Share
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @coolJJ. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about painting a table.
Before jumping into products, it’s worth clarifying what finish you’re aiming for. Are you after a solid, opaque white finish that completely covers the timber grain, or a lighter, translucent white look that still lets the grain show through? If it’s a full white finish, a water-based enamel such as Dulux Aqua Enamel can work well once the surface is properly prepared. If you’re after more of a washed or limed look, a product like a liming white finish would be more appropriate. Please be advised that if you are to paint the table, you would need to use placemats and coasters to protect the painted surface.
I do have a couple of concerns around the timber and preparation that are important to get right first. Is this solid acacia timber, or is it a timber veneer? Also, do you know if there is an existing coating on it, such as oil, varnish or polyurethane? Most acacia furniture is sealed to protect it, and that existing coating can prevent new paint from adhering properly if it is not dealt with correctly.
If it is solid timber and you want a painted white finish, the table will need a thorough sand to remove or at least key the existing coating. In many cases, especially where you are unsure of what is on the surface, using a high-adhesion primer such as Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 will greatly improve adhesion and durability before applying your topcoats. Skipping this step is usually where painted furniture starts to chip or peel later on.
If you can confirm whether it’s solid timber or veneer and what finish is currently on it, I can give you more specific advice on the best prep and product combination to get a long-lasting result.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
Given this is a brand new table @coolJJ, my first question would be whether it was available in a white finish to begin with and you somehow ended up with this version. If the product is available in white, I would very strongly recommend returning it if possible and purchasing the white version instead. It is generally not a great idea to buy something new and immediately step into painting it, as once you paint it you introduce a whole new set of variables around durability, longevity and ongoing maintenance.
If this is solid oak, I would imagine it was not an inexpensive purchase, which makes that decision even more important. From the photo, the tabletop appears to have a slightly rustic finish with visible grain texture rather than being perfectly milled smooth. That raises some real challenges. To fully cover the grain and achieve a smooth opaque white finish, you would need extensive sanding. If there is an existing coating on it, which is likely something like a sprayed satin polyurethane, it would need to be completely removed for proper adhesion. The issue is that sanding into the grain lines and texture is extremely difficult unless you sand the entire surface flat, which changes the character of the piece and is very time-consuming.
That is why painting brand new furniture often becomes more complex than people expect and can still fall short of a factory finish. If returning it is an option and choosing a white version or a different table that already meets your aesthetic, that would be well worth considering before committing to refinishing it yourself.
Mitchell
