Concrete Overlay: A DIY Concrete Table Top Refresh

When we moved into our house almost a decade ago, we quickly switched out our old rectangular kitchen table for a round one. The base of the table was a beautifully colored wood. The top was some sort of metal material (I think). It had little button rounds on the side. It was a great table. It has lasted for years and fits the space perfectly. However, the top has been painted on, nail polished on, banged with toddler forks and spoons, etc, etc. Needless to say, it was time for a little refresh. I love how the DIY Concrete Table Top Refresh turned out!

**DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you click and purchase, I may receive some compensation. Thank you! Also this is just an account of my unprofessional experience and what I did. Proceed at your own risk.

Kitchen Table Refresh Options

I considered a few different options for the kitchen tabletop. The first option was to paint it. This would likely have been the least expensive option. I would have probably chosen a white paint and would have painted the base too. Not super exciting. The second option was to find a wood top to match the base; this was likely the most expensive option if I wanted it done well and with quality materials. The final option was a concrete overlay. This felt like a good option because I didn’t need to make a mold or pour actual concrete. A skim coat would do the trick.

Concrete Table Brainstorm and Prep

I called in my DIY buddy, Gretchen, and we had a brainstorming session. The buttons on the side of the table were going to be tricky to skim coat over. Gretchen suggested we try to pop them off. And guess what? They came right off! We thought that was a good sign.

Originally, we were going to use concrete. (I even bought a 50 lb bag at Lowe’s one night.) That bag actually scared me a bit, so I did a little more online perusing and came across a concrete overlay product. It seemed much more manageable and the website was incredibly helpful. It even assisted me with some math (because after 4th grade math homework, I’m pretty math-ed out) and determined how much of the product I would need. I ordered that and a trowel. It came to the house within a few days.

Concrete Table Refresh- Take 1

I cleaned the table and lightly hand sanded it. Then, we half watched a tutorial video while catching up and talking about our process. Per usual, a “wing it” approach was decided upon. (If you want actual directions, Direct Colors has step by step directions and videos. I would recommend it.) We mixed up our first batch. It was determined that this batch would need to be thicker because it was going on the outer edge and we would be using it to fill in the button holes. The outer edge was probably the hardest part for us. We wore gloves and just sort of caked it around the edge. It was difficult to get even but we did our best and then moved on to the table top.

This was the most fun part! Again, there was very little measuring or following directions. We eyeballed the dry mix with water to make our “pancake batter” consistency. Using a paint stirrer, we mixed it, trying to avoid the bumps that we both agreed are hard to get rid of in our actual pancake batter as well. We then poured the mixture on the table and used the trowel to spread it around. Once the table top was covered with the concrete overlay, we took turns trying to get it as even as possible with as few lines as possible. We also let some of it drip over the edge while the other one used the drips to fill in some thin parts on the sides.

We then let it dry, hoping and wishing and praying that my kids didn’t decided to put their Cheeto hands on it. (Our family felt very fancy eating in the formal dining room.)

Concrete Table Refresh- Take 2

A few days later (you probably don’t have to wait that long, but that was the soonest I was able to return to the project), I attempted to use a sanding block to smooth it out. However, that was not a strong enough option. Fortunately, R had our electric sander in the garage, and it worked perfectly. I used a 120 grit sand paper.

I wasn’t completely happy with the finish and felt some areas were just too thin, so I did a second coat of the overlay solo. It was harder and considerably less fun without anyone to talk to but turned out fine.

The next day, I used the electric sander with 120 grit paper again, sanded the table, and wiped it down. (Side note: I should have done this with a dry rag, not a damp paper towel). I then used a concrete sealer. I mixed it in a 1:1 ratio with water as the directions suggested for a satin finish (I wanted as little shine as possible). I applied the sealer with a cloth that we had laying around but a microfiber cloth is the right answer in this situation. I applied three coats, letting it dry for about an hour in between in each coat.

We waited 48 hours and then it was ready to go!

Supplies List:

Concrete overlay- purchased from Direct Colors

Mixing cups

Paint stirrer (for mixing)

Trowel (for spreading the overlay)- also from Direct Colors

Gloves

Eye protection

Mask (for concrete dust and sealer)

Sealer

Electric Sander

120 grit sandpaper

Something to cover your floors (we just used paper grocery bags)

Additional Sources:

Rattan Lighting

Planter- The Counting House

Other Concrete Table Options:

If you like the look of a concrete table but don’t have a table to do an overlay on/don’t want to mess with a DIY project, I’ve rounded up some ready-to-purchase concrete table options. You can click on the affiliate photos below to shop.