A Second-Hand Desk Looks New Again
by
Stacy | BlakeHillHouse
(IC: blogger)
Depending on the damage, refinishing a piece of furniture can be a quick way to make it look brand new again. This desk was our first estate sale find.
Over the holiday break, I attended my first estate sale. It was not at all what I was expecting. When I think of estate sales, I think of a sale that takes place after an occupant dies. In this case, it was clear that a family was making a huge life change for some reason, and I felt sad as we were walking from room to room. It is completely possible that the estate sale was a good thing for the family, but watching people paw through their belongings just felt so personal and strange.
Once we got the desk home, Andy and I put it outside so I could sand it. The weather was dry and decent, and I was drawn to the idea that if I sanded outside, no clean up would be necessary. After working on the bedrooms, I am so tired of cleaning up dust and debris.
I tried sanding with the mouse sander, but I quickly discovered that it was not heavy duty enough for the job. The rings were deeper than I expected, so I switched to the orbital sander. I started with 100 grit, and worked my way to 220 grit for a smooth surface. It took less than 15 minutes.
At this point, I was in new territory. The top needed stain, and because I am inexperienced, I did not know what color finish, if any, was on the bottom of the desk. If I chose incorrectly, the top and the bottom would be mismatched, and I would have to start over. With my sister's help, we decided on a clear stain without a polyurethane finish. Although polyurethane is durable, I thought that a regular stain would be easier to sand off if we made a color match mistake. I also wanted a more matte finish, and polyurethane tends to be shinier than I like. Am I the only one that feels like DIY is as much critical thinking as it is skill?
This is one of those projects that was so satisfying that I find myself staring at the desk and running my hand across the top several times per day. I do not even feel embarrassed about that even though I probably should. Self-satisfied smugness is not flattering on anyone.
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Published January 5th, 2015 6:00 AM
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3 of 5 comments
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Heliane Ripley on Jul 03, 2015It's beautiful now. And I'm so glad you didn't paint it.
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Jody Price on Jun 08, 2020
BEAUTIFUL!🌴
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The sides and legs look great. What did you do to them?