Dresser Re-do



Dresser Re-do
 

Before



I can't seem to find the how-to-tips that I used to re-do my dresser, so here's what I did.

Supplies:
*All supplies purchased at Home Depot for under $50.00
1.  Wood filler (I bought Elmer's http://www.homedepot.com/Paint-Interior-Paint-Stain-Stain-Wood-Fillers/h_d1/N-5yc1vZblfd/R-202302980/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051 )
2.  Puddy Knife (Small)
3.  Paint (flat) - I used 1 quart for my dresser and still have a lot left.  The color I used is called "Classy" by Valspar (http://www.valsparpaint.com/)
4.  Sand paper (or sander if you have one) light or medium, not hard--paint sands off easily!
5.  Satin Clear Coat
6.  Stain (if you want to stain--I opted out because I liked how it looked after sanding)
7.  Cheese cloth (if you're going to stain, or an old t-shirt works too--anything without lint)
8.  Wine (there are lots of 2-hour breaks while it dries)


How-To
1.  Remove all hardware 
*I suggest putting in a baggy because screws & knobs get lost easily.
2.  Clean the surface. (Mine wasn't too dirty so I just brushed it off with a dry rag)
3.  Fill in any unwanted gashes or imperfections in the wood with the wood filler and puddy knife (I actually used my hand for a lot of the wood filler, but if you're avoiding a mess opt for the puddy knife)
4.  Let the filler dry (I gave it 2 hours) then sand it until you have a smooth surface.  You may need to puddy again if the first round settled into the wood.  I think I puddied some areas 3 times.
5.  Sand until you no longer have a shiny surface.
6.  Make sure your surface is clean from sanding.  Once you're satisfied with the surface you can apply your paint.  The directions I read suggested to roll a layer on, let it dry, then brush a layer on and let it dry.  I chose to brush all layers. *Be sure to paint in the same direction
7.  Once you're done with the painting and it's completely dry (2 hours) sand away!  I mainly focused on edges & crevasses.
8.  At this point you can either apply your clear coat and be done or apply your stain.

If applying stain follow these next steps after:
1.  You'll need two pieces of cheese cloth (or two pieces of an old t-shirt)--Yes, there is such thing as cheese cloth in case you're wondering if I'm fibbing.
2.  One piece will be used to apply the stain, One piece will be used to wipe it off
3.  Apply the stain of your choice to the dresser and wipe off until you're pleased with how it's setting on your piece.
4.  Let the stain dry completely (I would give it 2 hours minimum)
5.  Apply your clear coat and let it dry (Another 2 hours)
6.  VOILA!

After

After

This ultimately could be done in a couple of full days with lots of time to spare.  I only had a few hours per night and no weekend time to dedicate to it so it took about 2 weeks.  Essentially I filled, painted & sanded if you want simple steps :)

Hope this helps & Good luck!