Burlap Sack Table Tops

I had big plans for these two tables that I got free from my neighbor's garbage.  

Even though they were press board, I knew I would be able to paint them with homemade chalk paint since that will stick to anything.  The tops had that bubbling from getting wet and my plan was to decoupage fabric to cover it up. 

But not just any fabric!  Turns out the burlap sacks I got from this garage sale fit the tops perfectly.  

I kept going back and forth about how to clean them and I wound up putting them outside in the rain that was in the forecast for the next few days.  It did a great job of rinsing them out. 

Meanwhile I painted the tables.  I had the idea to layer the paint so when I distressed you would get to see multiple colors.  Both got layer #1 in white, layer #2 in red and then one got layer #3 in black while the other got layer #3 in red again.

You can see in the photos above, that after I distressed, the white didn't really show up.  I think it would have worked if I lightly sanded the tables before I started to paint to have given a better bond to the white.

Next part was to put the burlap sack material on the top.  There are tons of different blog posts on how to Mod Podge (MP) material on furniture.  I just followed a combination of a bunch of different ones.

• I cut the sack into two pieces.  There was printing on both sides, so I only needed to use one sack for the two tables.
• I put a layer of MP on the table top and placed the sack on top and positioned it.  I was able to move it around easily.  Once I was satisfied with the placement, I put another layer of MP on top of the burlap.  
• There is a lip to the table top, so I was able to use my stapler to secure the burlap from underneath.  It was a little tricky at the doors, I just stapled further back.  Of course I ran out of staples at this point.  
• But it was okay because the MP needed to dry.  The burlap was very delicate and was starting to rip.  
• The next day the burlap was very hard and fully adhered to the table top.  Under the lip, where I stapled, the burlap was still soft, so after I stapled the heck out of it (with my brand new box of 1,250 staples), I added more MP to make the burlap stiff and strong to hold onto the staples.
• The last step was to turn the table over so I could trim the excess burlap with a brand new razor blade.

And here's how they came out!

I am so happy with them!  I love the way the printed grain sack fits on the top--it was totally meant to be!

The black table was finished with the dark wax "glaze" technique.  

The red table got a coating of Minwax dark walnut to give it more depth and tone the color down.  It is a nice affect, but takes forever to dry, especially when it is humid.  I finished it up with Minwax Finishing Paste.

I would definitely do this again as I have a bunch more sacks.  I would like to try it on a plain rectangular table as well as maybe a small dresser on the drawer fronts.  It would all depend on what I find that they fit.  

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