French and Heald Surfboard Dresser

This dresser was found in Greensboro, NC, and was in desperate need of cosmetic repair. With that being said, the dresser had no major defects, so we were happy to give this dresser an update.  The dresser was missing one of its original drawer pulls, so we also purchased new nautical drawer pulls for the dresser.  This was dresser became another great image project for us.

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​So you might be asking, what makes a piece of furniture perfect for images?  Honestly, all you need is a piece of furniture with a fairly flat front.  The type of image that you want to use might dictate the shape of the piece as well.  

We used the following supplies on this dresser:

• Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack
• Minwax Dark Walnut Oil-Based Interior Stain
• Behr Writer's Parchmant Paint
• Behr No More Drama Paint
•  Minwax Polycrylic Satin Base 32 fl oz Polyurethane
  •  Unlike oil-based poly that goes on clear, this applies with as a milky color but dries crystal clear.
• Stain and Polyurethane Brush
  • There are many options for applying stain to the wood.  However, we have found that using a stain brush allows for more control over the application process.  Please make sure that you have an old rag around so you can wipe up any excess stain that may have dripped on to areas of the dresser that you do not wish to have stained and any stain that may have dripped on to the floor.  
• Bosch 2.5-Amp Orbital Sander
  • Just remember, this is a staple item that will continually be used, so you can utilize this on a ton of DIY projects after you make the purchase.  We decided on the Bosch sander because of the quality of the Bosch brand; however, you can probably get away with a cheaper option if you don't want to invest in a nicer sander, and if you only plan on doing a few DIY projects with it.  
• Gator 50-Pack 80-Grit 5-in W x 5-in L 8-Hole Hook and Loop Sanding Disc Sandpaper
  • Depending on the type of stain that the original manufacturer of the dresser used, you may be able to get away with just sanding down the dresser without using any type of stain remover (This is huge, because stain removers are a pain).  Just keep in mind that if the dresser is not solid wood, then you may want to go with a more gentle approach; i.e., a combination of stain remover and hand sanding.  
• Gator 50-Pack 5-in W x 5-in L 120-Grit Commercial 8-Hole Hook and Loop Sanding Disc Sandpaper
• Pro Grade Precision 9 in. x 11 in. 60 Grit Coarse Advanced Sanding Sheets
  • You will need to purchase some sandpaper for hand sanding purposes.  We like the 60 grit sand paper for more precision stripping, and it seems to be more effective than 80 grit (in terms of hand sanding, not to be confused with what we use on our orbital sander).  Make sure to get a pro grade, because it will last much longer than the cheap sandpaper, and the price difference is truly just a few dollars.  We also recommend that you purchase the sandpaper in sheets, because you can cut them in half and double the amount of sandpaper per purchase (this is preferred over purchasing the thinner strips of sandpaper; most hardware stores will sale both options).  Finally, if you plan on doing a lot of DIY projects, then buy the contractors pack (bulk pack), this will save you money over time and the frustrations of having to go back and forth to the hardware store for sandpaper. 
• Pro Grade Precision 9 in. x 11 in. 120 Grit Medium Advanced Sanding Sheets 
  • A lot of what we said for the 60 grit sanding sheets apply here.  However, we use the 120 to smooth out the wood after it has been stripped to give it a smoother surface before applying stain.  
• Pro Grade Precision 9 in. x 11 in. 320 Grit X-Fine Advanced Sanding Sheets  
  • This sandpaper will be necessary for smoothing out the surface between coats of polyurethane.  This will definitely help you to accomplish a great final product.  
• 3-2/3 in. x 9 in. Imperial Wet or dry 800-Grit Sandpaper Sheets
  • You want to use 800-grit sandpaper for wet sanding after the polyerathane has been applied in order to give the piece a silky smooth finish.
• Frog Tape Trim Painter's Tape
  • Frog tape is a life saver if you are going for a more professional look.  Generally speaking, it is a time consuming task to tape up the dresser, but you will be happy that you did when you see the finished product.
• Transparency Paper
• 3M 1800 Series Projector
• Wrought Iron & Jute Handle Drawer Pulls
• ​Surfboard Image
  • ​​We paid a little more than we usually do for the surfboard image that we used on this dresser, but when you find the perfect image then it is worth spending a little extra on it.  
• ​Staging items that can be purchased online:
  • ​Copper Ship Lamp
  • Ship Wood Sailboat
  • Books:
  • • The Forgotten Man by Amity Shales
    • Franklin and Winston by Jon Meacham
    • John Adams by David McCullough
    • Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
    • Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

​​Follow Our Easy Steps:

​Our first step was to sand down the body and drawers.  As we usually do, we start our sanding process with our orbital sander using an 80 grit sandpaper.  We also sand down the areas that we sanded with the orbital sander with a 120 grit sandpaper using the orbital sander.  Then we use 60 grit sandpaper to make sure all of the original finish has been properly removed.  Finally, we hand sand with a 120 grit sandpaper to get a smoother wood before applying stain or paint.  ​ ​

After we sanded the dresser down we went ahead and stained the top using dark walnut stain.  Stain generally takes longer to dry, so we do the stained surface areas before we start any painting. ​

Before we painted the body of the dresser we made sure to tape the inside of the of the body and the inside of the drawers.  It is always important to remember to tape the inside of the body where the drawers slide in and out, and the inside portions of the drawers where paint might drip/or paint brush might touch.  We will admit that this is not a necessary step, but if you want to have a re-purposed dresser that looks like a professional grade, then every detail matters.

After we finished taping the body and drawer we started painting.  The first stage of painting was to use the Writer's Parchment paint to create a solid base before we started painting on the surfboard image.  We used had to use two coats of paint to ensure the cream color was even across the whole body.  

After the base paint was dry, we hooked up the projector.  We tried our best to make sure the surfboard image was in between the hardware.  You will need to edit your image so that it will be to your liking and print the image on transparency paper (we had done so prior to getting to this step).

Next, we traced the outline of the surfboard image using the projector on to the dresser.   

Next, we painted the surfboard on the dresser using the Behr No More Drama paint.  ​​

After the stain and paint was dry we were ready to apply a coat of water based Polycrylic to both the body of the dresser and the drawers.  

Poly does two things: (1) it creates a layer of protection for the furniture 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 sand paper 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 with an 800 grit sandpaper (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).  ​

We had a lot of fun on this project and we look forward to doing more image pieces in the future. ​