This is a dresser that was refinished for our niece, Kinsley. It was an ugly green color when it arrived at our shop, so we knew that we had our work cut out for us. However, this was an opportunity for a major transformation, and we couldn't pass up the chance to work on this piece.
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We used the following supplies on this dresser:
Step One: Stripping the Original Paint
The first step was to remove the original green paint from the body of the dresser. The top of the dresser was a thinner veneer, so we wanted to use something to remove as much of the paint as possible before we started sanding the dresser down (so that we would not sand through the veneer). To accomplish this we used CitriStrip. We applied the Citristrip using a super cheap paint brush (think dollar bin at Home Depot). After letting the CitriStrip sit for about an hour, we removed most of the original paint from the body of the dresser using scrapers. Note that you might want to use a combination of steel wool and mineral spirits to ensure that the CitriStrip has been completely removed.
Step Two: Sanding Down the Dresser
After the stripping process, we sanded the body and the drawers 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 a 120 grit sandpaper to get a smoother wood before applying paint. Note that on this dresser we did not use the orbital sander on the drawers because of their curved nature (they were sanded by hand)).
Step Three: Taping the Drawers
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 the 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.
Step Four: Painting
After we were finished with taping the dresser we painted the dresser white. We usually do two coats of paint to make sure that everything is sufficiently covered. We generally use Purdy paint brushes so that we can ensure an excellent finish.
After the base coat had dried, we went ahead and started the detail work. We used a greyish blue color that Josh's sister used to paint the walls in Kinsley's bedroom. It was pretty to cool to incorporate that color into the dresser's color scheme.
Step Five: Applying the Finish
After the 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).
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4/3/2023 09:53:45 am
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AuthorsJosh and Sydney are life adventurers that love to learn and create. We are exact opposites and enjoy gaining new perspective. Our home is where our varying personalities shine, and we use it to gather our friends and family together. Archives
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