Cane webbing accents are part of the resurgence of mid-century modern trends. This tutorial will walk you through a step-by-step cane webbing coffee table makeover. I’m excited for you to see this project. It turned out so great!
I still cannot get over what a difference it makes to refinish furniture with paint. From an outdated coffee table to a sleek modern black-painted coffee table with gorgeous cane webbing, this DIY project is an excellent example of total furniture transformation that is both gorgeous with new life and budget-friendly.
I love so much of the MCM look. After all, some of these styles were things I grew up with. Well, along with country blue and mauve Home Interiors ducks. Some of the staples of MCM furniture have made a huge resurgence in the last several years. Cane webbing, cane, rattan, wicker, and bamboo are all materials that are in high demand.
Some pieces of furniture where I have seen these elements popping up on DIY projects are a nightstand, dressers, headboards, and cane furniture. Many people are using DIY cane webbing on many types of projects as well. Drawer fronts, an Ikea hack, a storage cabinet, and cupboard doors are a few of the projects I have loved.
an interesting fact about me
Speaking of MCM, an interesting fact about me is my family had a booth in our kitchen growing up. Like our kitchen table was a restaurant-style booth. FROM LONG JOHN SILVER’S. I kid you not! Like royal blue vinyl with those weird pirate flags stitched into the seat back! Welp that is awkward to share! lol!
MID-CENTURY MODERN CANE WEBBING COFFEE TABLE FIND
This guide will walk you step by step through the entire process of upcycling this cane-webbing coffee table. Several months ago, my wife and I stopped at our local ReStore. This place is totally hit or miss. Sometimes they will have some decent furniture at affordable prices. Other times they are trying to sell pressed board end tables like French Provincial antiques from the 1700s.
We found this gorgeous walnut, rectangle coffee table with a glass top and cane webbing bottom for only $15. It was amazing. My thought was to sand this cane webbing coffee table to a natural finish and paint the cane webbing to freshen it up.
As I sanded, the beautiful Walnut grain started to pop even more before. Once most of the cane webbing coffee table was stripped, I noticed the grain pattern popped a little too much. It had a weird tiger stripe effect that I couldn’t get past. So, unfortunately, I had to make a mid-project switch and went with black paint to complete the makeover. More on that later.
KNOW WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR
Two of the most significant pieces of advice I can give you are knowing what you’re looking for and knowing where to look. You should be able to find old furniture for a makeover at just about every thrift store or garage sale you come across. However, not all furniture is worth the price and the hassle of the redo. Some furniture will be pressed wood (particle board) and cheaply manufactured.
There is nothing wrong with attempting to redo cheap furniture, but most of the time, the result will not be nearly as good, the piece will not last long, and the process will just be complicated due to the issues with cheaper furniture. On the other hand, if you can find a furniture piece that is solid wood and durable from a reputable manufacturer, your chances of long-term success with the furniture makeover go way up. Check out my post on how to paint a nightstand for an example of a high-end piece of furniture bought for $12.99 at a thrift store.
Know where to buy
Knowing where to buy is also important. Look at your local thrift stores and check for the quality, quantity, and furniture cost. I have a few that I love. Knowing what you’re looking for and where to look will save you a lot of time and frustration in the long run.
Before You Start your cane webbing coffee table makeover
This is the stage of the furniture makeover when you need to decide precisely what you want the finished product to look like. Are you sanding and leaving natural wood exposed? Maybe strip and stain. How would the piece look painted? Possibly chalk paint with a clear wax sealer? So many things to contemplate, and now is the time to make some of these decisions.
MATERIALS AND TOOLS needed for this coffee table redo
Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner
Clean The glass top coffee Table
I have started using Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. The product does a great job of cleaning and degreasing. The best part is that it is much safer for the environment than other harsh cleaners and degreasers.
Removing the glass was my first step. My goal was to avoid another mishap with a glass-top coffee table. Check out my post, A complete guide to how to chalk paint a coffee table, for more about that situation. I thoroughly sprayed the entire piece and wiped it down to ensure the coffee table was free of dust or debris. Another product you can use to make sure you get all of the dust is a tack cloth.
Paint the cane webbing
Because of the woven pattern of cane webbing, it is essential to make sure you get good paint coverage on both sides of the cane webbing. I used Rust-Oleum Protective Enamel in an almond color with a satin sheen. Blue painter’s tape was used to tape a clean line between the cane webbing and the wood on the coffee table.
Once the table was taped, I sprayed the cane webbing with almond spray paint. Use long, smooth strokes; I sprayed four light coats to get nice, even paint coverage. This was repeated for the other side of the cane webbing. So, both sides of the cane webbing received four coats of spray paint.
Black paint makes this cane webbing renovation.
Now that the cane webbing is painted almond, I taped the cane webbing so I could paint the coffee table. I did not prime this mid-century coffee table due to the paint I chose. I used satin sheen Behr Ultra Scuff Defense in Cracked Pepper. This is a paint and primer in one, so there was no need for additional primer.
I applied three coats of paint with a foam roller and paintbrush (for the hard-to-reach corners). I used medium grit sandpaper/sponge between each coat of paint for any imperfections. This cane webbing coffee table makeover is almost complete. Here comes the sealer.
Apply Sealer To The upcycled DIY Coffee Table
I wanted an ultra-smooth finish with the top coat sealer. So, I sprayed the polyurethane on the painted coffee table. Removing the tape around the cane webbing allowed me to spray the table and the cane webbing with polyurethane.
I sprayed three coats of Verithane satin sheen polyurethane. This gave me great coverage and excellent durability. I like this product due to its water-based nature, which makes it really easy to clean up. Just like that, this project is done.
Final Steps
All that was left was to clean the glass inserts that go on top of the table, and this cane webbing coffee table makeover is finished. I hope you enjoyed following along. This was a fun and straightforward project to complete. I would love to hear what you’re working on.
Financial breakdown of this MCM glass-top coffee table
Cost $15
Paint $3
Spray paint $3
Poly $2
Total $23
Sold for $200
Profit $177 (This could have gone for quite a bit more if listed on Etsy, but I wanted to move this quickly, so I listed it on Facebook Marketplace. It sold within two hours.)
Can cane webbing be painted?
Is Chucky from Child’s Play weirdly adorable? YES! Of course, you can paint cane webbing. Whether it is old cane webbing that needs to be refreshed or maybe you just want to change the color of the cane webbing, you can be creative and give it an update. Cane webbing is a delicate and versatile material, so I suggest always spraying it to ensure you do not damage the cane webbing during the project. Using a paint sprayer is an option, but spray paint is a perfect choice. Don’t be afraid of painting your cane webbing project! You can do this.
Is cane webbing in style?
Cane Webbing was a staple of mid-century modern furniture. It has never gone out of style due to its natural texture and beautiful look. This styling element will never go out of style and has seen a big resurgence over the last few years. Cane webbing is here to stay, so don’t be afraid to buy vintage cane chairs to redo or add cane webbing to dresser drawers to change the look of an older dresser.
How to makeover a coffee table?
Updating a coffee table can be a game changer for a room. Whether painting, stripping, adding cane webbing, or just changing up the decorations on top of the table, you can immediately update your space. The easiest option is to restyle the coffee table. Maybe add some coffee table books, a candle, a smaller picture, and a plant of some type. The more labor-intensive option is to repaint, strip, or add a styling element to the table, like cane webbing or burlap.
Cane webbing coffee table makeover
Materials
Instructions
- Thoroughly spray the entire piece with an all-purpose cleaner and wipe it down to ensure the coffee table is free of dust or debris.
- Spray the cane webbing with almond spray paint. Use long, smooth strokes. Spray four light coats to get nice, even paint coverage. Repeat for the other side of the cane webbing; So, both sides of the cane webbing received four coats of spray paint.
- Apply three coats of paint with a foam roller and paintbrush (for the hard-to-reach corners). Use medium grit sandpaper/sponge between each coat of paint for imperfections.
- I sprayed three coats of Verithane satin sheen polyurethane. This gave me great coverage and excellent durability.
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