Well, we recently took on the biggest nursery project to date and we lived to tell the tale. This post is a bit of a two-fer, since it not only details how to stain any wooden or veneered piece of furniture but also touches on how to paint anything that’s wood or veneer since we did a two-toned treatment on a dresser that we hunted down on the cheap.
That’s right, we stained our “new” six drawer dresser with a deep rich brown tone and painted the top a crisp and glossy white color. Here’s how it all went down.
First we had to search for something to add tons of storage space to our tiny-closeted nursery, so we measured the wall that we knew we would be dedicating to a nice double dresser and hopped on Craigslist chanting “less than sixty inches” and crossing our fingers. Our hope was to find something that was up on little legs (so it felt airier and less heavy than a legless version) and we also needed it to be deep enough to accommodate a 17″ wide changing pad since part of the dresser top will also be used as a diapering zone. We had a budget of $150 or less in mind, so we hoped to find something that was a few decades old and solidly made (as opposed to something more flimsy from Ikea circa 2005). We also wanted a piece with nice clean lines to work with our crib which is a bit on the modern side, so a super curvy dresser might feel a little out of place. A few days of stalking Craigslist turned up this listing:
The little legs along with the 54″ length was perfect, plus the clean-lined look of the dresser would work amazingly well with our crib. And did you see that price? Twenty bucks?! Yes please. I said a little prayer to the Craigslist gods and shot off an email right away. Less than three hours later we heard from the dresser’s owner and he said we were first in line if we still wanted it. We just had two more questions: what was the depth of the piece (just to be sure it wasn’t too narrow to accommodate our 17″ changing table pad) and was the dresser made of solid wood (since that’s a lot easier to refinish than something covered in laminate or thin flaking veneer).
The good news was that it was just deep enough for our changing pad. The bad news is that it was veneered (although still extremely solidly made with dovetailed joints, etc). Oh well, it was $20- what did we expect? The verdict: we said we’d love to take a look at it and again found ourselves crossing our fingers (this time in hopes that that the veneer was nice and thick so it could take some sanding and staining). See, the plan had always been to stain the dresser and paint the top a glossy white ever since we got our two toned crib and loved the look. But unlike solid wood, if veneer is too thin it’s pretty hard to sand and restain without going right through it and hitting the plywood underneath during the sanding step.
Luckily when we got there to check out our new Craigslist crush the dresser had amazingly thick veneering (about 1/4th of an inch) which made it easy to determine that we could totally sand it down and restain it without any trouble. Note: to check how thick your veneer is just open a drawer or look at the back of the piece where you’ll hopefully be able to see if it’s paper thin (aka: not-sandable) or thicker than a dime or so (aka: sandable).
Now certain that our dresser hunt was over and this was “IT”, we handed over twenty beans to our nice Craigslist friend and took home our “new” double dresser (thanks to John’s sister’s borrowed SUV- love you Emily!). Then it was time to refinish her. Here she is hanging out on the patio atop a nice big piece of cardboard to catch any stain, paint or primer drips during the muti-phase project:
You can see that the veneer is scraped and stained in a few areas and of course the finish isn’t deep and rich like the rest of the wood tones in our house (including the drawer on our new crib in the nursery). Hence the refinishing idea. Oh and it bears mentioning that this little staining & painting tutorial will work for any solid wood items as well as anything that’s veneered as long as the veneering isn’t paper thin. Note: this method is not recommended for any laminate furnishings because that material cannot be successfully stained since it’s not a true layer of wood.
The first thing we did was wipe everything down with a moist rag (both inside the drawers and out) just to remove any spiderwebs, old pen caps & pennies in the drawers, etc. Of course everything was about to get coated in sanding dust again momentarily, but it was a nice “reset” for the dresser and we were able to take things like random paperclips out of the drawers so they didn’t fly around when we got to our big sanding step. Oh and while we wiped things down we came across this label inside the top right drawer:
It turns out our twenty beans had scored us an original 50’s or 60’s mid-century dresser. Cool right? We thought so. And that explained why it was so well made and had such nice thick veneering (they just don’t make ’em like they used to). Anyway, the next step was to break out our trusty sander and some extra sandpaper to get to all those crevices that it couldn’t reach by hand. We used 80 grit sandpaper to rough everything up and followed that with another soft sanding with 200 grit paper just to smooth things out. Oh and be sure to always sand WITH the grain of the wood for a nice natural look (nothing screams bad refinishing job like round sander circles that soak up stain and look even more obvious when you’re done).
Here’s a shot of our set-up. John got to work sanding the top, sides and front of the dresser along with the flat fronts of the drawers while I was in charge of getting into all the smaller crevices and built-in bentwood drawer pulls where the bulky electric sander couldn’t reach. We also set up a staining station for me to work on drawers on another piece of cardboard nearby (don’t worry, Mrs. Prego wore a mask to avoid inhaling anything nasty).
Once things were sanded down with both 80 grit and 200 grit sandpaper (with the grain of the wood) it was time to wipe everything down with a moist rag once again, this time to remove all that sanding dust. Then when things were thoroughly dry (you don’t want to stain a moist recently-wiped down drawer) it was staining time. We picked up a cheap-o synthetic 2″ angled brush (knowing that stain would likely ruin it) along with a pack of rags (which we used to wipe the stain off once we applied it) and a quart of Minwax Wood Finish stain in “Red Mahogany.” Note: we picked our stain color by taking a pretty true-looking photo of the crib drawer with our digital camera and bringing our camera with us to use as a reference while standing there in the stain aisle.
This kind of stain necessitates a coat of poly on top of it to seal everything and add a nice glossy finish but we intentionally opted for it because we knew we could use our eco-friendly Safecoat poly (which is lo-VOC, no-odor and 100% non-toxic… more on that later). We could have chosen to buying a stain with a poly sealer built right in, which is unquestionably the easier approach since it doesn’t call for the extra polying step at the end, but it’s also undeniably more fume-y and chemical-y, especially for something that will live in a nursery.
But it’s definitely worth noting that if you’re looking to take on a staining project and don’t mind the smellier chemicals in the poly-plus-stain-in-one option, just visit your local home improvement store to check out those “shortcut” products (also made by Minwax, although their color palette is a lot more limiting than the ones without poly worked in). We also tend to prefer liquid stain (like the one we chose above) over gel stain because we have more experience working with it, but we’ve heard that gel stain can also be amazing- especially for items that can’t be thoroughly sanded or those on a vertical plane (like wood trim) since the liquid stain can be too runny and messy. So definitely talk to the pros at your local home improvement store or do some preliminary google stain research to pick the right one for the job before you start.
But back to the matter at hand: staining our dresser. After everything was wiped down and dried completely I just used my 2″ brush to apply one thin and even coat of stain WITH the grain of the wood on each surface that I wanted to stain (the fronts of the drawers and the sides and front of the dresser). It went on incredibly smoothly since stain is very watery and the sanded veneer happily soaked it right up. Note: if your wood or veneer isn’t soaking up the stain you probably haven’t sanded it thoroughly enough, so go back and be sure to really sand through the existing poly so the wood underneath can absorb the stain.
Next we let the thin and even coat of stain sit on every surface that we applied it to for twenty full minutes. We wanted to achieve the richest and deepest absorption possible (which we reasoned would hide the most flaws and leave us with a nice saturated dark tone).
Then after those full twenty minutes we used a clean dry rag to gently rub- again in the direction of the wood- every plane of the dresser that we stained to remove the excess stain. Since we waited so long for ours to soak in we didn’t pull very much stain off at all (our rag was still dark brown but we didn’t see much of a change in tone on the dresser, for which we were extremely grateful). It’s important to remember that you should be gently running the rag along the surface to catch any excess stain but you shouldn’t be applying a lot of pressure (which will result in a streaky and worn down look). Slow and light is the name of the game.
Presto. When you get to this step you have officially stained your item of furniture. In other words, at this point there was a victory dance in progress on our patio. Of course there’s always the option to apply another coat of stain following the same steps outline above (brush on stain, let penetrate for a set amount of minutes, wipe away excess with clean dry rag) if you’d like a deeper or more uniform look. So if you’re left with a piece that is a bit to light or a bit too streaky for your liking we suggest going for a second coat and letting it sit at least 20 to 25 minutes to really soak things up before gently wiping it down again.
Now on to how we painted the top of the dresser (we’ll get back to polying the stained portion of the piece in a moment). We had already thoroughly sanded the top of the dresser before we began staining so the next step was to apply one thin and even coat of oil-based primer to the top of the dresser with a small foam roller (while being careful not to get any on the recently stained part of the piece). It’s always smart to work out a game plan so you’re not doing a second round of sanding as an afterthought which could result in your stain getting coated with sawdust. And when it came to priming, I was able to use my foam roller to carefully apply primer without getting any on the stained area, but if you don’t have a steady hand you can hold up a rigid piece of cardboard under the lip of the top of the piece to keep primer from getting where you don’t want it.
One thin and even coat of oil-based primer should do the trick. The coverage won’t look flawless but it’s there to provide tooth and some nice grip so it’s doing its job as long as everything is coated- even if it looks patchy and thin in some areas while other spots are thicker and less transparent. The reason we suggest oil-based primer over water-based formulas (or primer-&-paint-in-one products) is solely based on personal experience. We’ve attempted to paint furniture with water-based primer and have dealt with bubbling, tackiness, and terrible staining and bleed-through but have never had those problems with the oil-based stuff.
Of course the oil-based formulas are stinky and harder to clean up but it’s worth it to us to do the job right the first time instead of having to do everything over again when something bubbles or bleeds through your water-based coat of primer (which you often don’t see until after your last coat of paint dries- talk about annoying!). And obviously taking precautions like applying the primer in a well ventilated area (we prefer being outside) and even wearing a mask while you work is always recommended. Really, it’s nasty stuff so you want to get ‘er done but be as safe as possible while you’re at it.
The next step was applying three thin and even coats of semi-gloss latex paint with a second small foam roller (remember you can use latex paint over oil-based primer without issue, you just can’t use latex paint over oil-based PAINT since it’ll bubble and separate). We were sure to apply the paint extremely thinly and evenly and not to roll too quickly (which can rile up the paint and cause air bubbles). The white paint that we used is Freshaire’s off-the-rack white semi-gloss paint from Home Depot which is also what we use for all of the trim in our house and many other furniture projects. We love that it’s no-VOC and extremely comparable when it comes to the quality and coverage of other less-eco brands.
Then we just let everything dry for 48 hours (we brought the dresser into the sunroom in case of rain, but kept all the screen doors open for some nice ventilation so the stain and paint were both sure to cure up nice and solidly).
After two full days it was time to coat everything (both the painted top of the dresser and the stained base of the piece) with a nice protective, glossy and totally wipe-able top coat of Safecoat Acrylacq. Of course you can use a cheap and easy to find quart of basic water based polyurethane instead (sold in the same aisle as the Minwax stain) but if you’re not familiar with Safecoat it’s definitely worth checking out. We actually first used it here when we made a bathroom vanity from a night table, and we had most of the quart leftover so we happily used it to seal all that stain and primer/paint for a non-toxic, odor free finished product. Note: we found it at a local green boutique called Ecologic but you might want to google around or even check out greendepot.com to see if you can hunt any down for yourself.
We just applied two thin and even coats of the stuff with a brush (giving it ample drying time in between coats- about five hours or so- to avoid any tackiness or drag marks). You should not get brush strokes if you apply this (or any other water-based poly) very thinly- about as thin as an eggshell or a piece of paper. And you definitely want to brush it on WITH the grain of the wood and gently brush out any bubbles that you see (bubbles can dry and remain forever). The only way you’ll end up with a marred finish or unsightly brush stokes would be if you apply it too thickly or don’t allow an area to thoroughly dry before touching it up again. So gently brush out bubbles as you go and apply very thin even coats, then wait to do a second coat and resist the urge to go over areas that you already did a minute or two before to “clean them up” (because you’ll do more harm than good).
Here are our glorious and glossy drawers drying:
We gave everything three full days to completely cure in our well-ventilated sunroom so by the time we brought the dresser into our nursery over 72 hours later everything was nice and solid so we didn’t have to worry about getting rings on the tabletop if we placed an object on it. Plus everything was 100% odor free and non-toxic thanks to those last coats of Safecoat, so it was nice to walk into the nursery and visit the dresser without smelling it from a mile away. You know how we like to visit our recent projects (we hung out in our recently renovated bathroom for weeks after we finished that big makeover).
So here’s our “after” of a dresser living it up in the nursery:
Isn’t the two-tone finish fun? We think it ties in perfectly with our crib, and it sort of has a kitchen island effect (it’s reminiscent of rich dark cabinets with a glossy white countertop). Plus we love that the entire piece is super protected and wipe-able thanks to the Safecoat, so whether the beanette decides to have a digestive explosion while we change her or throw a wood block at the dresser in a fit of rage, we’re pretty sure it’s up for the challenge.
We also love the hardware-free handles since they’re unusual and interesting- and the fact that we get six spacious drawers for storing everything from clothes and diapers to books and toys is really the icing on the cake.
Oh and we know you guys love a budget breakdown, so here you go:
- Dresser: $20 from Craigslist
- Sandpaper: already owned (80 grit and 200 grit)
- Electric Sander: already owned – it’s by Black & Decker from Home Depot for around $50)
- Stain: $7.02 (Minwax Wood Finish stain in “Red Mahogany” from Home Depot)
- Ten cloth rags: $2
- Cheap synthetic brush for stain: $2.49
- Two small foam rollers for primer/paint: already owned
- Oil-based primer: already owned
- Freshaire White Semi-Gloss paint: already owned
- Safecoat: already owned
- TOTAL: $31.51
Not bad right? We totally expected to come in around $175 because our original budget was $150 for a large super-solid double dresser from Craigslist and we knew we’d need some supplies. But our budgetary surplus just means that we have more money leftover for a few other fun nursery projects (we still have art, DIY shelving, a homemade mobile, closet organization and lots more on the agenda). Oh and we actually have a second dresser project to share a little later in the week (lets just say we had the time of our lives lining the drawers so we’ll be back with those details). Stay tuned…
And while we’re on the subject of staining and painting furniture, have you guys taken on any big makeovers of your own? We’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. And since we also owe this dresser makeover to Craigslist for supplying this beauty (we still can’t believe it’s an original 50’s or 60’s dresser) feel free to tell us all about any and all recent Craigslist finds that you guys have snagged. Fun, fun, fun.
Psst: Wanna see our nursery progress from the very beginning? Here’s our painting post, our big shopping spree, our crib hunting rundown, our curtain-making tutorial, and our fun little chair search, our mirror-painting extravaganza, and our DIY faux sheepskin project.
Update: We finally created this Shop Our House page to help you hunt down any furniture/accessories that you see in our house, along with all of our paint colors.
Katie says
Seriously amazing! And thanks for the how-to on how to get that glossy, shiny finish. It looks so expensive, and custom…
Cindy says
That dresser turned out wonderfully. It looks amazing! Love the dark wood with the modern white top. And the best part? The great deal you got!
Laura says
wow great find, i love craigslist! you all made it look great, just like everything else you all get your hands on.
LindyFrill says
Me – totally intimidated by the idea of sanding and re-staining something, so I usually opt for the painting route.
You – make the re-staining look so easy! It gives me a glimmering hope.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Dinah says
OMG!!! what an awesome makeover! I wish I had seen this post sooner because just today I went to my local Value Village and saw a 9 drawer version of this dresser. It was priced at 49.99(canadian) but because I was with my mom and it was senior tuesday, I could have got an additional 30% off. It did need some work but I totally saw the potential. I didn’t get it because I wasn’t sure where to put it in our small house. I just showed my husband this makeover and he was like “if you liked it, why didn’t you get it. we could just put in the garage until we find a spot for it”. I think I might just head back over there tomorrow, hopefully it’s still there. You guys are so inspiring!!!
Nick Klaus says
Thing of beauty!
Why is it that the ads that just say ‘dresser’ are the best buys?
Alison says
I absolutely LOVE it… you guys seriously scored with this piece to begin with. I can say with certainty that there is no way someone would be selling this beautiful dresser on the Los Angeles Craigslist for $20… people just know their mid-century modern out here and know how much it is in demand. Congrats on the dresser, the baby and the beautiful in-progress nursery! I can’t wait to decorate a nursery for a little nugget sometime down the line :)
Linda says
WOW, that’s stunning and on top of that such a great deal! They truly don’t make furniture like they used to…
LindaS says
One of my favourite projects to date! Just gorgeous & sooo inspiring!
Jennae @ Green Your Decor says
I am SWOONING over that dresser! Especially since I have been stalking Craigslist for a Mid Century dresser for weeks — in two different cities — with NO luck. You guys really scored! There’s no way anyone in Atlanta would let go of such a beautiful piece for $20. The cheapest I’ve found is $80, and it was badly damaged.
You guys are really my inspiration, and given that the dresser will be my first staining project (whenever I find it), you’ve also given me an extremely timely tutorial :)
Rebecca says
Love this project. I’m living overseas and put over half of my furniture in storage. I have a dresser similar to this one that is pretty beat up. Wish I could get it out of storage!!
Allison says
It’s ridiculous how beautiful that dresser is. You guys are such an inspiration.
kristen f davis | kfd designs says
BEAUTIFUL. i loooooove it. bravo!
Vicki says
Way to go! We did something similar for our daughter’s nursery 2 yrs ago – our dresser was free from my husband’s grandma and probably from the 60’s as well. It was originally a blond wood color, then my husband painted it brown when we used it in our room, then we stripped it down and used the same stain color you chose. Your poly came out way better than ours, but it has served us well as a major storage unit (it has 9 drawers, but is about the same height as yours, just longer) and a changing table. I love the two toned look – very unique!
Kim says
This has to be one of my favorite things you’ve done!! Love it!
Natalie says
Gosh, I can’t believe that dresser was so cheap! What a great find!
When I first saw that you were staining it, my first thought was “Wait?! What about some contrast like on the crib?!?!”
I’m so glad you painted the top white ~ you read my mind! :)
may says
Great score on a beautiful mid-century dresser. You did a wonderful job with refinishing it. It’s smart to put a change pad on a dresser – it’s much sturdier than a “change table” and can be used for so much longer.
LyndsAU says
DROOLING down here in GA! That is FABULOUS with a capital F! I need your DIY skills asap! I am now hoping on Craigslist as I am looking for a dresser very similar!
Awesome job guys!
Kim S says
Just had to tell you guys that I LOVE this project! Really amazing job!
kitarita says
This. Is. Fabulous. You all make it look so easy, and are so inspiring. Off to Craigslist to find my own dresser now!
Shannah says
Can’t wait to see how you line your drawers!
I just did a DIY on drawer lining from a project we’ve been working on at home: http://shannahhayley.blogspot.com/2010/03/pretty-drawers.html
Julie says
Great job!! I just scored a chest of drawers and vanity (soon-to-be-desk) from my neighbors trash heap last weekend. The weather here has not been conducive to working outside on it yet… but maybe this weekend. Thanks for the tutorial, I’ll be consulting it soon!!
Sandi says
WOW…the dresser looks amazing! I am struggling to refinish my dining room table and chairs. This post has reinspired me, so thanks for the breakdown. I can’t wait to see the nursery reveal.
I absolutely love your blog and your home. You and Jon have done such a beautiful job restoring and decorating it. I have a ton of questions, but I’ll keep it short:
1. Does the previous owner of your house know about all of the wonderful improvements that you’ve made…maybe through your neighborhood grapevine?
2. Did you send the former owner of this dresser a photo of your makeover? Better yet, a link to your blog?
Just curious. Keep up the good work and congrats on all the exciting changes in your life.
Take care!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Sandi,
Good question! Here’s a post all about how our home’s original owners found our site and sent us a letter: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/08/our-young-houses-old-history/
And we actually do plan to send a link to this post over to the dresser’s original owner, just so he can see that we took good care of it. We just hope he doesn’t want it back now!
xo,
s
eastcoastmom says
Amazing, this is really beautiful. Looks modern and mid-century modern, if there is such a thing.
foobella.com says
this is the kind of project I love to see, at a price I love even more.
Great job, guys. I don’t know if anyone else asked and I’m too lazy to scroll through the comments, but did you paper the drawers inside? I would love to see that all cleaned up, too.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, we have a drawer lining post set to publish tomorrow! Stay tuned…
xo,
s
Kinga says
Hi guys, Great job on your dresser. I can totally relate to how much work it is to send it and refinish it. We did our kitchen cabinets and it was a pain, but the results are always nice. You will enjoy this dresser for many years and it will grow with your child, that’s the best part.
cheers!
Kinga
Jen says
WOW! such a great deal. my dresser (which i don’t even know if it’s true MCM) was 80 with the guy delivering it for me! LOL…
you always give great descripts and tips but I would just like to add that my experience is Gel stain is not really made for wood but for other nonwood products. I had bought a wine shelf and wine bottle holder off ebay years ago and it was like a weird metal /plastic. the gel stain worked wonderful and then if you use the little “grainer” tool you can make it look like wood! LOL
Also I plan on lining my dresser drawers with fun modern wrapping paper as seen in The container store and then clear contact paper on top!! good luck!
april says
Love the dresser! Nice idea to incorperate the white on top. I completed a similar project last summer. If you want to check it out, here’s the link: http://aprilscraftnest.blogspot.com/2010/02/5-weekends-of-naps-1-mto-140.html
I even mention you guys in it with a link to your site which I have loved ever since I ran across it a few months ago! :)
Erica says
This looks amazing. The dresser itself reminds me a lot of our old yard sales dressers- I painted them years ago and could seriously use a touch up since I never put a protective coat over the paint job.
I have to ask- how much time did the sanding part of the project take? I despise sanding and need to exercise more patience in this area. I have the same electric sander as you so I clearly have the tools to do the job- just probably need more elbow grease…
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! The sanding step probably took us about an hour and a half (with both of us working at once- me sanding by hand and John using the electric sander). After that the staining part only took about 30 minutes as did the priming and painting and sealing so it’s pretty simple after all the sanding is done. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Beverley says
Looove it!! I am hunting down Craigslist as we speak so that I can snag my own fixer upper for baby #2’s change table. My question is- how are you planning on affixing the changing pad to the table? Are you just going to place it on top or strap it on somehow? The change table I currently use is a true changing table with a box-like top that the changing pad sits in, so I’m wondering what to do with the changing pad on a flat top dresser?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Beverly,
Scroll up a bit for that info! Hope it helps. And of course we’ll share more of those details as we go so stay tuned…
xo,
s
Stacey says
Hi guys – I absolutely LOVE your blog, it’s always so inspiring, but also very down-to-earth. I’ve got a really similar hot retro dresser that I’ve been dying to paint (for about FIVE years now…), but it’s got a pretty thin veneer. Any suggestions? I’m a bit scared to sand it. Keep up the good work!!
YoungHouseLove says
Since you have been dying to paint it for five years (and painting should be more error proof than staining thin veneer) we say go for it! You can sand the whole thing just a bit by hand with 250 grit sandpaper and then go to the priming and painting phase. Should work like a charm! Good luck!
xo,
s
Erica says
Another question while I’m thinking about it- can you go over your process for cleaning brushes after using the oil based primer? What product do you like to use for this?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
We just use natural mineral spirits and lay them flat to dry on a paper towel. In this case we actually used a small foam roller though, so we tossed it (since we don’t ever recommend trying to wash mini foam rollers). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Kelly says
Hi J&S!
I have a quick wood staining question that I’m hoping you can help me address.
I’ve decided to tackle some old end tables that were handed down to me by my parents. They are sturdy tables and I like their lines, so I’m excited to sand them down and stain them a more rich wood tone.
My issue is that the table tops are a parquet-type pattern. Kind of like this internet image (this is not my table, obviously)
http://www.vintagefloors.dk/en/images/parquet-floors/christiansborg-parquet-floor.jpg
I know it’s important when staining wood to go in the direction of the grain, so do I need to stain each individual plank in the direction of its’ grain? I’m trying to figure out how to accomplish that and still end up with a finish that looks seamless…
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance!!!
YoungHouseLove says
We would use a foam craft brush (like we used to Mod Podge the wrapping paper to our dresser drawers) to stain the tops of your table. Since it doesn’t have bristles it’ll be less “directional” when you use it. Basically you can choose one side of the table and go from that side to the other with the foam brush and hopefully it won’t look like you went “against the grain” in some of those smaller squares of wood. Good luck!
xo,
s
Kelly again says
Thanks Sherry! Any thoughts on sanding that parquet portion? Will running my sander over it in one direction totally ruin it?
Thanks again for answering my questions!
YoungHouseLove says
We would definitely do it by hand with 200 grit paper, square by square if you can. Each quadrant is so small that you’ll probably bang it out in no time, and all you need is a bit of roughness to cut the gloss so the stain can sink in. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
hannamades says
Wow! Looks great!
stacy says
So you have inspired us to buy an armoire for the nursery off craigslist ($80 which we were happy with as it’s solid wood and in great condition) and I so excited to start working on the project. Question for you, would you use Mythic semi gloss paint and not seal it for a non toxic option or would you suggest doing as you did on the top of the dresser and use Freashaire and then seal with Safecoat for a harder finish since it will get lots of use? Thanks for any insight!
YoungHouseLove says
Good question! You could really go both ways and probably have a great result. We lean towards and Freshaire followed by the Safecoat though, just for long term durability and a nice hard seal. Just be sure to do thin and even coats of everything and give them ample drying time so everything cures up nice and solid. Hope it helps and good luck!
xo,
s
Rachael Anne says
Well, to further impress the steal of a deal you received for $20.00 I found a listing on our Nashville Craigslist for your dresser’s sibling for $150.00. The price may be bigger but the size is smaller.
http://nashville.craigslist.org/fud/1628612043.html
YoungHouseLove says
That’s too funny! It’s totally the exact same dresser, only it’s the tallboy version!
xo,
s
stacy says
Thanks for the advice with the Freshaire vs. Mythic! We are using the prime, paint, and gloss top coat method right now on a project for toy storage from Knock off wood so it’s a good place to practice before the armoire. One last question on the armoire, we picked it up today from the owner and realized it’s whitewashed over the natural (not stained) wood, how much different is that from stain or paint. Should we change our game plan of sanding down to the wood and go a different direction?
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, sanding it & then priming it should definitely do the trick. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Anacelie Verde-Claro says
Hi, YHL,
I’ve just started reading your blog–thank you for all the hard work you put into it, as well as into your home.
The nursery dresser looks gorgeous! I love refinishing furniture as well, and I recently switched from the exact same trusty sander you used for your dresser to an orbital sander. You probably know all about the orbital. It can be moved in any direction (with or against the grain), can work in narrower/tighter spaces than a square sander, and in general is a more flexible tool. DeWalt was my brand of choice, and I LOVE it…orbital sanders are more expensive, but can be found on sale (as mine was) at Home Depot!
Thanks again for all the inspiration you generate.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We definitely think we’ll upgrade to an orbital sander one of these days, so it’s good to know that you’ve had such good luck with one!
xo,
s
Supriya says
I have an upcoming project about painting some furniture and while reading through your posts I came across this really helpful post https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/how-to-paint-furniture/
But you repeatedly mention there to avoid foam based rollers which is exactly what you used here? How did you manage to avoid the bubbles?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Supriya,
Good question! In the past we have always opted for a high quality 2? angled brush since that’s what the experts usually recommend, but when a handful of readers had luck with small foam rollers we decided to take ‘em for a spin. The reason experts usually advise against them is because if you roll too quickly you can rile up the paint and cause little stippling and bubbles, so we rolled nice and slow and it worked like a charm. We’re always up for trying alternate methods and reporting back if they work (or don’t work) and in this case we’re happy to say that it was a success. Whew.
xo,
s
Jessica M says
Getting ready to tackle a dresser makeover this weekend! It’s a sturdy old piece that belonged to my husband, which we currently use to store towels and blankets. I’m hoping to give it new life with a fresh coat of paint and new hardware so we can move it to my daughter’s new room – baby #2 is due in September and will be taking over the nursery! ;)
Brittany says
I just had a quick question that I didn’t see mentioned anywhere. My husband and I just scored a free dresser off Craigslist (yeah!) that we’re refinishing this weekend. I’m 22 weeks pregnant – besides a mask, did you have to take any special precautions/use any special products while you refinished your dresser?
YoungHouseLove says
I was also sure to wash my hands super frequently (since chemicals can be absorbed through the skin) and do everything in a ventilated area even with the mask on. I also really like using Safecoat since it’s a lot less toxic than regular poly. Oh and allowing the piece to fully cure in a sunroom or garage will keep the fumes from getting in the air in your house (since you won’t want to wear the mask indoors for weeks).
Bev says
Hi! This room is looking too gorgeous for words! You’ve inspired this 25week pregnant gal to tackle a dresser redo project too. I found one on craigslist that is painted a bright red. It’s real wood, and I am envisioning staining it rather than repainting it. Do you by chance know what’s involved in re-staining painted wood? Do I just sand off the paint or should I use a paint thinner?? Would it be way easier just to repaint it a fun color? I also wasn’t sure how hard it is to paint over a bright red color in case I go that route? Thanks, thought I’d check with you before buying it!
Thanks as always!
Bev
YoungHouseLove says
We would definitely attempt to sand things down first (which is a lot less messy and toxic than furniture strippers can be) but if that doesn’t work just hit up your local home improvement store and ask them for a recommendation for a paint stripper. As for how much work it is to repaint it, it’s easier but if you want to stain it you can totally do it (the extra step is just removing the paint and getting it down to the natural wood). Here’s a tutorial for painting any wood piece of furniture:
https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/how-to-paint-furniture/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Fleming says
THANK YOU for finding and sharing Safecoat! We are renovating our kitchen, which includes a new oak countertop and undermount stainless sink. My research had me leaning towards a product that dried to a non-toxic finish, but apparently smelled so incredibly strong it was still distinctive even with a respirator. Considering we have to do all our stain work indoors due to lack of garage/workroom and inclement weather (it still snows here in March), plus we have a 21 month old daughter and 3 year old furbaby…well, needless to say I wasn’t so thrilled with that option.
Luckily I came across your post and popped down to the local eco store that so conveniently just opened up and bought a can of the Polyureseal BP gloss and satin finish. I figure if they recommend it for gym floors, it MUST be tough! Coat one just went on and with the back door open, the house barely smells. And what I do smell is in no way off-putting.
Bev, we bought Organic Strip furniture paint stripper to take the many layers of paint off our banister http://www.biowash.com/products/product.php?pid=27
Biodegradable, free from methylene cloride. It’s a gel, so doesn’t get everywhere. Haven’t tried it yet, though, so can’t comment on whether it actually lives up to the claims.
Anna-Katrin says
I’m just beginning to re-paint a dresser for my daughter’s “big girl room” and am wondering if you guys sand between priming and painting and coats of primer and between paint coats? Thanks so much for the help!
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, we find that we don’t need to do any sanding except to initially prep the surface for the first coat of primer. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Diane says
Hi. Two days after I read your post about the dresser, I trash-picked (my first time:) a pine desk in great condition. Your dresser so inspired me! I wanted to strip it and stain it darker to go into my son’s room.
Well, after a couple hours of sanding w/ an electric sander, and then even some handheld sand paper, I thought I’d gotten down to the wood. I stained, and when I wiped it 20 minutes later, all the stain came up except for on the corners: apparently there is a TON of varnish on this thing and I didn’t get close to the bare wood, except for some corner spots.
Even tried an eco-friendly stripper, according to directions, and the varnish looks untouched.
So I suppose I have two questions: 1) how else might I get down to the bare wood on such a piece?, and 2) do I need to knock myslef out trying to strip it again, or is there some way I can paint it now and somewhat salvage this thing?
Thank you!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, you can paint it right now and get a fantastic look. The who stripping thing is for the stain to soak into the wood grain, but as long as you rough up the surface you can prime and paint the entire piece and it should look flawless. Here’s a simple furniture painting tutorial for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/02/how-to-paint-furniture/
Good luck!
xo,
s
Jennifer Niemeyer says
I love these how to complete projects that you have listed. My kitchen table is a wood veneer and I am considering painting it. DO I need an electric sander or would that just make it easier? I could borrow one but would prefer to use sand paper although I am sure it will take me 100 years to get this done without a sander. HA!Love your site!!!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Jennifer,
Nope, you definitely don’t need one and can easily sand veneer by hand. It might take a bit longer (and you’ll have to take care to sand things down evenly) but if you start with the rougher (lower numbered) sandpaper and work up to the higher stuff it’ll do a lot of the work for you. Good luck!
xo,
s
amy says
Is there anything similar you can recommend to Safecoat sold in big box stores? I’m unable to find Safecoat in stores in my area, only online. I need to poly a custom-made console table this week! Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
Nope, that’s all we know of, but feel free to ask around at your local home improvement store (many people are jumping on the no or low-voc train, yipeeee!). Good luck…
xo,
s
amy lynn says
Hi. I love your site, which I happened upon while searching for patio chairs. Well- I found my used patio set on Craigslist. It’s a nice rattan chair set with small table. It is a light color with a slight gloss.
We hope to find a cheap and easy way to refinish/stain everything. I’m hoping we could make it a little darker, but am worried that we will mess up and make it look cheap. We do not have a sander and have no products yet.
I searched through your posts and replies, but couldn’t find the answer we are looking for. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Amy,
If you wanted to paint the chairs you could spray-prime them (using oil-based primer like Kilz) and then spray paing them a darker brown color (with high quality Rustoleum paint with a trigger nozzle). But if you truly want to stain them you’ll have to strip them somehow and then apply stain (you can visit your local home improvement store to see what they have that will help you accomplish that). Good luck!
xo,
s
amy says
Thank you for your reply! I think staining would look better. But painting sounds much easier, considering I have no idea how to strip everything.