You’re going to love these unique table top ideas you can use on any furniture big or small! DIY a table top with paint, resin, stencils, Mod Podge, and more.
Skills Required: Beginner to Intermediate. Some of these will be as basic as painting, while other use stenciling and a little more skill. Everyone will find a project they’d like to tackle on this list.
Have you ever redone a table? You might think it’s intimidating, because I did at first. I’ll tell you exactly what was going on in my head before I tried it. This was well over 15 years ago.
I pictured myself going into Lowes or Home Depot, which I hated at the time, and searching the aisles for hours to find supplies. Supplies including sandpaper, stripper, basecoat, Kilz, a scraper, paint, rags, and just about a thousand other things.
I had zero clue what you actually needed to redo furniture, and assumed the preparation alone would overwhelm me. Not to mention the exquisite paint job that would be required, and that I certainly didn’t feel capable of.
So for a long time, furniture was a no-go.
But eventually I got my hands on a used side table for free, and I decided it was time to try it. Since there was nothing to lose. And by “try it” I mean paint the table and re-do the table top. And I loved it.
Since that time, I’ve re-done several pieces of furniture. And it’s way easier than I ever thought, and you need a lot fewer supplies than I thought (especially if you use chalk paint). You can get my tips for prepping furniture here.
So that you can try a project too, I’ve put together a collection of table top ideas for you to try! There’s everything from Mod Podge to tile to painting and stenciling. No matter your skill level or interest, you’re going to find a table top idea here you like.
If you’ve never tried re-doing furniture before, now’s the time. You’re more DIY-ey than you think, I promise! Check out the ideas below and let me know what you try in the comments!
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Decoupage Tabletop with Fabric
Learn how to decoupage a tabletop in this unique upcycled furniture project! You can do it yourself with Mod Podge. So easy!
David takes on a unique furniture project: a themed baseball card table. He uses simple supplies from the hardware store – you can do it too! Use printouts or real baseball cards.
Make an easy and non-messy DIY chalkboard coffee table, perfect for kids rooms or playrooms. You'll love how chalkboard takes the top of a thrifted coffee table to a whole new level!
You might be thinking that this table top was done with a stencil, and it definitely could be. However this particular design was made by painting a geometric design done with painter's tape. Isn't it cool?
Revamp an old coffee table top with milk paint and distressing tools. You can use a variety of colors and tools to make it look really cool. The distressing is also difficult to mess up given its random nature.
This side table makeover was so easy to complete. with leftover chalky paint and concrete from a countertop project. I love the new industrial chic look!
With a large adhesive stencil, Savannah was able to re-do this table with a herringbone pattern. For clean lines, this is a method that really works well.
Bone inlay furniture is always popular – and it's always expensive! You can get the same look on a budget using stencils. It's even got a bit of shimmer. This project takes some time, but if you have patience the results are fabulous.
Letter stencils are popular for adding a message or saying to the top of flat surfaces! You can use this same idea to decorate a piece of furniture perfect for farmhouse decor.
Turn your child's artwork into part of their playroom decor with this table and chair set. This is a fun way to use up your child's favorite artwork and let them enjoy it as well (don't forget to check out our child's art dresser too).
Not only can you paint on wood tables, but you can makeover metal table tops too! This is a unique way to do it with painter's tape, but you can make any game board you like on top.
Add an outdoorsy touch to your decor with this handsome buffalo plaid side table. Plaid is one of my favorite patterns and I'd love to try it on the top of a table sometime, wouldn't you?
