Nightstand Makeover: Furniture Stripping and Refinishing
Here’s how to take an old, dark dresser and transform it into a rustic, barnwood, Restoration Hardware-style, piece with weathered gray wood stain. I’ll walk you step-by-step through the whole process: stripping, painting, and finishing with Dixie Belle paint and wax.
before
after
Project List
Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Drop Cloth, $9.95
Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax in Grunge Gray, $18.95
Target Threshold Farmhouse Cup Pull Soft Iron (six pack), $26.99
Citri-Strip Paint Stripping Gel
Diablo Universal 150-Grit Orbital Sanding Disc
3M SandBlaster Sandpaper 150 Grit
3M Chemical Splash/Impact Goggle
3M Particulate Filters (for sanding)
Stains to achieve oak color if your piece is too light: General Finishes Water Based Stain Natural, General Finishes Water Based Stain Antique Oak
Strip and Prep
The first step is to use a stripper to take off the dark finish. Do this outside if you can, or be sure take precautions if working inside (open the windows, use a fan, and wear a respirator). Wear splash goggles and latex gloves throughout the whole process.
The first tools you need are an inexpensive chip brush, a 3-pack plastic putty knife set, a brass wire brush, coarse steel wool, and a paper plate or piece of cardboard. Pour Citri-Strip carefully in a metal bowl. Dip your chip brush in the stripper, and start painting it on thickly so it clings and begins dissolving your finish. (Be careful not to splash other surfaces.) Keep painting the whole piece in thick, even strokes. Take your drawers out and paint them separately. Let the stripper sit for 30 minutes. You may also wrap it in plastic wrap to keep the stripper active longer.
Next, it’s time to scrape. You can use a metal or a plastic scraper. (Metal may gauge bit, but I don’t mind the distressed effect. I did find the plastic scraper to be much more effective for this project.) Hold a paper plate under the scraper as you work to catch the mess. If you find that some of the finish is not coming off with the scraper, don’t worry. Do a second application of stripper on problem areas. On the second pass of stripper, just focus on those areas that didn’t lift the first time.
Next, use steel wool dipped in the stripper, and rub over all last stuck-on bits of the finish. (Don’t worry about the steel wool making little scratches—your surface does not have to be smooth for this kind of finish.) Keep turning the steel wool as it gunks up. You may need to go in with a wire brush around the edges and corners to get all the finish out of the crevices. (A few scratches are fine, but you can use a softer nylon brush if you prefer.) Use a shop towel as you’re working with the brush to get the gunk off after a few passes. If there are still some dark spots in the cracks and crevices, it’s okay and will just create an aged look in the end.
Next, use denatured alcohol in a 50/50 mix with water. You can use mineral spirits, too. Wipe it down with a clean cloth to remove stripper residue, and let dry.
(Sidenote: If your stripped wood is too light and you want a darker finish before you apply the paintwash and wax, you can always go over it first with a stain.)
The last step in our prep is sanding. You can use an orbital sander or sandpaper (150 or medium grit). Sand with the grain. After sanding, rub all the dust off with a tech cloth.
Paint
Mix your paintwash, a 50/50 paint to water ratio. Start with 2 ounces of each. I’m using Dixie Belle “Drop Cloth,” which is an off-white. Shake your paint and stir up the mixture thoroughly. Put on your gloves. Use lint-free or low-lint painter’s rags or t-shirt scraps here—one for wiping on the paint, one for wiping off. It’s going to be very watery, so take care. Dip your cloth in the wash and apply, working with one section at a time, starting at the top and dragging it all the way down. Wipe the paint on one small section, and then go right back over it and wipe off before the wash has time to dry. Work in tandem with both hands, and find your flow. If you are noticing any patchy sections, you can always go back in and rub in more paintwash.
Wax
Now it’s time for the last step—waxing. I used Dixie Bell Best Dang Wax in “Grunge Gray.” It’s a tinted wax that will add some color and seal it in one step. Use another lint-free cloth to apply (or a wax brush if you prefer). Wrap the rag around your fingers and dip into the wax, and then start rubbing on in small sections, smoothing it down into the grain. Think about applying the wax into the wood and not just on top, like rubbing lotion into your skin.
After the wax sits for 15-20 minutes, you’ll go back over it with a clean cloth and buff it, getting rid of any wax clumps and smoothing the surface.
Lastly, put your hardware back on and enjoy your finished piece. Let the wax cure for 30 days before you place any decorations on top.