Last year I delved into the world of flexible seating, This year I wanted to add to my flexible seating options. I found these old wooden stools in my parents’ garage. They were the same ones that I had as a kid. They were pretty beat and scratched up and I knew that they would be perfect for a makeover!
Step 1: Sand down the stools
The first thing I did was sand down the stools. The paint was scratched up and it made the surface uneven. In order to make sure the paint adheres smoothly I needed to sand down all the stools. If you have a sanding machine I HIGHLY recommend using it! Unfortunately, I did not have one. Sanding took much longer and wasn’t as smooth as it could be.
Step 2: Spray Paint
After sanding down the stools, I made sure to wipe them down to remove any debris or dust. I protected my surface and spray painted away! I decided to go with black. I used about 3 bottles of spray paint.
Step 3 (optional): Applying a Decal
After letting my paint dry for 48 hours I decided to add a decal to the top. Using my silhouette cameo and some Oracal 651 I cut out 4 different designs: Be kind, Be honest, Be brave and be you. I simply applied the vinyl like you would with any other vinyl project. I was a little afraid the vinyl wouldn’t stick or the contact paper would take off paint but I was pleasantly surprised! While I did mess up on one stool, the other 3 applied amazingly on the first try! If you do happen to mess up, simply remove the vinyl, sand again and re-paint.
*Fonts used: KG Blank Space Solid and APL Heart Eyes
If you don’t have a vinyl machine you can also paint the words on instead.
Step 4: Apply a top coat
These stools are meant for students to sit on every single day. Since I need these stools to be extra durable I decided to apply a top coat. I wanted to make sure the vinyl wouldn’t peel and if students were to spill water I can easily wipe the stools. I applied a clear top coat with polycrylic. This is a water based top coat so you vinyl doesn’t curl or shrink. I let the vinyl stick for 24 hours before I applied the top coat.*
I LOVE how they came out and I am so excited for my kids to use them!! I would love to see any of your furniture makeovers!
Let me know if you have any questions!
*After having these stools for a year, I would apply the polycrylic top coat to the entire stool rather than just the top.*
Think Believe Teach 