Why a Vintage Chest Makes a Superb Coffee Table

There is something deeply satisfying about a piece of furniture that earns its keep twice over. A vintage chest — whether it began life as a blanket box, a sailor's trunk or a linen coffer — has the two qualities a coffee table really needs: a generous flat top and a hollow middle. At roughly 90 to 100cm long and 40 to 45cm high, most chests land almost exactly at the right height for a sofa, which means you get a characterful table that quietly swallows throws, magazines, board games and the remote controls you are forever losing.

Expect to pay £20 to £60 at a charity shop, house clearance or local auction, plus perhaps £25 to £40 on sundries. A weekend's work, a few careful decisions and you have a piece that would cost several hundred pounds new — and no two are ever quite alike.

Choosing and Checking Your Chest

Look past the grime and examine the bones. A chest with dovetailed or finger-jointed corners is worth the effort; one held together with staples and hope is not. Before you commit, run through this checklist:

• Timber. Pine, oak, elm and camphor all sand up beautifully. Veneered surfaces can be revived, but only if the veneer is firmly attached — tap it gently and listen for a hollow rattle.
• Woodworm. Small flight holes are common and not automatically fatal, but check for fresh dust beneath them. Treat any active infestation before you bring the piece indoors.
• Joints and lid. A warped lid will never sit flat, no matter how much you sand. Test it by closing the chest and looking along the gap.
• Old paint. Paint applied before the 1960s may contain lead. If it is flaking, strip it outdoors wearing a mask, and dispose of the residue responsibly.
• Smells. Mustiness or stale cigarette smoke often lives in the lining. Most fade after a good airing, but damp rot will not.

Sanding: the Unglamorous Work That Decides the Result

Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated garage, and wear a dust mask. If the chest carries thick varnish or several coats of paint, a chemical stripper will save you hours and a great deal of sandpaper. Otherwise, begin with an 80-grit abrasive to cut through the old finish, then move to 120-grit, finishing with 180-grit. Never skip a grade — the finer paper is what removes the scratches left by the coarser one.

Always sand with the grain, using a cork or rubber block wrapped in paper rather than your fingers, which will dish the surface. For mouldings and corners, a foam pad or a shaped scraper reaches where a block cannot. Pay particular attention to the top, since that is the surface everyone will touch and see.

When you have finished, wipe everything down with a tack cloth or a cloth barely dampened with white spirit. Any dust left behind will show through the stain as a grey, muddy patch. Work in a room at around 15 to 20°C; cold, damp conditions ruin an otherwise perfect finish.

Staining and Sealing for a Hard-Wearing Top

If you love the natural colour of the timber, skip the stain entirely and go straight to sealing. If you want to deepen or even out the tone, test your chosen stain on the inside of the lid first — pine in particular can turn distinctly orange.

• Water-based stains raise the grain, so dampen the wood first, let it dry, then sand lightly at 180-grit before applying colour.
• Apply stain in small sections with a lint-free cloth or brush, then wipe back the excess before moving on. Two thin coats beat one heavy one.
• Seal with three thin coats of hard wax oil or a matt varnish, cutting back lightly with a fine abrasive between coats and allowing each to dry fully.

A matt or satin finish suits cottage interiors far better than a high gloss, which tends to make old timber look plastic. Leave the piece to cure for several days before setting anything hot or wet on top, and use coasters for the first week or two.

New Handles, Hinges and Feet

Replacing the hardware is the quickest way to lift a tired chest. Measure the distance between the centres of the existing screw holes — 76mm and 96mm are the common spacings — and buy handles that match, which saves filling and redrilling. If nothing fits, plug the old holes with dowel and wood glue, then drill fresh ones, placing a strip of masking tape over the spot so the bit does not wander. Brass cup handles, simple turned knobs or leather pulls all sit comfortably in a cottage scheme.

While you have the screwdriver out, check the hinges. A lid that slams is a hazard, particularly with small children about. A lid stay or a pair of soft-close hinges costs very little and makes the chest genuinely practical. Finally, add felt pads underneath, or fit low bun feet if you want a few extra centimetres of height.

Styling It and Living With It

Line the inside with a remnant of linen or a length of oilcloth to protect blankets from rough timber, and tuck a shallow basket at one end for magazines so the lid stays easy to open. On top, a tray corrals candles, coasters and a small plant, while a folded wool throw draped over one corner softens the edges and hints at what is hidden inside. Keep the surface fairly clear — the whole charm of a chest-turned-table is that it holds the clutter, rather than displaying it.