

The gel stain darkened all the sun faded slate as well as the grout.





 Then I did 4 coats of polyurethane over the course of a couple of days.

Take a look at the "lousy" brush I used....
I wanted to avoid the dreaded cleanup and be able to just toss it when I was done!

I got a little worried that Mr. S's mantra of using "a really good brush" for all projects would come back to haunt me....

after 3 coats the table was more than a little rough!!!!




I did a good sanding between the 3rd and 4th coat.....


Smooth as the proverbial "baby bottom"!

So there!

All Done.....and Looking ALMOST  new again!!!!

And hey look....I also figured out a way to have "sort of" a fire on the deck too.....

We can light the gel Fire Pots...

I will take a picture when it gets dark.....if I remember....!

Have a thrifty day!

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