Navy with Cherry Drawers Chest of Drawers

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This dresser was a Craigslist find, and already had a design in mind for it when we had purchased it.  

We had been toying around with the idea of using a color combination of navy blue paint and cherry stain for a little while, but never had the right project for it.  When we saw this on Craigslist, we knew we had the perfect piece to accomplish our goals.  

We used the following supplies on this dresser:

• Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack
• 4-Piece Roller and Tray Kit
• Behr 1-qt. Deep Base Satin Enamel Interior Paint (color Starless Night PPU14-20)
• Minwax Cherry Oil-Based Interior Stain
•  Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane Semi-Gloss Base 11.5 fl oz Polyurethane
  • We like to use the spray-on polyurethane on a lot of projects because it dries so quickly, it doesn’t leave bubbles, and we know that we get an even finish without too much work. It’s a little more money, but it’s worth it sometimes. 
• 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.  
• 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.  (Link to contractors pack).
• 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 wetsanding 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. 
• Brasso Multi-Purpose Metal Polish

The first step was to remove the piece's original stain and finish.  The top was vinyl so there wasn't anything that we could really do with it (as you can tell from the picture to the left).  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 from the areas that we could not reach with the orbital sander. Then we hand sand with a 120 grit sandpaper to get a smoother wood before applying stain or paint.  ​

Before we stained the drawers of the dresser we made sure to tape the inside of the of the dresser drawers.  It is always important to remember to tape 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 professional grade, then every detail matters.

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

After we were finished with staining the drawers of the dresser we painted the body with Behr paint.  We usually do two coats of paint to make sure that everything is sufficiently covered.   This was the first project that we used a paint roller on for a majority of the surface area. The nice thing about rolling on the paint is that you don't end up with brush strokes; however, you end up with a rougher finish.   The sanding process after applying the finish will remove some of this roughness.  Also, if you are looking for something that provides no brush strokes but don't have the space or money for a professional paint sprayer, then a paint roller could be a good compromise. Keep in mind we still had to use paint brushes for the trim work and any places that we could not properly reach with the roller.

After we finished painting we applied a couple coats of spray-on Polyurethane to the body of the dresser and the drawers.  

Poly does two things: (1) it creates a layer of protection for the drawers 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).  

The last thing that we did on this project was polish the original hardware.  Brass hardware overtime corrodes and takes on a different shade than it's original bright and vibrant color.  Brasso works great, but it will still take some elbow grease to get the result that you would like.  We used the Brasso product in connection with kid's toothbrushes (the toothbrush bristles are soft and smaller than normal toothbrushes, allowing for more precision scrubbing without damaging the hardware).  

The final result was fantastic and we believe this dresser would be perfect for a little boy's room!