Beautiful Duncan Phyfe Table Makeover with Paint| Step-by-Step Guide

27 Jan

Do you have one of those Duncan Phyfe tables needing some updates? Are you afraid to start painting it as it may mess up and make it worse? What if you could inject the vintage charm with a modern twist of paint that still respects its classic craftsmanship? This Duncan Phyfe table makeover is designed for the home DIYer who loves to blend the old with the new.

This in-depth guide will walk you through transforming a traditional Duncan Phyfe table into a head-turning piece that marries its vintage roots with a contemporary flair. Whether you’re an experienced DIYer or this is your first time for a furniture upgrade, these detailed steps are your path to success.

Prepping Your Duncan Phyfe Table for the Makeover

Before plunging into painting or staining your table, the preparation phase is an important step. This groundwork not only ensures a smooth finish but also guarantees the durability of your handiwork.

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Step 1: Gather Your Materials

The first step is to gather all your materials before starting the furniture makeover. Your exact materials may vary based on the condition of your table and the paint finish you would like to achieve.

Before picture of Duncan Phyfe style Drop Leaf Table and Chairs

Step 2: Inspect and Repair

Examine your table for any damages. Use wood filler to fix any minor scratches, cracks, or gouges. For larger repairs, such as broken corners or loose joints, consider using wood bondo for those repairs.

The base of the table and chairs were in great shape, except I needed to fix one of the backs of the chairs. The chair’s back had a crack in it. I used wood glue, wood filler, and large clamps to hold the back together until it dried completely overnight.

Repairing the chair back with Gorilla Glue

Step 3: Sanding

Sanding mahogany finishes can be tricky. I have discovered that even a light sanding will remove the protective finish and this could lead to paint bleed through. Read all about how to prevent paint bleed through.

I only recommend sanding this type of furniture if the finish is flacking or needs sanded after a repair. If the table has a high-gloss finish, I recommend using liquid sandpaper.

Step 4: Cleaning

After your prep is complete, give your table a good cleaning with a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar. I typically do not like to use harsh chemicals when cleaning furniture before painting.

If your piece of furniture has sticky substances or grime build-up, use a 50/50 mix of denatured alcohol and water and scrub using a coarse scrub pad. Wipe with just water after using the denatured alcohol mixture.

Step 5: Priming

Priming your furniture is optional. It mainly depends on the paint you are using. I recommend priming if you are using latex paint or a light color paint due to potential bleed-through.

Priming the Duncan Phyfe table with Zinsser

Since I am using Modern Masters metallic paint, I used Zinsser Bull’s Eye 123 Stain Blocking Primer. This was a recommended primer from the Modern Masters website.

Restaining the Tabletop

If your Duncan Phyfe table features a wooden top that you’d like to enrich, restaining the old finish can be a wonderful way to enhance the natural beauty of the dark wood. There are several different ways you can restore the table top and they are dependent on the condition of your tabletop.

If your table only has a few minor scratches you can get away with applying 1 coat of Restore A Finish. My table had more than a few minor scratches so I decided to do the next step of restaining without having to remove the original finish. My favorite is using Gel Stain over an existing finish.

However, if your table is in really bad shape, you will want to do the traditional way of restoring a wood furniture piece.

Drop Leaf Table and Chairs with Modern Masters Metallic Paint Collection

Sanding the existing finish to use Gel stain

I started by lightly sanding the top of the table. My favorite sanding tool is a Surf Prep Sander. It is a foam back sander and does an amazing job from light sanding to total stripping. You only want to sand enough to scuff up the surface. Make sure you sand in the direction of the wood grain. Use the code “Designeddecor” to receive 10% off your order.

Staining over an existing wood finish

Use a high-quality, pigmented gel stain such as General Finishes Java Gel Stain for a deep, rich color. Apply it with a soft cloth or chip brush, moving with the grain of the wood. Work in smaller sections to ensure the stain doesn’t dry before you can wipe it off, which can cause streaks.

Usually, you only need 1 coat of stain with this process. I am not going to go into details about staining, and you can read about how to use gel stain on furniture without stripping. I used Java Gel from General Finishes to stain the top and sealed it with Gel Top Coat from General Finishes.

Restoring the original wood finish

If your tabletop has significant damage or if you just prefer to strip and restain. You will need to remove the existing finish down to the bare wood. If you need help with restoring a wood finish, check out my Strip, Stain, Paint, & Wax workshop for a detailed step-by-step video tutorial on the process from start to finish.

How to Paint Duncan Phyfe Style Tables

There comes a time when the classic lines of the popular Duncan Phyfe table fit with your decor, however, the outdated red stain screams paint me. Adding the right paint and finish will give these tables a new look that will fit into the style of your home.

Choosing the Right Paint

When it comes to selecting paint, the sky is the limit. You can go with classic chalk paint for a vintage matte look, or opt for modern metallic shades for a glam twist. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s high-quality and suited for furniture. I decided to use the Modern Master Metallic to update this drop leaf table.

This was a hard decision on what paint color because they have some pretty awesome colors to choose from. I decided to use black pearl and added the champagne to highlight the carved details.

Painting Duncan Phyfe Tables

Now for the fun stuff, I used 3 light coats of the Modern Masters in black pearl. This paint is somewhat opaque so that is why it needed 3 coats. I recommend using light coats of paint to avoid drips and streaks. Use a quality paintbrush or a foam roller to apply the metallic paint.

You can also spray on the Modern Masters Metallic paint, however you need a certain type of sprayer. After painting 4 chairs by hand with 1 coat of primer, 3 coats of paint, and 1 coat of sealer, I decided to invest in a sprayer. Check out how these dressers turned out when I sprayed on the MMM paint. I had a problem with the paint since I was not using the correct sprayer. However, this mistake turned out to look like a hammered metal finish.

champagne dry brushing over black paint in carved details on chair legs

After all the black pearl metallic paint was dry, I used the Modern Master in Champagne and applied it with a dry brush technique on all the grooved edge pieces to give the table and chairs some shimmer. I love how the champagne color added more character to the table and chairs.

Once I let the paint dry completely I applied the Master Clear over all the painted areas. The other great thing about this paint is the low odor. I was able to paint all the pieces in my house with little to no smell. My son plays his video games in the same space and I never heard him complain about the smell of paint.

TIP: If you are using metallic paint, make sure to use a satin sealer. Do not use a matte or flat as this will tone done the metallic finish.

Reupholstering the chair seats

The chair cushions were in pretty bad shape and they needed a great fabric to bring out the colors of the black and champagne metallic paint.

I found this perfect paisley fabric to recover the seats. It has been discontinued at this point, however, I found this similar black beige paisley fabric.

Re-covered chair with cream and black paisley fabric

I love how the Modern Masters Metallic paint gave this old run-down table another life.

Duncan Phyfe style Drop Leaf Table and Chairs

Other Duncan Phyfe Table Makeovers

They are a classic design and style that fits in most homes so every time I would come across this style of table, I was sure to purchase them and give them a furniture makeover. I find my furniture pieces at various places like flea markets, thrift stores, Facebook marketplace, and yard sales.

This Duncan Phyfe coffee table was painted with lamp black and used fine grit sandpaper to give it a light distressed look. I used gold Rub-n-Buff on the lion’s feet and a gold furniture transfer on the tabletop. The entire table was sealed in high-performance matte.

black painted Duncan Phyfe coffee and side table

Are you noticing that I like to paint Duncan Phyfe’s tables in black? I think the clean classic lines are perfect for black furniture paint. These were painted with the same black paint and sealer as mentioned above.

Conclusion

Refinishing furniture is a personal and rewarding pursuit. As with any DIY project, be patient and enjoy the transformation process. Remember, there’s no blueprint for beauty, and each Duncan Phyfe table is a unique statement waiting to be made. Feel free to add personal touches—a bit of distressing for that rustic flair, or maybe a bold, unexpected color for a burst of modernity. Your antique Duncan Phyfe table is a canvas waiting to reflect your unique taste and artistry.

You will love these other great Modern Masters Projects:

DeDe Bailey

DeDe Bailey is the artistic mastermind behind Designed Décor and The Puzzle Table. With a rich background in home décor retail, she has transformed her website into a platform driven by a profound passion for helping individuals craft spaces they adore. As a self-taught furniture painting artist and thrift decorator, she loves sharing her knowledge and empowering others to beautify their homes through furniture painting and thrifting. When she isn’t sharing her wisdom on the Designed Décor blog, DeDe is occupied with showcasing her ingenious jigsaw puzzle table design and expanding her short-term rental located in NE Ohio.

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Looksi Here! DIY Projects with Modern Masters | Modern Masters Cafe Blog says:

02/07/2014 at 8:05 am

[…] we follow up with DeDe of Designed Decor. She shares in her DIY project post that her drop leaf table and 4 chairs were in need of some serious TLC. Here is what it all looked […]

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Prepping Your Duncan Phyfe Table for the Makeover

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Step 2: Inspect and Repair

Step 3: Sanding

Step 4: Cleaning

Step 5: Priming

Restaining the Tabletop

Sanding the existing finish to use Gel stain

Staining over an existing wood finish

Restoring the original wood finish

How to Paint Duncan Phyfe Style Tables

Choosing the Right Paint

Painting Duncan Phyfe Tables

Reupholstering the chair seats

Other Duncan Phyfe Table Makeovers

Conclusion

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