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DIY Dresser-A Buffet Get A New Look & Function
I am an Interior Decorator in PA, stitching my urban roots into suburban spaces from NY to Philly. I am living my dream helping people achieve inspirational spaces. Visit me at www.loveyourroom.com and check out my blog for inspirational ideas.
I am an Interior Decorator in PA, stitching my urban roots into suburban... More »
When I was in the market for a new dresser for my daughters' bedroom, I knew it had to be something strong to take on the daily rough wear and tear of being in a kids room. I also knew I did not want to spend a few hundred dollars on it. Second hand shops, online local ads, and yard sales can be good places to look for used furniture that is still sturdy. If you can refinish a piece of furniture, you can look past the stains, old paint or scratched and nicked wood. Before buying anything, make sure you test out its functionality by opening and closing each drawer and/or cabinet. Pull out the drawers and look inside the piece. Also tip it and look under it.
I picked up this buffet for $75 at a "nearly new" sale a local nonprofit organization was holding. That meant I wasn't just getting a good deal on a piece of furniture, but I was also contributing to a good cause. I thought it could be repurposed as a dresser easily and had plenty of storage. Although this piece was stained, I chose to paint it for a whole new look.
Refinishing any second hand piece of furniture can take time, but it is important not to skip steps so the end result comes out the way you want. Try embellishing your furniture if it is going in a room meant for kids. This is a great way to give a serious piece like a buffet some humor.
Here is how I refinished my buffet:
I picked up this buffet for $75 at a "nearly new" sale a local nonprofit organization was holding. That meant I wasn't just getting a good deal on a piece of furniture, but I was also contributing to a good cause. I thought it could be repurposed as a dresser easily and had plenty of storage. Although this piece was stained, I chose to paint it for a whole new look.
Refinishing any second hand piece of furniture can take time, but it is important not to skip steps so the end result comes out the way you want. Try embellishing your furniture if it is going in a room meant for kids. This is a great way to give a serious piece like a buffet some humor.
Here is how I refinished my buffet:
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For this project materials you will need include:
Medium grit sandpaper (80-120)
Wood filler
Primer
Latex paint in a satin finish
2" small angled paint brush
Small foam rollers
Mineral spirits and a cloth
Soft towels or rags
Tack cloth
Drop cloth
Synthetic bristle brush
Polycrylic in a satin finish
If you add painted detailing, you'll also need:
2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in any color you choose
Fine-tip paint brush
Medium-tip paint brush
Stencil (your own or purchased)
Pencil
Medium grit sandpaper (80-120)
Wood filler
Primer
Latex paint in a satin finish
2" small angled paint brush
Small foam rollers
Mineral spirits and a cloth
Soft towels or rags
Tack cloth
Drop cloth
Synthetic bristle brush
Polycrylic in a satin finish
If you add painted detailing, you'll also need:
2 oz. bottle of acrylic paint in any color you choose
Fine-tip paint brush
Medium-tip paint brush
Stencil (your own or purchased)
Pencil
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I worked on the buffet in my garage. I first laid a drop cloth and placed the buffet on top of it.
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Step 1. Take out the drawers. Then clean the piece thoroughly with mineral spirits and a cloth. Don't skip this step. Secondhand furniture pieces can be a bit dirty inside because it had been used previously. For this project I only refinished the outside, but I want it to fee l like a new piece, so cleaning the inside really makes a difference.
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Lay out your drawers on a sheet and take off all the hardware. Run over them again with a damp cloth to get dirt and residue off.
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TIP - if you have cabinet doors on your piece, you can keep them on but will want to take the pulls off when re-finishing it. To keep the doors from closing shut without the pulls, I attached chopsticks to the inside edges using painters tape, making sure that one inch of the chopstick stuck out above the dresser door as shown. I used chopsticks because they have the right thickness so they won't snap if door closes.
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Step 2 - If your piece has a light coat of varnish over the stain like this one does, you need to sand it so the paint will adhere. I used medium grit sandpaper (80-120). You can use an electric sander, or by hand if you are up to the challenge. Rough up all areas of the furniture going in the direction of the grain. You don't need to take the stain off, just This is the time consuming part but worth it!!
After, run a tack cloth (attracts and traps small particles) over it to remove all the dust from the sanding.
If your furniture has nicks or scratches you can repair them using wood filler that can be sanded and is paintable. Using my finger I applied enough to cover the damage, waited for it to dry, then sanded the surface smooth. You can pick up wood filler at any home improvement store.
Are you replacing the pulls on the drawers and/or cabinets of your furniture? If so, make sure your replacement pulls fit the current holes. If not, you can fill in the hole using the wood filler, and drill new holes.
After, run a tack cloth (attracts and traps small particles) over it to remove all the dust from the sanding.
If your furniture has nicks or scratches you can repair them using wood filler that can be sanded and is paintable. Using my finger I applied enough to cover the damage, waited for it to dry, then sanded the surface smooth. You can pick up wood filler at any home improvement store.
Are you replacing the pulls on the drawers and/or cabinets of your furniture? If so, make sure your replacement pulls fit the current holes. If not, you can fill in the hole using the wood filler, and drill new holes.
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Step 3 - Give the furniture a good coat of bonding primer. Indoor primer can be used also, but the bonding primer will last long and gets the paint you use on top to really adhere well. You can roll it on flat surfaces using a paint roller, and use a paint brush for curved and non-flat surfaces. Let it dry over night.
Step . Time to paint on your color! For a smooth rich and even finish you will want to apply two coats. Use a roller for smooth flat surfaces, and your paint brush on the rest. I waited four hours between each paint application. For most pieces, a quart of paint is plenty.
Step . Time to paint on your color! For a smooth rich and even finish you will want to apply two coats. Use a roller for smooth flat surfaces, and your paint brush on the rest. I waited four hours between each paint application. For most pieces, a quart of paint is plenty.
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Follow the same steps above for any drawers you pulled out.
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TIP - If you have any screws and nails that will show on your piece, you can spray them with primer used for metal, then paint and let dry. To get a good coat of spray on them, I took an old box, poked holes in it, and inserted my screws part way into each hole.
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The Hardware- I opted to reuse the hardware on the drawers, and only replace the cabinet pulls. I used Target's Home Victorian Glass Knobs on the cabinets.
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Step 4 - To change the finish of the drawer pulls, I scuffed each pull up with sand paper and rubbed with a dry cloth to remove any dust. Then I set my pulls on on a paint cloth (again, you can use an old sheet) and sprayed them with a can of primer that can be used on metal. This will seal and smooth the surface. I let them dry, then I sprayed them with a can of white enamel. I inserted tooth picks under the part that you actually pull so the paint spray could reach every area. after it was dry I flipped the actual pull over and spray painted the parts that were missed.
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Now that your furniture is painted, you can skip to step 9 and then be finished;
OR you can add some fun paint details to personalize it. In a kids bedroom, this could be a great opportunity to bring in any colors from the room and get creative! Below are steps using a stencil, making your own stencil, and free handing a design.
I used a stencil to create details on my dresser. Here are the steps:
OR you can add some fun paint details to personalize it. In a kids bedroom, this could be a great opportunity to bring in any colors from the room and get creative! Below are steps using a stencil, making your own stencil, and free handing a design.
I used a stencil to create details on my dresser. Here are the steps:
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Step 5. Decide where you want your stenciling to be. Then create your stencil or purchase a stencil at any craft store.
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Step 6. Practice how you want it to appear on the furniture by tracing it onto a piece of paper the size of the area you will be painting it onto. I played around with my stencil a lot.
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Position your paper onto the area and make sure it looks the way you want.
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Step 7. Using your stencil and a pencil, lightly trace the design onto the furniture. I used my paper version as a guide.
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Step 8. Once you are happy with the design, you are ready to paint! Grab a paper plate and squeeze some paint onto it. Then, using your fine tip brush, trace over the pencil marks. Paint on two coats.
Next use the medium tipped brush to fill in the traced areas. You will need to apply at least two coats of paint. The more coats you use the darker and richer the color gets so take the time to do it.
Next use the medium tipped brush to fill in the traced areas. You will need to apply at least two coats of paint. The more coats you use the darker and richer the color gets so take the time to do it.
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After you have painted you can see if you want to add any more design to your piece.
Make your own stencil - I added a bird to my design. I did not have a stencil so I drew it on a piece of card stock paper, then cut around it and traced it onto the furniture using a pencil. I then painted over it.
Make your own stencil - I added a bird to my design. I did not have a stencil so I drew it on a piece of card stock paper, then cut around it and traced it onto the furniture using a pencil. I then painted over it.
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I also decided to add the first initial. Using a pencil, I drew it on the furniture, then with my fine tipped brush, I painted over it a few times.
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To create the circles around the 'S' I traced a bowl onto card stock paper and cut it out. Using a pencil I kept re-positioning the circle and tracing it onto the dresser. Then I painted over each circle with my fine tipped brush. It looks like a little nest to me, and the birds are flying toward it-cute!
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Step 9 - Time to seal your piece of furniture with Polycrylic to resist damage from abrasion, scuffing, and chipping. This is a clear, fast-dryingprotective topcoat for use over bare wood, oil- and water-based stains, paintand wallpaper. It has very little odor.
TIP-Make sure you wait a day or two for the paint to dry on your furniture before applying.
Using a synthetic bristle brush, apply the poly thinly over the furniture. Allow two days to make sure it is fully cured before handling the piece.
TIP-Make sure you wait a day or two for the paint to dry on your furniture before applying.
Using a synthetic bristle brush, apply the poly thinly over the furniture. Allow two days to make sure it is fully cured before handling the piece.
