Let's Play Cards

I have an old card table (actually 2 of them).  The smaller one was in rough shape.

The top of the card table is ripped and soiled.

I had been looking for something to recover it with: like a plastic table-cloth, oil cloth or some patterned vinyl.

The metal frame was scratched and marred.

When I looked on Etsy I found the laminated fabric I showed you here.

Source: etsy.com via Jo on Pinterest

First, with Charlie’s help, I removed the table top which was a piece of masonite covered with vinyl.

Metallic Charcoal spray paint gives a gorgeous finish to metal.

Then I took my favorite spray paint, “Metallic Charcoal,” and painted all the metal parts with many light coats of paint.

I flipped the table on every edge to make sure the legs and frame were well-painted. (The very top will be covered with masonite.)

When the fabric arrived in the mail I couldn’t wait to cut a piece. Using the old piece as a pattern I taped it onto the vinyl and cut a new top partially following the pattern but also making sure I cut along the print of the fabric keeping it square. I lightly ironed the cotton side of the fabric on a very low setting to smooth out the creases that folding it for shipping had created.

The old vinyl was taped right-side-up on the new laminate which was also right-side-up.

I gave the masonite a light spray with spray adhesive to hold the laminate in place when I flipped the top over to secure the edges.

My plan was to staple the fabric like the original had been but staples came through to the other side.  The shortest staples I could find were 1/4 inch and they were tooooo long. I tried to add a little thickness under the staple with some plastic weatherstripping but it wasn’t enough.

For me, this weatherstripping doesn’t work.

Then I tried some super glue which did not work at all.

The generic liquid glue in the middle didn’t work this time.

My final brilliant idea was double stick tape all along the underside edge of the table.

Good ole double stick tape to the rescue.

I just folded the laminated fabric onto the tape, including gathering the corners, and it stuck.

The double stick holds the laminate to the masonite.

Then I forced the clips of the tabletop back onto the metal frame.

So cute.

The difference is awesome.

The card table before.

The old bronze bomber in the photo above has been transformed.

Voila! A new card table.

Do you need as much help as I do getting your plans off the ground?

Sidebar: I purchased enough laminate to recover the second table also.

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