Transforming a Thrift Store Dresser: A Modern Stained Finish Makeover
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Hello again, DIY friends! I'm back with another exciting furniture flip for you. I'm thrilled to walk you through the journey of transforming an old dated dresser into a stunning piece of modern furniture. In today's blog post, I'll share my step-by-step process on how I took this worn-out thrift store find and created a beautiful and modern stained masterpiece.
Supplies
Dixie Belle Voodoo Gel Stain (Au Naturel & Denim)
Available on AMAZON here.
Available on AMAZON here.
Stripping Away the Past
I found this dresser at my local thrift store and immediately saw the potential. This piece is solid wood, with dovetail drawers, which tells me that it is a high quality piece. I couldn’t bear to paint it, so I set out to update the stain color to give it a more classic and timeless look.
I remained flexible and switched gears to using a carbide scraper to cut through this thick varnish. This tool takes a lot of elbow grease, but with time and patience, it does a great job of removing tough stain. After I was satisfied at the amount of stain that was removed, I moved on to using my sander to get the remainder of the varnish off the dresser. I used my detail sanding attachment to get into all the nooks and crannies and finished with a final sanding using a 220 grit sandpaper for a nice and smooth finish. This was a long and tedious process to get this dresser down o bare wood- but I think it was worth it!
Modernizing the Design
To make this dresser look more modern and not so dated, I opted to alter its base by cutting off the scalloped edges using my jigsaw. This simple change made a big impact and contributed to the wow factor of the final reveal. It’s all in the details!
Applying the Perfect Stain
Now that the surface is prepared, I wiped it back with a tack cloth to get rid of any residual dust that was left behind. It is now time to add color and character.
I mixed 3 oz of the Natural Stain and added in about a 1/2 teaspoon of the Denim Stain to neutralize any orange undertones in the wood. I worked in small sections and applied the stain and then wiped back the excess with a lint free cloth to get the look and transparency I was going for. For the larger sections, I used my Big Daddy Brush to apply the stain quickly to the area and wipe back the excess before it dried.
Sealing the Deal
I used my Dixie Belle Best Dang Wax Brush to apply the wax to the dresser and once I was finished I let it sit for a few minutes and wipes back any excess with a lint free cloth. I then put all the drawers back in and moved on to cleaning the hardware.
Finishing Touches
No makeover is complete without attention to detail. I wanted to reuse the original hardware and just clean it up because I thought it was timeless and would look brand new after some polishing.
This is a large dresser, and therefore had a lot of hardware. It took me a while to get it all cleaned up, but I thought the effort was worth the money savings and the final look of the dresser. Once I was finished, I put all the hardware back on the dresser.
The Final Reveal
After hours of stripping, sanding, and cleaning, the transformation was complete. This dresser is a beautiful solid wood piece that just needed a little TLC. With some elbow grease (okay a LOT of elbow grease) and some creativity, this dresser now looks timeless and classic and will be a beautiful addition to someone’s home decor.
If you're inspired to tackle your own furniture makeover, I've curated a list of the products I used, conveniently linked in the supplies box above. You can watch the full YouTube tutorial here.
I hope this blog post inspires you to see the potential in every piece and embark on your own journey of creative transformation.
I’ll be back soon with another furniture makeover!