Re-Finishing Old Family Buffet

MD
by MD
4 Materials
$50
3 Hours
Medium
We took a well-loved buffet and re-finished it into a beautiful statement piece. This was my sister's grandmother's buffet, which was gifted to us about 20 years ago. We've kept it in its original condition for years as it served as a dresser, changing table when the kids were little, and even served as a counter in our previous cabin. It was definitely time for a makeover after all these years!
We removed the hardware & sanded the surface.
1. We removed the hardware and cleaned and sanded the buffet. We were going to replace the hardware, but ended up keeping it once it had been thoroughly scrubbed and cleaned.
2. This is a solid wood piece and very durable. I loved the top, once it had been sanded and cleaned up, I used freezer paper and frog tape to cover the top. My goal was to paint the cabinet white and then use a darker stain (espresso) to stain the top.
The final piece! It turned out so beautiful!
3. Once the buffet was cleaned and sanded, I painted the bottom portion with a satin white spray paint (actually contained the primer within it). It took 3-4 coats to fully and evenly cover it.
Here's a side shot of the buffet.
4. This is the hardware. It had been so thick with oil and gunk that I thought they were just unusable. I scrubbed them with warm, soapy water and was thrilled to see all the colors come through. So, I decided to keep them.
5. Once the bottom portion was complete, I removed the top covering and stained the top with an espresso stain (which also contained a glossy polyurethane to seal it).
This is what the final top looks like with the espresso stain.
Suggested materials:
  • Espresso stain with polyurethane   (Lowe's)
  • Satin white spray paint   (Lowe's)
  • Sanding paper - 220 grit   (Lowe's)
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  • Mary jane Mary jane on Nov 16, 2016
    I too had an old buffet that had the #$!@% beaten out of it. After looking at it for several years I had an inspiration. I painted the body matte black and refinished the top and stained it cherry. I went to our local hardware store and they had the perfect pulls. I am very proud of this rehab.
  • MD MD on Nov 16, 2016
    That's awesome! I love finding ways to make old furniture new again. They have such character! So glad that your buffet turned out well!
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