Fixing up an old dresser

 I mentioned a bit ago that the boys and I had fixed up an old dresser. Well I finally have all the handles on again and took some pictures (and filled it up - with fabric!) and so I thought I would share a bit more detail.

   This was a very fun project as we took a rather ugly looking (I thought) dresser that had been given to us (and I had used out in the garage) and were able to strip it, refinish it and get it ready for use in the house.

The before picture

It's finish was quite rough looking, some of the handles were partly or all the way off and I didn't like it. However when I examined it I realized that it was all solid wood (no press board which I really don't care for) and so I got a bit excited about fixing it up.

  As normal I put off the fixing up of it for a year or so because the job seemed daunting. However when we finally got started it only took us a couple of hours to strip it and get it read for refinishing. The refinishing went quickly (other than the drying) and it was soon ready for service.

Why, oh why, do I put things off?

I think I may be learning my lesson on this account but so many times I have put things off only to finally do it and find that the job doesn't really take that long, it isn't really that hard and it is rather fun too. Oh I hope I am learning to just do it!!

 For this project we used only things we already had on hand. They were:

• Rubbing alcohol -when you spread it on paint and such it really helps to soften it and make the stripping much easier.
• A razor blade/paint scraper
• An electric sander and sandpaper. This worked so nicely for getting the old finish off and for taking scratches off and such.
• A paintbrush or 2.
• Stain (oil based- just because that was what we had)
• Polyurethane (oil based) two coats to seal it nicely.
• 2 old bobbins

 Jonathan helped with the project some but Aaron stuck with helping the whole way.

 When it came to handles we were missing one. It wasn't truly necessary as the top two drawers each had 4 handles but it would have looked funny and unfinished not to have one. We decided it would be fun to use a couple of old bobbins for the center top handles as the dresser is being used to hold fabric in my sewing room anyway. I am enjoying the eclectic look. And yes I just left the thread on. These bobbins don't fit my new sewing machine and I found them in some stuff from my Grandma.

 The "new" dresser in it's new spot. I am loving it!

 

This month I have been really working on getting my office/craft and sewing room in order (going through every single thing!) and the dresser has been wonderful to hold fabric. While going through my office files I found some pictures that were painted by an old friend of mine and so I framed them to hang above the dresser. New art for the wall is pretty nice too!

linking with New Life on a Homestead and The Prairie Homestead