Hometalk is where people share and help with everything home & garden

Blogger Orange, CA

Like 2 Clip

Dresser re-finish

For those looking to breathe new life into old pieces you already own or something cheap off CL, here is what I did. I was disappointed how cheap furniture is new, so I found a dresser off of CL that I liked and re-finished it. I stripped the varnished with a chemical stripper, sanded and re-stained. I then added new stainless hardware and finished it off with legs that I made from aluminum to add a little bit more modern touch. All said, I have less than $200 into everything and it is nicer than similar dressers selling for $1K or more than I looked at in furniture stores. Plus, I rescued a nice piece from the 60s from hitting the landfill.

6 Comments

SheilaG, Plum Doodles Acworth, GA

A lot of the older stuff is definitely better quality. Good find!

on Apr 13, 2012 · Like 0
Donna McCrummen Bernardsville, NJ

Awesome. That was an awful lot of stripping.

on Apr 13, 2012 · Like 0
Miriam I New York, NY

Amazing. I'm so impressed. Wish I could do this.

on Apr 13, 2012 · Like 0
Joe K Orange, CA

I used Jasco from Home Depot, although I'm sure it's available elsewhere. It's a gel consistency, so pretty easy to use. It peels the finish right up and there's really minimal sanding afterwards. I'm not a huge fan of really intricate designs, so I avoided pieces with those, but they could definitely be a bit more of a challenge.

on Apr 13, 2012 · Like 0
Steve G Fort Collins, CO

Very nice. How did you make the legs?

on Apr 13, 2012 · Like 0
Joe K Orange, CA

I have a metal lathe in my garage. My main hobby is metal working.

on Apr 17, 2012 · Like 0