Need help with a dresser makeover...

kayleeb · June 2011

So I just bought an old, cheap dresser from Craigslist. We're going to pick it up tonight. I'm planning on painting it white, putting some pretty new knobs/handles on it, and putting it in the guest room. The only problem, I've never really painted furniture. What's the best way to do it? Any suggestions? Do I need to sand? What type of paint is best for furniture? Eeek, I hope this doesn't turn into a disaster...

stripesandspots · June 2011

Yes, you need to sand it. Is it stained now or just painted?

If it is stained, I would recommend using an electrical sander because you will need to get most of the stain off. If it is painted, I would use a medium to light sandpaper and lightly sand it just to get it gritty.

I have found that using spray paint to paint a piece of furniture is much easier than a brush or a roller. A brush leaves strokes and a roller can be difficult to maneuver. When spray painting, use light, quick strokes to avoid drips. If you have some drips - wait until the furniture completely dries (two weeks is actually best), then sand down the drip and give it another little shot of paint.

amidavey06 · June 2011

stripesandspots:

Yes, you need to sand it. Is it stained now or just painted?

If it is stained, I would recommend using an electrical sander because you will need to get most of the stain off. If it is painted, I would use a medium to light sandpaper and lightly sand it just to get it gritty.

I have found that using spray paint to paint a piece of furniture is much easier than a brush or a roller. A brush leaves strokes and a roller can be difficult to maneuver. When spray painting, use light, quick strokes to avoid drips. If you have some drips - wait until the furniture completely dries (two weeks is actually best), then sand down the drip and give it another little shot of paint.

I agree with this. I bought a dresser last year off of CL. It was painted not stained so it was fairly easy to sand down. I spray painted it white, but I used a small brush to paint the grooves pink. Good Luck!

kayleeb · June 2011

It's stained right now. I'm not looking forward to the sanding...maybe I can talk DH into buying a little electric sander....hmmm

Thanks for the spray paint suggestion! That's definitely a good idea.

The dresser has a little bit of detailing. Do y'all think I could sand that out? Or use something like Patch and Paint to fill it in? Or should I just leave it? I can't decide. Here's a pic:

stripesandspots · June 2011

I LOVE the detailing - can you PIP the entire dresser?

kayleeb · June 2011

I like the detailing too, but it's on every single drawer. I wonder if that's too much. I've only seen it in pictures so far, so I guess we'll see. Here's the picture:

stripesandspots · June 2011

Personally, I would leave the detailing as is - adding new hardware and new paint will really freshen it up and make it look more modern. What kind of hardware are you thinking about using? I am not sure if this is your taste or not but the little knobs that are clear would be pretty cute.

kayleeb · June 2011

I haven't thought about hardware yet. But the glass knobs are definitely an option on my list. I've seen some white dressers with clear knobs on the D&R board and some blogs and I think it looks really cute! I'll be sure to post some before and after pics when I'm done.

tbvenable · June 2011

That will look great white and like PP said I would leave the the detailing and the clear knobs will look great. When looking for knobs you may check out hobby lobby; they have a great assortment and good prices. Big Smile

kayleeb · June 2011

tbvenable:

That will look great white and like PP said I would leave the the detailing and the clear knobs will look great. When looking for knobs you may check out hobby lobby; they have a great assortment and good prices.

Oh, Hobby Lobby! Good idea! It's ridiculous how expensive knobs can be.

+buttercup+ · June 2011

kayleeb:
tbvenable:

That will look great white and like PP said I would leave the the detailing and the clear knobs will look great. When looking for knobs you may check out hobby lobby; they have a great assortment and good prices.

Oh, Hobby Lobby! Good idea! It's ridiculous how expensive knobs can be.

Hobby lobby has seriously cute knobs!

Need help with a dresser makeover...

Re: Need help with a dresser makeover...

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