Refinish any old dresser into a new piece of furniture.
Your old dresser is worn, scratched and rather outdated compared to the rest of your home, but new furniture is expensive. Instead of letting that old dresser go to waste, take on an easy, do-it-yourself weekend project and refinish it into a modern, chic piece of furniture.
Instructions
1. Move the old dresser into a well-ventilated work area such as an open garage or patio. Spread out a drop cloth in the work area and place the dresser on top of it. Remove the drawers and set them on the drop cloth as well.
2. Use a screwdriver to remove hardware pieces such as knobs and handles.
3. Wear latex gloves and safety goggles while opening the container of chemical varnish stripper. The stripper is highly toxic and can severely burn the skin or eyes if it comes into contact with them. Apply a thin coat of the stripper to the surface of the wood using a paintbrush, and leave it on for the amount of time indicated on the manufacturer's label. You will notice the old lacquer begin to bubble up from the surface of the wood.
4. Test a small corner of the old lacquer with a plastic putty knife by scraping it gently, moving with the grain of the wood. If the lacquer peels easily from the surface, continue to peel it off using the plastic putty knife. If not, allow it to sit for an additional 10 minutes. Some lacquer finishes will require two applications of the stripper to fully remove them from the surface of the wood.
5. Sand the surface of the wood with 220-grit sandpaper until it is smooth and even.
6. Fill any holes, cracks or dents using wood filler and a putty knife. Press the wood filler into the imperfection and smooth it away with the edge of the putty knife's blade. Allow the wood filler to dry for at least two hours and then sand it smooth with 220-grit sandpaper. Wipe the dresser clean with a tack cloth.
7. Apply a thin coat of primer to the surface of the dresser using a small paint roller. Use a 2-inch paintbrush for hard-to-reach corners or thin areas of the dresser frame. Allow the primer to dry overnight.
8. Apply a coat of semi-gloss or satin finish paint to the surface of the dresser. The semi-gloss or satin finish will be more durable against heavy use and easier to clean than other finishes. Let the first coat dry and apply a second if needed for an even color. Let the entire dresser dry overnight before reattaching the hardware and moving the dresser back inside.
Tags: putty knife, surface wood, from surface, wood filler, 220-grit sandpaper,