PROJECT: Patio table

TIME: Six hours

COST: $20 for an old game table from Diversity Thrift; $40 for a 36-inch round tabletop from Lowe's; $10 for a quart of white semi-gloss paint; $9 for a quart of oil-based primer; $9 for a quart of water-based polyurethane; $4 for screws and washers. Total: $92 ($607 cheaper than the Pottery Barn version)

HOW THEY DID IT: We purchased an old rickety game table at Diversity Thrift for $20. This table had seen its day. The paint was peeling, the construction was iffy at best, and the small square top was not in proportion to the chunky pedestal. But we immediately realized that with a little sweat equity, we could completely reinvent this shabby excuse for a table.

With the warmer weather blowing in, John and I were just talking about how nice it would be to have dinner outside sans bugs. Then we realized that adding a table to our screened-in sunroom would create an outside-ish atmosphere with nary a bug in sight. Our thrift store find was the perfect solution.

We removed the old tabletop, picked up a 36-inch round one at Lowe's, and attached it to the pedestal using a few screws and washers underneath. Then all the pedestal needed was some light sanding followed by one coat of oil-based primer to get it ready for some paint.

After two coats of white semi-gloss paint and a few light coats of water-based polyurethane, our new table was finally foodand drink-friendly. We positioned the table in a corner so it perfectly accommodates the two of us while providing a great view of the backyard, but it could easily seat four people if we pulled it away from the wall.

We could also envision this table in an eat-in kitchen or dining room or even on a patio (some exterior polyurethane would seal it against the elements). There's a lot you can do with a round pedestal table, so it's a piece that's certain to have a long life in many different rooms as your needs change.

That's the story of a crusty old castoff becoming the perfect dinner destination -- and even an impromptu office on a sunny day. There's nothing like some grunt work, some paint, and a little imagination to make something swoon-worthy out of something Dumpster-worthy."
To see more quick and easy transformations the Petersiks have made to their 50-year-old ranch, visit their blog at www.thisyounghouse.com.

TELL US HOW YOU DID IT: Share your home improvement or garden project in 250 words or fewer with Julie Young, Home & Garden, I Did It Myself, P.O. Box 85333, Richmond, VA 23293, or e-mail jyoung@timesdispatch.com. Include your name, address, phone number and, if possible, high-resolution photos. The project must be one you actually did yourself!