Sprague and Carleton Yellow Dresser

We have friends that attend furniture auctions to purchase solid wood pieces of furniture.  We were fortunate enough to purchase this dresser from them before anyone else was able to snag it away from them.  Other than one chipped drawer and needing new hardware, this solid maple dresser was in near perfect condition.  

"We decided to find the new drawer pulls/knobs that we liked first, and then build the design around them."

This dresser had a lot of great features, so it was difficult to finalize a design that we both could agree upon.  We decided to find the new drawer pulls/knobs that we liked first, and then build the design around them.  So we went to Hobby Lobby and were scanning their available choices when we came across the truly fantastic owl drawer pulls that are pictured above.  After that we knew we wanted to try a paint/stain combination that would make the drawer pulls/knobs stand out while unifying the color of the drawer pulls/knobs with the stained top.  We decided on a Buttermilk Cream paint color for the body in conjunction with a dark walnut stain for the top.  We could not have been happier with the result.

We used the following supplies on this dresser:

• Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack
• Fusion Mineral Paint - Color (Buttermilk Cream)
  • We purchase our Fusion Mineral Paint from a store in North Carolina called The Weathered Soul Shoppe.  You can buy Fusion Mineral Paint from a number of vendors in various locations, but we have found that The Weathered Soul Shoppe ships the paint quickly and has fantastic customer service.  The paint is a little bit pricey, but it provides a really great finish and has self-leveling features that reduces brush strokes.
• Minwax Dark Walnut 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.  
• Minwax High-Performance Wood Filler
• 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.  
• 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.  
• FolkArt Home Decor Wax - Clear, 32 oz. 
  • There are many wax options out there, but this may be the most reasonably priced.  If you time the sales right at A.C. Moore or Michaels, then you can just about get this wax half off of the retail price, which is a huge discount!  The 32 oz bottle will be overkill if you are only planning on doing a couple DIY projects; however, it can produce huge savings if you are planning on doing lots of DIY projects.
• Home Decor 1-3/4 in. Chalk Finish Brush
  • This brush will help you to apply the wax.  This is not a necessary purchase, but it will help you if you have a lot of detailed carvings on the piece you are repurposing.  
• Hobby Lobby knobs
  • Hobby Lobby only sells the knobs we used in their store, so you cannot get them online. 

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The first step was to remove the old stain.  Luckily, when you are dealing with a sold wood piece you can just take an orbital sander to it.  This will save you a ton of time.  However, we must let you know that sanding with an orbital sander will create a lot of dust, so make sure the room is well ventilated.  

After we stripped the dresser we stained the top of it.  The appearance of the top after the stain was applied resembled that of a butcher's block.  

While the stain was drying we went to work on the chipped drawer.  We used a heavy dose of wood filler to fix the chipped drawer. Once the stain had dried and the wood filler was sanded smooth, we were ready to drill new holes for the hardware.  We will be the first to admit that we were quite nervous about drilling into the wood of the drawers, knowing that one mistake could mess up the entire project, but we took the risk knowing that there was a huge upside if this worked out.  

Tip: If you will be drilling a lot of holes, then it is worth it to buy a decent drill bit, as it will save you time and energy, not to mention it reduces the risk of the drill bit breaking while in use.      

After will drilled the new holes for the hardware we started painting the dresser body and drawers.  After the paint dried we applied polyurethane to the top of the dresser.  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).  

After the poly dried we waxed the body of the dresser and the drawers.  Remember to not overcoat with wax because it will create major streaks, especially with a darker paint color.  After the wax has been applied, allow it to sit overnight.  The next day you should take fine steel wool over the entire body, then buff out the wax with a cloth.  (Note: Make sure that you are not too aggressive with the steel wool because you may end up peeling back the paint).  

​After you have accomplished this, you will want to let the wax cure for around seven days before putting the dresser into any significant use.  Also, until it is fully cured be careful to touch the wax with your fingers because the oil from your hands may transfer into the wax giving it a dirty look.  

​We could not be happier with the way that this dresser turned out.

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