My 1st Tutorial---Painted End Table

Several people have asked if I would be willing to put together a tutorial of some of the projects I am doing I said yes but also am adding this.....Warning: I am not an expert..nor do I claim to be this is an outlet for me and really just done for friends and family...consider yourself warned. If you have any suggestions Im open to that as well just leave a comment

This is how I purchased the end tables(there are 2 of them)

 First I sanded out all of the scratches and digs. I used a palm sanded and went with the grain of the wood. I started with an 80 grit and then a 220 to finish(Many of the sites suggested starting with a 120 then to do a 120 but it took forever to get through the polyurethane so I switched to a 80...problem solved). Now all smooth and ready for the next step...

 Because I was going to paint it I primed both tables entirely and I did the top with 2 coats since I had stripped it down to the wood. I used Zinsser Cover Stain Primer this stuff is awesome you can use it to prime anything including laminate. It is oil based but can be painted over with either water or oil based. Here it is after its primer.

 And then after a couple hours to make sure it was dry I used spray paint to obtain the color I was looking for. I used 3 cans for 2 end tables to make sure it was well covered. I applied the layers a couple hours apart to prevent dripping and let it dry. I then let it dry over night before putting the polyurethane on. The next day I polyurethaned the entirety of the table 2x letting it dry in between layers. I used a foam roller brush to prevent streaking. Then added another 3 layers to the top to ensure durability.I have yet to find a polyurethane that I absolutely love and works amazingly so if you have one you like leave me a comment. I then let them dry for 5 days before using them(the manufacturer suggests 7-10 days to make sure it all is dry and hard).

So there you have it I hope it all made sense. Really if you are willing to take the time and learn anyone can do it:)