Projects started in Dec 2012 included refinishing a painted dresser for grandson David, restoring/repairing a small painted dresser for new granddaughter Abigail, refurbishing a few chairs for a kitchen, and adding shelves to a tall pantry. A future project was also acquired.
Painted Dresser
We were looking for a dresser that didn't need much work and could be given a coat of paint and made to look good. This was a good find at an auction for $20. We expected to be able to sand it a little with some 100 grit sand paper and then give it a nice coat of white paint. As we started sanding it, the paint was very old and began to chip off. Then we had to get serious and sand more, and then we had to get more serious and use some stripper. As we got it down to the original finish, we discovered it was solid wood and a good quality wood - Cherry wood. So then it would be a major sin to put paint over cherry, so we went the extra few steps and refinished the dresser properly with a stain and a good finish.
Restoration/Refinish/Repairs
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| Sanding/Stripping paint from dresser. |
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| Stripped applied and allowed to work overnight - plastic keeps it from drying out before stripper can work. |
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| Paint has been softened overnight by the stripper agent. |
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| With the paint removed and the wood sanded, we discovered that the dresser is made from solid cherry wood! |
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| A stain has been applied and a finish over that. |
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| A backsplash was added where the mirror used to be. The mirror was damaged beyond repair. |
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| New knobs were installed; wheels are ready to be installed, and the dresser restoration project is nearly complete. Last step is delivery to Indiana. |
Small Painted Dresser
We were looking for a small dresser for a new baby's room that could be cleaned up and painted white to match the rest of the room. We found this one at any auction - it was the last item to be sold at the auction, but the price was good.
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| Small dresser for a new baby's room - needs some sanding and new paint. Then a few new handles and wheels and it will be better than new. |
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| Got a little surprise - one of the drawers had a big chunk missing from the drawer bottom. |
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| After a bunch of sanding, a coat of white paint is just what the doctor ordered. |
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| New knobs didn't fit perfectly at first but with a little persuasion and hole enlarging, they work fine! |
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| We had to build a frame under the dresser in order to mount a set of wheels. With the wheels installed and a new set of handles too, it is ready to go! |
Chairs for the Kitchen
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| Cleaned up and spruced up with OLD ENGLISH, these are ready for use. Complete refinishing may be required sometime down the road, but they are very usable as they sit... |
Shelves for Tall Pantry
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| To better organize the shelves, a 12 inch wide shelf was added to each upper cabinet. |
Future Project
We are finishing up the basement with a new family room, so have been looking for a small buffet to go in the family room. We found this one at a thrift store for $15. It will need refinishing, new knobs, new wheels, and some minor repairs to the drawers. After a quick evaluation, it appears that with a certain amount of elbow grease, we should be able convert this to a piece of fine furniture soon, if the weather warms up again...
Here's the finished buffet, only a few months later, making the final touch to the 3 year-long basement improvement project: right at home under the TV.
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