DIY Aquarium Stand Table With A Faux Barnwood Top
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Find an old aquarium stand and make a table using wood scraps or recycled wood table tops.
This is one of the projects where I had second thoughts about the paint. I’ll let you guys give me what for if I messed up.

As promised…..table number two for the week is made from an aquarium stand. I found the red aquarium stand at my favorite junk shop and loved the color. I can’t pass up anything red or made of metal.
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The top butcher block piece is what we’re working with today, and it also came from my favorite junk shop.
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The JTS (aka hubby, aka Junktion Technical Specialist) cut the butcher block top to fit the metal stand.
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We also found a few reclaimed boards to make slats for the bottom shelf. Hubby is great at using the table saw. Table saws make me nervous.
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As you can see, the JTS did most of the work on this project. He drilled holes in the iron aquarium stand so we could attach the wood top.
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Now this is where I may have messed up. Do you guys like the light natural wood look? Read on to see what I did to the top.
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I stained the butcher block with General Finishes stain in walnut. It just wipes on.
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Then I waxed the top with white Barnwood wax from FolkArt.
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The main reason I decided to stain the top is that I didn’t have a matching butcher block for the bottom shelf. I painted the wood slats brown and applied the white barnwood wax. The top and bottom don’t match, but there isn’t a big contrast.
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Faux Barnwood Table Top
I do like the barnwood look with the red-painted base.
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And I really like the paint-by-number framed picture. I found it at a yard sale, I think the price was 50 cents….maybe $1.

What do you think of the aquarium stand table? Do you like the top, or would you have preferred the original butcher block? That’s it for me. You guys have a great day! Kathy

I like it stained – nice contrast.
When you are keeping an item you should do it as you want. If selling something then consider what others like or want in design and color.
I like the top but the black slats are a bit too dark. I understand your logic, though
I think the top looks fine–like it was meant for the red metal stand. But I don’t like the bottom shelf. The tone is quite different from the top to begin with and the spaces between the boards bother me somehow. I think a solid piece that matched the top would look perfect, but not having the spaces between the boards on the bottom would look much better. I don’t know, but I think it’s that with the spaces between the boards the fact that the bottom shelf doesn’t match the top is accentuated. That’s my personal take on the table. I do love the red metal frame, though. I’ll be interested to see what, or if, you do with all these suggestions!
Looks great!!
I like your finish much better than the butcher block top! This is a great table.
You did good, don’t over-think your decisions!
Perfectly re-done!
Looks great just as you did it!! Thanks for sharing!
I love the barnwood color with the red!! Thumbs up from me!!
If you had left it as a butcher block, people would be confused, thinking it should go into a kitchen. I think it looks great with the slats on the bottom-ties the wood together. I’m a sucker for red too!!
Love love love it Kathy !!! Happy New Year!!!
Like the top the way you did it a lot. The bottom not so much. Any chance you might find a bit of butcher’s block and re-do that part? Anway – Happy New Year Kathy. x