Painting an old dresser

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bsimchah

Mon, Apr 26 2010, 7:53 am

I just picked up a beautiful wood dresser from the garbage. It is mahogany now and I'd like to paint it white for my baby room. Any tips that it can look new? How do I go in painting it....

ra_mom

Mon, Apr 26 2010, 8:59 am

Sand off the old finish before painting.
Good luck and have fun!

anuta

Mon, Apr 26 2010, 9:54 am

I've never done it, but there are lots of instructional do-it-yourself sites on the internet.
I think you should remove the drawers, remove the hardware (you might want to even shop for new hardware for your style - those are drawer knobs, Home Depot has plenty), save the screws.
Then I would sand the outside. After you sand off the finish, sand it with finer sandpaper to make it smoother. There are those round sanders that you can attached to a drill that make sanding easier.
Then you have to paint on a primer, then two coats of paint, letting it dry between each one. I'd do it outside on a sunny day, so your house doesn't stink.

If I were you, I'd read up on it on the web, then go to Home Depot or a similar store to shop for paint; they also sell lots of DIY books, and when buying paint, ask advice from their staff, on paint, tools, etc.

Also it is a very good idea to leave the whole thing out in the sun for a few days, just in case there are bedbugs infestation in there.

JollyMommy

Mon, Apr 26 2010, 5:57 pm

I'm in the middle of sanding down and painting a dining room table and chairs we got for free.

let me just say it takes a LOT more time than you'd think. I spent 2 hrs last night with a circular sander and did probably 1/4 of the table.

You want to really sand it well so the paint lays evenly, you should see the grains of the wood.
Then primer- it comes like paint or spray, do many thin layers and dry in between.
Then paint.

We can be refurbishing buddies! good luck!

bsimchah

Tue, Apr 27 2010, 8:09 am

What is "prime" good for, also what type of paint brush do you use? do or do you use a roller?

chanieb324

Wed, Apr 28 2010, 10:14 am

Make sure you use an oil-based primer (not latex) or you may have issues with the wood "bleeding" through and paint chipping after a short time. Then do two THIN coats of latex paint. For extra durability, you should also do a thin coat of a water based polyurethane (mini wax brand is known for not yellowing over time). I'm in the middle of re-doing a desk and chair for my daughter that I got off craigslist (for $15) and this is the info I found when doing research. Good luck!

chanieb324

Wed, Apr 28 2010, 10:16 am

bsimchah wrote:

What is "prime" good for, also what type of paint brush do you use? do or do you use a roller?

Primer is used to provide a "sticky" surface for the paint to adhere to. It's also good for covering stains and odors. I've learned that it's best to use a 2" high quality brush to get the best result when painting furniture. I've heard of people using foam rollers, but you have to go veeery slowly so the paint doesn't bubble up and leave a textured surface.

mammele26

Wed, Apr 28 2010, 10:48 am

We just got a walnut colored pc of furniture, and I also wanted it white. I realized that doing it ourselves is ALOT harder and more complicated than it looks like. So I called somebody who builds furniture (like for shuls, home libraries, shtenders, etc.) and asked how much he would charge to do it. He charged me $200, and did a FANTASTIC job. It looks (and is worth) like a brand-new $600 pc of furniture. It may not be worth it to you, but buying all the DIY books, primer, cans of diff types of paint (oil & latex), brushes, and polyurethane, doesn't seem alot cheaper and you still have the whole headache of having to do it, and hoping you actually do it right. And then it needs to come out decent looking (the texture and all...). Good luck!

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