Building a New Base: Restoring and Repurposing my Old DIY Furniture Piece
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I’m continuing the journey of shutting down my storage unit and bringing some long-forgotten projects back to life. Today, it’s all about restoring a furniture piece I made over a couple of years ago. While it has served me well, its feet have taken quite a beating. I’ll be tackling the base and feet to give it a fresh look so I can get it ready for sale. Here is how the dresser looked after my last makeover- not bad right? This dresser is beautiful but structurally, I need to fix the bottom so its ready to be sold on Facebook Marketplace.
Supplies Needed
Dixie Belle Gel Stain American Honey
Starting the Project in the Storage Unit
When I arrived to my storage unit, I noticed the doors had been painted since I was last there, which threw me off a bit. But I knew I needed to dive right into the task, so I found the piece I was after and loaded it up. The dresser had makeshift feet added to it by its previous owner—definitely not the right fit—and it desperately needed structural reinforcement. So, I packed it up and headed to my workshop, where I could give it a proper base.
My First Steps to Furniture Restoration: Repair and Prep Work
Once in my shop, it became clear why I hadn’t sold this piece. The original feet were poorly attached, and the base’s structure was lacking stability. First up, I removed the existing feet, prying them off and prepping the base to make way for a new, solid support. With a few additional repairs—including some gluing and clamping on a loose side panel—I was ready to move on to creating a new base.
Selecting the Right Wood for a DIY Furniture Base
I’ve built bases for furniture on my channel before using common materials like 1x3s and 2x2s, along with pocket hole joinery. This time, I’m testing out a new design that only requires 1x3 boards. The goal? To make the restoration process quicker, while also giving the piece a more polished finish. For the base, I needed to pick the right wood. The three main choices I have for this base are whiteboard, premium pine, and red oak.
Whiteboard is budget-friendly and great for practice but often comes with imperfections like knots.
Premium Pine offers a smoother finish but doesn’t stain as well as other types.
Red Oak is a beautiful, high-end option with a rich natural color, but it’s pricey.
For this project, I went with poplar. Poplar is a nice middle-ground wood with a clean look that takes stain well, and it’s also budget-friendly. After selecting my poplar board and a plywood sheet for the base, I was ready to get back to the workshop.
Cutting, Sanding, and Assembling the Furniture Base
Back at my workspace, I clamped the poplar boards and cut them to size with a circular saw, using a level as a guide for a clean, even cut. I also measured and cut a pice of MDF to reinforce the bottom of the dresser. This also gives me a nice solid structure to adhere the new base to on the underside of the dresser.
With the pieces prepped, I sanded each one, starting with 80-grit sandpaper and working my way up to 150-grit for a smooth finish. For the feet, I used a jigsaw to create angled cuts, giving the base a bit of flair.
To ensure a sturdy assembly, I turned to my trusty Kreg Jig 720 Pro. This pocket hole system is a step up from my previous jig, making it easier to drill clean pocket holes quickly. With its Automaxx one-motion clamping feature, I can adjust the material thickness automatically, which simplifies the process.
Once the pocket holes were drilled, I used pocket hole screws to assemble the pieces. With the clamps in place, I attached the pieces securely, ensuring the base would support the furniture’s weight and last for years to come.
Adding the Finishing Touches
With the base assembled, I added wood glue and brad nails to secure the plywood base to the furniture piece. After a bit of touch-up sanding and testing for stability, I was finally ready to stain the piece to match the drawer fronts.
I applied this oil based wood conditioner to each piece of the base. This helps to seal the wood and give me a nice and even finish when I apply the stain.
This Gel Stain by Dixie Belle in the color American Honey was a perfect shade match for this dresser. I love a gel stain because it is to easy to use and apply to furniture.
I went ahead and conditioned and stained each piece and let it dry overnight. When I applied the stain, I went in and wiped back the excess with a shop towel on each piece. I am pleased with how this color turned out!
Now it’s time to secure the base to the dresser. I am using a special bit included in the Kreg Kit to ensure that I don’t crack the wood by drilling on too far.
This is the final test for the base- is it level? I turned the dresser upright and YES! The base feels level and score with no wobbling. Now it’s time to tone and seal the piece and stage it for Facebook Marketplace. The great thing about gel stain is that I can apply over an existing finish, so that is exactly what I did. This way the frame of the dresser is toned to perfectly match the rest of the piece. For the final step, I went in with a hemp oil sealer, for a gorgeous natural finish.
Final Thoughts on DIY Furniture Restoration
This project reminded me why I love DIY furniture restoration. There’s something so satisfying about reviving an old piece and giving it new life. Whether you’re tackling a DIY furniture makeover for your home or aiming to sell restored pieces, having the right tools and materials—like a Kreg Jig and quality wood—makes all the difference. This dresser is now structurally sound, as well as beautiful and is ready to move on to a new home!
I’m thrilled with how this project turned out, and I hope this inspires you to take on your own DIY furniture projects. Let me know in the comments if you have any tips for creating furniture bases or restoring old furniture—I'm always looking for new ideas!