How to Paint a Checkerboard Table

A tables with a checkerboard top can play two roles. It can have a practical purpose as a functional game table for checkers and chess. In addition, its grid of contrasting colors can add a bold accent to your decor. Some common color schemes for checkerboards include black and white, red and black, and olive green and buff. A traditional checkerboard has 64 squares. If you plan to use your checkerboard table for regular games, you can protect the surface from wear with a layer of varnish.

Putty knife
Wood putty
Medium-grit sanding block
Primer
Foam paintbrush
Tack cloth
Self-priming paint in satin or semigloss finish
Paint roller
2 foam roller sleeves
Paint pan
Tape measure
Chalk
Yardstick
Low-tack painter's tape
Razor

Instructions

- 1
  Fill in any holes on your tabletop with wood putty. Run a putty knife over the repairs to remove excess putty. Allow the putty to dry. Lightly sand the repaired area so it is the same as the surrounding surface. Spot-prime repairs with a dab of primer and a foam brush.
- 2
  Lightly sand a glossy surface with a sanding block. Wipe off the tabletop with a tack cloth.
- 3
  Roll an even coat of paint over the entire top of the table. Use the lighter of the two colors for this base color. Let the paint dry overnight.
- 4
  Measure the side of your table. Divide this number by 8 to determine how big to make each square on your checkerboard. Use a piece of chalk and a yardstick to mark out your grid.
- 5
  Place strips of tape just inside the lighter squares. Use a razor to cut the ends of the tape straight across. To prevent confusion, place an X made of tape in each light square.
- 6
  Roll out the dark squares with a foam roller. Roll in both directions to evenly disperse paint. Peel off the tape as soon as you finish painting each dark square.

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