Tall Dresser!

"This dresser had one great feature, the drawers.'

This dresser was in the back of a storage unit and was in pretty rough shape. We purchased the dresser knowing that it would require a lot of work to get it back to a usable condition, not to mention what it would take to make it a signature piece.  We were more than pleased with how this piece came out.    

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This dresser had one great feature, the drawers.  In order to highlight the drawers we decided to stain the drawers a red mahogany and paint the body white.  

​For this project we used the following materials:​

• HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams Showcase White Satin Latex Interior Paint and Primer in One  at Lowe’s Home Improvement
  • We bought a whole gallon of this because we tend to use it on other projects as well. We always love how it turns out.
• Purdy 3-Pack Polyester-Nylon Blend Angle Sash Paint Brush Variety Pack
•  Minwax Fast-Drying Polyurethane Semi-Gloss Base 11.5 fl oz Polyurethane
  • One of the things that we have learned is that oil-based polyurethane yellows over time. It might not be a big deal for the project that you are working on because it could give it an aged look, but we have transitioned to other finishes (especially when dealing with a white surface area). Although we didn't use it on this project you might consider Minwax Polycrylic Clear Matte Water-Based Polyurethane Aerosol Spray, which is a water-based poly. 
• Minwax Red Mahogany Oil-Based Interior Stain
• Stain and Polyurethane Brush
  • There are many options for applying stains to wood. One such method is brushing on the stain. Make sure that you have an old rag around to wipe up any excess stain that may have dripped onto areas of the dresser that you do not wish to have stained and any stain that may have dripped onto the floor. Some other methods that you might consider using are using Staining Pad or just a cloth. 
• CitriStrip 32 fl oz Paste Multi-Surface Paint Remover
  • This was the first project that we used CitriStrip paint remover on. CitriStrip is extremely effective, but we must give a warning; due to the fact that CitriStrip is thick and sticky, it requires a bit extra work to ensure that all of it has been removed from the wood. Later on, it can be a headache if it is not properly removed (for us, a combination of mineral spirits and steel wool seems to do the trick).  
• White & Gold Flower Round Metal Knob
  • The knobs were purchased from Hobby Lobby. Keep in mind that if you are in the market for knobs and are interested in purchasing them from Hobby Lobby, wait until they go on sale because they will likely be half off the original price. Furthermore, the Hobby Lobby knobs will ship from Oklahoma City, OK, so if you are from a mid-Atlantic state, then it could take close to a week to receive the shipment (Totally worth the wait!). ​
• Liberty D68814C-W-TX 14-Inch Bottom Mount Drawer Slide​​

As with every dresser that we have brought back to life, we really try to find the best attributes that the dresser has when deciding on a design. After stripping and sanding the drawers, it became evident that the wood on the drawers had some gorgeous wood grain. At this point, we decided to stain the drawers and paint the body white to make the drawers pop. The Minwax red mahogany stain really brought that wood grain out and accomplished our goals. 
 
 After we stained the drawers, we painted the body. It is always important to remember to tape the inside of the body where the drawers will slide in and out of. We will admit that this is not necessary, but if you want to have a repurposed dresser that looks professional, every detail matters. 
 
 The next step is to add the polyurethane to the dresser. This does two things: (1) it creates a layer of protection for the dresser 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 sandpaper 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 (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). 
 
 Unlike most of the dressers that we have repurposed, this dresser needed new sliders. Due to years of abuse, the sliders were worn out, making it tough to open and close the drawers. We ordered new sliders from Amazon, and once we installed them on the dresser, the drawer opened and closed like a new dresser.  ​

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The final step is to attach the hardware. On this dresser, we purchased new hardware to replace the wooden knobs that came on the dresser (they were in rough shape, and some were missing). Hardware is not cheap, but it can be the difference between an awesome finished product and a substandard finished product. The knobs that we picked from Hobby Lobby really allowed us to harmonize the red mahogany drawers and the white dresser body. ​

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