Over the weekend I successfully completed the painted dresser project that I eluded to in my blog
post last week. I have to admit, I had serious concerns before starting this project that I might destroy this dresser but luckily it turned out AWESOME - I love it!
Here is the big reveal... are you ready for this?! :)
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| Before |
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| After |
What do you think?!
I hope you find yourself inspired to paint a piece of furniture and turn something old into something new! Just in case you do find yourself inspired, here are the instructions for painting furniture.
Step 1: Find Your Inspiration
My inspiration was this dresser. I needed to add some color and visual interest to our guest bedroom and for some reason a turquoise dresser stood out in my mind. Read
this post to find out how I found my color inspiration.
Step 2: Gather Your Supplies
This project takes a few supplies. Here is a list of what you are going to need.
Electric Hand Sander
100 grit sandpaper
150 grit sandpaper
primer
paint brush
paint
Step 3: Start Sanding
Before you can paint, you need to remove the old finish so that the paint will stick. I used a DeWalt hand sander that I got a Lowe's fairly inexpensive. Start sanding wtih the 100 grit sandpaper to remove as much of the finish as you can. Remember to sand with the wood grain. After you have most of the old finish removed from the piece of furniture, use the 150 grit sandpaper to remove the rest of the finish.
Keep in mind that sanding is a great outdoor project! I made the mistake of sanding this dresser in the basement. I paid dearly for it...I've been cleaning up dust for the past few days.
Once you are done sanding, wipe down the furniture with a damp cloth to remove the sawdust.
Step 4: Prime It
I used a Valspar brand spray paint primer in white. I sprayed a couple of even coats on the dresser prior to painting. The primer will give the paint a better hold and finish. There is either white or dark primer. If you are painting the furniture a light color, use white primer. If you are painting the furniture a dark color, use dark primer.
Step 5: Paint
Here is the fun part - painting! Be prepared that painting a piece of furniture is a long process if you want it to turn out professional looking. An eggshell or semi-gloss finish are your best options for painting furniture. The more shiny the finish (semi-gloss) the more flaws you will see.
Start out with thin layers of paint rather than making sure you get every inch of the furniture painted in the first coat. Use long strokes with the grain of the wood. Here is what my first coat of paint looked like. I gave this dresser 4 coats of paint.
Step 6: New Drawer Lining
Once the paint was completely dry I lined the drawers with new contact paper. Something about the 1970's floral print contact paper just wasn't doing it for me. :)
Step 7: Accessorize!
Moving the dresser into the guest bedroom and adding a few accessories was my favorite part of this whole project! I love how it turned out and that it has become the "statement piece" in the guest bedroom! :)
Painting this dresser was a fun weekend project and I'm sure it wont be the last piece of furniture I paint! If you have questions about this project or painting furniture, send me an email designyoudwellingblog{at}gmail.com or leave a comment below!
By the way, I had so much fun painting this dresser that I re-did the entire guest bedroom. Watch for that blog post to come! :)
Have a great week...
Beth
