Buffalo Plaid Check Pattern On Furniture

Transforming old furniture into something unique and eye-catching can be incredibly rewarding.

In this tutorial, I'll walk you through the process of creating a buffalo plaid check design on furniture using timber stains.

This project is perfect for anyone looking to add a rustic touch to their home decor. Let's get started!

Materials Needed:

Side table (purchased for $35 from an op shop) 

Sandpaper 120 & 240 grit  

Krud Kutter Cleaner

Makita Orbital Sander - https://www.bunnings.com.au/makita-18v-random-orbital-sander-dbo180z-skin-only_p6290239 

Primer Spray Paint - https://www.bunnings.com.au/zinsser-369g-b-i-n-primer-sealer-stain-killer-aerosol_p1561720 

Black Spray Paint - https://www.bunnings.com.au/rust-oleum-340g-canyon-black-satin-2x-ultra-cover-paint-prime-spray-paint_p1580677 

Painter’s frog tape - https://rb.gy/6ulflg 

Black Timber Stain - https://rb.gy/zogt2c 

Teak Timber Stain - https://rb.gy/msuppr 

Old Baltic Stain - https://rb.gy/9guvaf 

Matt Topcoat - https://tinyurl.com/2p9a98b8

I picked up this cute little table from the op shop for $35, and I probably overpaid for it because it is actually a veneer top. However, I thought it was such a cute design and I couldn't walk out without it. Because it was so small in size, I knew that I wanted to do something a little bit unique with it to really make it pop and stand out.

Step 1: Preparing the Table

To start off, I wanted to sand off all the varnish on the top of the table. Since this was a veneer, I had to be a little more careful when sanding it back because I didn't want to burn through the veneer surface. This meant I had to be cautious with what sandpaper I was using. I started off with 120 grit instead of 80 grit (which is what I would usually start off with) so the sanding took a little longer than usual.  I then swapped to 240 grit to really smooth out the surface.

Once I was happy with the top, I moved on to the edge and sanded off the varnish around the edge of the table. This revealed the chipboard underneath. Since I was going to keep the top raw exposed, I didn't mind this too much—it was just going to give ia little more character to the piece. However, if you had an issue with this, you could add a veneer strip around the edge of the table if you wanted to.

Step 2: Scuff Sanding

Now that the timber surface on top is all sanded back to raw, I needed to give the rest of the piece a scuff sand. I am going to be painting the body and the legs of the piece, so I grabbed a piece of 120 grit sandpaper to scuff sand the rest of the piece.

If you're new to upcycling and refinishing, you might not know too much about scuff sanding. The reason why you need to give a scuff sand to the rest of the piece before painting is because the old varnish is quite sleek, making it a hard surface for any paint to stick to. The scuff sand roughs up that surface, which gives a nice surface for the paint to grip to.

Once you finish your scuff sand, you need to go through and give the piece a really good clean. I used my Krud Kutter Degreaser to go over the whole piece and make sure there was no grime or dust on it before I could start painting.

Step 3: Masking and Priming

Next, I applied masking tape to the top of the table because I wanted to keep the top of the table raw timber and stop the paint from getting on it. I am going to spray paint the bottom of the table with cans of spray paint as that's the quickest way to get this project done.

I highly recommend using a good quality masking tape—Frog Tape is my favourite, but if you don't have access to Frog Tape, just pick a really good high-quality masking tape.

Then, I applied a primer to the base of the table. I used Zinsser BIN Primer. I didn't actually need this primer for its stain-blocking properties on this project because I was going to be painting the base black. If I were going to paint it a lighter colour, I would definitely need to use this primer for its stain-blocking properties. However, I also like it because it's a great adhesion primer and a little bit stronger than some of the water-based primers, which is why I decided to use it on this project.

After allowing the primer to completely dry, I grabbed a 240 grit sandpaper and gave a little bit of a scuff sand to all the areas that had been primed.

Step 4: Painting the Base

Next, it was time to apply the black spray paint. You can do this with a spray can, or if you've got some black paint on hand, you can just use a paintbrush to paint the base.

Depending on the brand of paint you use, you may find you can get away with one coat, or you may need to do two coats. Once I was happy with the base and it was completely painted, I removed the masking tape around the timber edge.

Step 5: Creating the Buffalo Plaid Pattern

Now for the fun part: creating our buffalo plaid pattern. To start, you need to grab your masking tape and place down one strip of masking tape at the top of the piece of furniture. Then, grab another strip of masking tape to use as your spacer. Place the spacer down and add another strip of masking tape below that.

Remove your spacer and add it down below the second line you just added. Repeat this process over and over, moving your spacer down as you go, then adding another strip of masking tape.

If the width of the item you are creating the pattern on is getting wider as you go, you may need to have an extra couple of pieces of spacer. You want to have the spacer as much as possible covering the space because if you only use a little piece of masking tape as the spacer in the middle, the two edges might end up at different levels. Once you've finished applying the first row of tape, it's time to apply your first colour of stain.

For the first colour, choose the lightest of the three colours you are using. Apply the timber stain with a sponge to prevent it from pushing through under the tape and avoid bleed-through. Multiple thin coats are better than one thick coat. Work your way through and apply the timber stain so you have one coat or possibly two thin coats over all the first few lines. Once you're satisfied with the colour, remove the masking tape and reveal the first strip of your buffalo plaid.

If you get any bleed-through, you can sand off the bleed-through areas with some hand sandpaper before you start applying the tape for the second round of stain.

For the second round of tape, apply it in the opposite direction, using the same spacer method. Score along the tape lines with a razor blade to prevent bleed-through

Then apply the second colour of stain (slightly darker than the first). Use a rag to apply the stain for better control.

Step 6: Applying the Third Colour of Stain

Now it's time for the third round of tape. Repeat the process, putting the tape exactly where you did the first time around, but do not remove the second round of tape. Leave it on and place the third round of tape over the top. Once the stain has dried, start with your solid line of tape first, then your spacer, and work your way through the entire table or surface you're working with. You'll end up with a fun pattern of little squares.

This next part is time-consuming. Take your razor blade and go along in all of these little squares, cutting a line in the timber to stop the bleed-through of this final colour. Apply the final colour of timber stain (black, for a dramatic impact) with a rag, dabbing a little stain into each square until all are completed.

Step 7: Revealing the Pattern and Finishing Touches

Now for the super fun part: peeling off the tape. I find that whenever I use masking tape on a project, it's immensely satisfying to peel off the tape and reveal the finished result underneath. You'll have a lot of tape to reveal in two different directions, so peel off the tape in one direction first, then the tape in the opposite direction. Now you can see how amazing it looks, but we're not quite finished yet.

Step 8: Applying the Topcoat

Because this is going to be a side table and will be used as a drinks table, we need to put a heavy-duty topcoat on it. I wanted to use a topcoat that was oil-based and very durable but didn't want a high gloss finish, so I chose a matte finish topcoat. I painted the first coat on the entire top of the table and also on the sides to seal the timber on the edge. Because the table is chipboard underneath, it has a rustic feel, leaving the chipboard exposed on the edge. I then applied a second coat of my topcoat everywhere on the top and sides of the table.

The finished table looks absolutely spectacular. The buffalo plaid check pattern creates a real statement and draws your eye to this table in the room. This table has been transformed from a once discarded $35 op shop find into a one-of-a-kind statement piece.

Creating a buffalo plaid pattern on furniture is a fun and rewarding project. By following these steps and using quality materials, you can achieve a professional-looking finish that will impress everyone. Happy crafting! If you want to watch the full step by step tutorial on Youtube just click below.