Kling Blue & Stain dresser

10/18/2020

This is a Kling dresser that we purchased in Lynchburg, VA, a few years ago. Due to a lot of change in our personal lives (starting new jobs, moving to North Carolina), we just now got around to refinishing this beautiful piece. This dresser is one that brings up the adage, "they don't make them like they used to." The dresser is solid cherry, making it extremely durable and a piece that can be handed down from generation to generation.

We take different approaches to purchase pieces of furniture. Some are based on the piece's potential, while others we pick primarily based on the creative challenges the piece presents. This particular piece was picked because it was a Kling dresser. Kling was a furniture manufacturer in Mayville, NY, and was known for constructing extremely durable furniture, making a project go a lot smoother. If you love history as we do, check out these articles from Bohemians and Klinginfo.com. More finished pictures at the bottom of the post.

Materials

We used the following supplies on this dresser:

Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack

Purdy Syntox Finish Brush

You will need a special brush for the Polycrylic finish. The Purdy Syntox brush will do the trick.

Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint

This is the first time we used this paint, but we were extremely pleased with how smooth it went on and its elimination of brush strokes. The color was a custom color that we had Lowe's create for us.

Minwax Red Oak Stain

Staining Pads

There are many options for applying stain to the wood. However, we have found that using a staining pads 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.

Minwax Polycrylic Satin Base 32 fl oz Polyurethane

Unlike oil-based poly that goes on clear, this will go on milky, but honestly we have been very satisfied with the result thus far.

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 sandpaper 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 sell both options). Finally, if you plan on doing many 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 being stripped to give it a smoother surface before applying the 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 polyurethane has been applied to give the piece a silky smooth finish.

Frog Tape Trim Painter's Tape

Frog Tape is a lifesaver 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.

Before Pictures

Step 1: Removing the Original Stain

We sanded the body down. As we usually do, we start our sanding process with our orbital sander using an 80 grit sandpaper. Then, we use 60 grit sandpaper to make sure all of the original finish has been properly removed. Finally, we hand sand with 120 grit sandpaper to get a smoother wood before applying paint and stain. This process seems to be extremely effective in putting the dresser in its bare-bones state. Make sure you wash it off with a damp cloth so that there is no dust or residue left on it. Once it is dry, it is time to tape around the edges!

Step 2: Tape

Before we stained the drawers and painted the dresser's body, we made sure to tape the inside 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 the paintbrush might touch. We will admit that this is not a necessary step, but if you want to have a re-purposed dresser that looks professional-grade, then every detail matters.

Step 3: Stain the Drawers

We went ahead and stained the drawers of the dresser because stain generally takes longer to dry than paint. We apply our stain with a stain pad because its a little bit cleaner, but you can get a similar result using a stain brush.

Step 4: Paint

After we finished taping and staining the dresser, we painted the dresser using Valspar Cabinet and Furniture Paint. We usually do at least two coats of paint to make sure that everything is sufficiently covered. However, we ended up doing three coats on this dresser. We generally use Purdy paint brushes so that we can ensure that we get an excellent finish.

Step 5: Apply Finish

After the paint was dry, we were ready to apply a coat of water-based Polycrylic to both the dresser's body and the drawers with a Purdy Syntox brush. After the first coat, we sanded down the dresser using 320 grit sandpaper; then, we applied a second coat of Polycrylic.