Checkered Dresser!

"With a little elbow grease and creative design work, we were able to turn this dresser into a signature piece that will make a bold statement for years to come."

 This dresser was all but forgotten in the basement of an old house. Although it was solid wood and in great shape, it needed a makeover to make it relevant for modern homes. With a little elbow grease and creative design work, we were able to turn this dresser into a signature piece that will make a bold statement for years to come.  

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After a few days of brain storming it was decided that this may be the perfect dresser for the checkered board design.  For this project we used the following materials:​

• HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Showcase White Satin Latex Interior Paint and Primer in One  at Lowe’s Home Improvement (Add color)
  • We buy a whole gallon of this because we tend to use it on other projects as well. We always love how it turns out.
• Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack
•  Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane Semi-Gloss Base 11.5 fl oz Polyurethane
  • One of the things that we have learned is that oil-based polyurethane yellows over time. It might not be a big deal for the project that you are working on because it could give it an aged look, but we have transitioned to other finishes (especially when dealing with a white surface area). Although we didn't use it on this project you might consider Minwax Polycrylic Clear Matte Water-Based Polyurethane Aerosol Spray, which is a water-based poly. ​
• Minwax English Chestnut Oil-Based Interior Stain
• Minwax Cherry Oil-Based Interior Stain​​

After we finished stripping and sanding the dresser, we started the staining process. There is no right or wrong way to do this, but we thought we would share how we accomplished the checkered pattern. The hardest part here is to make sure that the two different stains do not merge into areas where they do not belong. As was briefly discussed above, we taped as we progressed. That means when we were applying the English Chestnut stain; we had the designated Cherry stain squares taped up so the English Chestnut stain could not seep through to those areas; and vis versa. This took a little more time than our usual staining methodology, but the end result was awesome!  

After we finished the staining process, we painted the body of the dresser. Painting the body was a piece of cake compared to the stain application. However, it is always important to remember to tape the inside of the body where the drawers will slide in and out of. We will admit that this is not necessary, but if you want to have a repurposed dresser that looks professional-grade, then every detail matters. 
 
 The next step is to add the polyurethane to the dresser. This does two things: (1) it creates a layer of protection for the dresser from everyday abuse, and (2) it creates a smooth finish. We typically apply two coats of poly, but some projects may require more. After the poly has dried, we use a wet sanding technique with extremely fine sandpaper to ensure that the stained areas are smooth to touch. The wet sanding process is really simple, just spray on some lemon oil and lightly sand over the stained areas (you can also do this over the painted areas, but you need to be careful not to sand too aggressively over the painted areas or you will end up with a distressed look). 
 
 The final step is to put the hardware back on. On this dresser, we purchased new modern hardware to replace the outdated hardware that was originally on the dresser. Hardware is not cheap, but it can be the difference between an awesome finished product and a substandard finished product. ​