Old Dresser Makeover

Do you have an old piece of furniture of that just sits at home? Just there being old and ugly? There are many ways to update furniture and with the vast ocean of internet DIY projects there is no excuse to leave a perfectly good piece to waste.

Let's find a way to fall in love with it and feel those "design" butterflies!

In my case, I’ve had this dresser for a few years now and even though I like the shape of it, the color was just no cutting it for me!

So I had to do something because I would rather give it a new life than sell it on Marketplace for a few bucks and have to buy something else to fill that space and most importantly the loss of storage.

Please note… this is the first time ever we have done this!

List of materials:

1. Old/ugly furniture (must have)

2. Electric sander

3. Wood Finish Stain (I used Minwax Wood Finish Solid Color Stain in Vintage Blue)

4. Paint brush

5. A microfiber towel(s) you won’t use again

6. Paint spray

7. Drill or screwdriver

*Click on images to open links.

While I was at the hardware store selecting the stain, I asked an employee if the Minwax Wood Finish in Solid Color need anything else as a finishing touch and he looked at me weird and snarkingly asked me if I’ve done this before, well I was not expecting this question and in all honesty I replied, NO (internal eye roll). He proceeded to tell me to go home and watch YouTube videos before buying anything. Well if you know me, you know I’m more of “what the hell” kind of person so I didn’t listen and honestly, everything turned out perfect!!

Joke's on you Greg! (Not sure that's his name but sounds fitting)

1. Taking it off.

Yep take it all off! By that I mean take off all hardware before anything else... Psst… use a drill… its faster! (awkward Joe Biden whisper voice). A screwdriver will also work if you don't have another option.

2. That ugly paint won’t come off on its own.

Always sand in the direction of the wood grain! Also, note that the sander won’t be able to get into those tight spaces but that’s ok, because in my case I am going for a more antique look.

Other blogs give you instructions on to what sand paper to use, we used sanding disks of grit 120 and 220 , these two worked just fine. Let's just make it simple will ya!

By the way, use an electric sander. We have this one which has different shapes and honestly it works great for the price. Don’t always guide yourself by popular brand names. Let’s give less popular companies a chance. So far we are happy with this Rioby set.

3. Start painting!

Now, for this I did read the instructions and followed them (yeah right). I used a regular paint brush to apply the stain and a fiber towel to remove the excess. Instructions said to use a specific brush and I was not going to waste time going to the store so… again… what the hell!

You preferably want to apply the paint by sections, in long sections (across the length and direction of the wood grain) so you don’t get blotches of paint in between areas. Continue to do this in columns or rows. I used two coats in total.

This specific brand dries in under 2 minutes so you better use that towel to remove the excess almost as soon as you are finished applying the stain. After you use the towel it will reveal a beautiful antiqued color.

I was not able to find this color online but you will most definitely find it at Lowes. I got the solid color stain but they also have a clear finish. I notice that my end result looks more like the clear one but I wanted a middle ground and removed more paint with the towel to get that finish.

I would say the swatches they have on display are accurate!

4. Spray away!

I used gold paint spray for the hardware and added a finishing varnish so the paint stays on. I did two coats of the gold spray paint.

5. The finishing touch!

The next step I have yet to do! LOL. So far I love how it looks but I have not been able to go get the protective sealer. But, think it looks amazing without it.

I will soon (most likely in months...if I remember) get the Minwax Polycrilic Protective Sealer and finally give it its last coat. Instructions say to wait 2-4 hours before applying this coat.

6. Let it dry! Let it dry!

Yep, now just wait and you see that beauty waiting outside to come back in with a complete makeover!

Honestly, this turned out a lot better than I expected! Its like a brand-new piece of furniture and it brightens up the room (“hides” the ulgy AF carpet). This literally only took about 4 hours and the result is astonishing! I love it!

I would totally recommend this wood stain brand and I might do the same thing to my dining table but in a white finish!

So, what do you guys think? Next time you think about getting rid of an “ugly” furniture think what you can do to give it a new life and a new meaning to you.

Oh yes here is the before... at the end so it doesn't ruin the whole aesthetic.

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