Old Bed...new Life!

Lynnette Soltwedel
by Lynnette Soltwedel
3 Materials
$30
4 Days
Easy
I recently posted the first project I had ever done, a nightstand. After I saw how it turned out, I decided I needed a bed to match, and the hunt began!! My husband (remember the enabler/helper) found this full size bed for sale. It was an adventure finding the house that had it, but we made it, and, of course, returned home with the bed.
Here is a picture of the footboard before I carted it out to sand it down. Again I want to say that I always like to sand my pieces. If you are going to paint the piece, you don't have to sand completely down. Just rough up that surface to allow your paint to adhere. I must say, those spindles are a PAIN to sand!!
Once I have the piece sanded down, I base coat! I have found that flat paint is the best to use before chalk paint, but you can use satin. I am STILL base coating with cans of spray paint, but want to learn how to use the compressor and spray gun I purchased, and use that instead!
Make sure you spray light coats to prevent any runs. Nothing worse than needing to sand down a run and repaint it! Take your time, better to need a second or third spray than have those pesky paint runs.
Next up, chalk paint! I used the same Waverly Maize yellow so the bed would match the nightstand. This is the footboard after SEVERAL coats of yellow. For some reason this particular yellow didn't want to cover that black up very well. Patience (again not my virtue) plays a key role in this kind of project. I sealed the bed with a wipe on wax. I mean, I could have used poly, but thought the bed wouldn't see a ton of use as it was for a guest room.
And here is the headboard....it is pretty warm here in the South. So, I tend to do my chalk painting inside the house. Imagine that I get complaints that the house "smells" when I am working on a piece. lol
And the final product! I was very happy with how my first two project pieces turned out. I hope you are checking out my other projects as I get them posted.
Suggested materials:
  • Waverly "Maize" chalk paint   (WalMart)
  • Black flat spray paint   (Home Depot)
  • Waverly wax   (WalMart)
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4 of 9 comments
  • Pat Ruge Pat Ruge on Sep 20, 2017

    Very nice, Lynnette. The journey of a thousand projects begins with your first. It's always very encouraging when it turns out well done.

    • Lynnette Soltwedel Lynnette Soltwedel on Sep 20, 2017
      Thank you Pat. After I did my first piece, I was hooked. lol! Now every time I am out shopping for project pieces, I start envisioning what I can do with it. Fun times!
  • Annie Annie on Jun 27, 2018

    I love the yellow!

    You mentioned what a pain it is to sand the spindles on the bed. If you haven't already, invest in a dremel or like sanding tool. It sure makes life easier trying to get into those nooks and crannies!

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