From the Trash to a Treasure!
10 Materials
$50
6 Hours
Medium
This antique empire style chest was moments away from the land fill. I knew I could rehab it and give it life again.
It had sat outside for who knows how long. The veneer on the top was lifting, drawers were beyond saving but the frame was still solid.
I soaked 2 old towels in hot water & layed them on top. Let set for about 30 minutes before putting a hot iron on the towels to help loosen the veneer.
First layer was easy but the second layer was a lot more work. Tip: wear gloves!!
After a lot of work it revealed some beautiful wood!
This is when I start getting giddy!! 😁
But had to do some surgery on a side with Bondo.
I love keeping the flaws and just embracing them. I believe it gives the pieces character & uniqueness!
I only used Hemp Oil and pushed some Black wax into the wood grain. You can almost hear the piece saying "thank you!"
The body is painted in a gorgeous color Navy chalk paint. I deepened the color by using Polyvine dead flat wax varnish to seal it & jet black wax.
Rebuilt the middle shelf with Purebond plywood. It also got Hemp oil & jet black wax to match the top. Top two drawer fronts were hinged for easy access to electronics & 4 new baskets for storage.
I did this piece for my Mother-in-Laws bday & she cried when she opened her gift. Truly, one of a kind gift!
Resources for this project:
Naval, Heirloom Traditions Chalk Type Paint (32 oz Quart)
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Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Comments
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2 of 178 comments
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Beautiful transformation!
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Brilliant!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Where do you find all the supplies? I have looked at HD, Lowe’s, etc. but haven’t seen any of the speciality paints, etc. maybe I don’t know what I’m lookung for....
Where did the drawer fronts come from? I didn't see them in the initial before pic
Beautiful! Is the Bondo the type used in autobody shops for car restorations? If yes, why did you use Bondo instead of a wood filler?