Monday, November 16, 2009

dresser

All righty. So I finally found a dresser for my daughter. Craigslist finally paid off for me. Originally I found one for $125 and talked him down to $100. But he lived so damn far, I got busy and he didnt return my calls. So I went back to the drawing board and found this one for $40 bucks. Man I was so happy to see that price, and it was 5 mins from my house. Everything is good with it basics wise, but there are dings and some ugly spots that need correcting. I need help from anyone that has done this type of PROJECT before.
The top I think may be laminate? How in the hell do I handle that once its time to paint it. I also was going to buy a compressor this weekend, but had no clue there were so many options with the sizes. So if you use a compressor to paint furniture, what size is best? 1 gallon, 2 gallon, 3 gallon? The 2 gallon one also came with 11 accessories at Target for $75. All I need is the spray attachment though for painting. I just need the best option at the best price.



21 comments:

Vanessa said...

A great piece of furniture with nice lines is priceless; congrats on your deal!

L.Duncan@Home23DuncanBoys said...

Hey lady! I have one of these dressers with a laminate top. You need to sand the top a little to rough it up, then use a really good primer. then go from there. Is that the compresser you found at Target? and the size you would need depends on your projects. I would say a gallon

Dayka Robinson said...

I think the laminate is okay to be painted as long as it's primed first. I also used to wonder about whether it should be lightly sanded before the primer, but I've never done it before, so it's just an option. I have a problem with veneer too (is that what I see at the bottom?)--it's missing in some places on some chairs I bought, and I'm not sure how to repair it. Since your area is small, you can probably use wood putty. Check out Life in the Fun Lane for info on the compressor--I know she's talked about renting one first to see which works best for you. Btw where do you plan on spraying--in the garage or outside?

Unknown said...

Wow what a great deal, I am sure once you sort out it will look amazing!

K* said...

It's stunning!

Mrs. Limestone said...

It looks a lot like a bigger version of the nighstand I did. I think you've seen it on my blog already.

I washed it down with TSP and then sanded it to hold the paint better. (I probably SHOULD have primed it but I didn't) 2 coats of semi gloss paint followed by two careflly applied coats of sealer. Its holding up great. The sealer really makes the difference.

Im jealous of your find! That is totally fab for $40!

Unknown said...

TSP, light sanding, prime and paint. I've done several of these projects - they have always turned out great so I think it is definitely worth it!

As far as the paint sprayer goes, you might want to check out the White Berry Reinvented site. It's run by a Decor Pad member and she is super-successful (and talented!). I remember she did do a post on the equipment she uses, so maybe do a search for it.... I know Home Depot rents out their sprayers.

Personally, I've always used spray paint with the spray nozzle attachment (the gun), and my projects have turned out great.

Good luck and have fun!

- Danielle

Full House said...

good luck with that, I think there was a post over at Life in the Fun Lane about compressors....she does a ton of painting.

http://www.inthefunlane.com/

Oh and $40 bucks is way better...got to love it when that happens.

My said...

Sand it a bit and Kilz primer.

My
tha Hotness Blog

Symone's Mommy said...

Looks nice and smooth so you can use liquid deglosser instead of sanding. Does the same thing as sanding. Annette turned me on to it and is a time saver! Wipe on w/ a rag (in well ventilated area). Then you can paint. I suggest using a small roller or spray paint. You can use wood filler for the dings but will need to sand over them. check out the tutorial on http://thedecoratedhouse.blogspot.com/search/label/*%20MAKEOVERS%20%2B%20TUTORIALS . I'm doing the same for that desk I got for $5 at a garage sale (one day) not sure if you remember my post on that desk last month. Good luck.

Unknown said...

Cute dresser. My daugther had this "matchey" set when she was young. Canopy bed and all. Congrats on the find and good luck or the refinishing!

MFAMB said...

damn girl...a compressor seems too alien to me. but if you feel confident then go for it.
as for the dings...get some wood filler and fill in the holes and scrapes. then sand it down and paint as usual. as for the laminate. i am pretty sure you can sand it, prime it and then paint it like anything else. but i would google painting laminate first to be sure.

micah said...

I don't really have any tips for you but... it is going to look FABULOUS when you're done!

Magic Brush said...

I just did one.... sanded, primed with gray spray primer, spray painted with 2 cans of black. Over the handles and all. Love it!

Rachel said...

I think everyone is right on when they say you can sand, prime, and paint. That would definitely work.

However, if the top veneer sticker is peeling, just peel it off. We had a little table with the top being veneer, and we just peeled that sticker off and painted the wood underneath. Like Mrs. Limesestone I used 2 coats and then a poly sealant on top. And it turned out great!

Rachel said...

Oh, forgot to tell you that you found a DEAL! Cute dresser!!

Unknown said...

Super good deal! i would sand, primer and wood glue areas that need to be fixed and then paint semi gloss for a little sheen...I'm old school a good brush and roller can do wonders

Caitlin said...

Make sure you use a good primer on the top. Probably oil based would be best but it is a pain to work with.

I've had good luck using putty to fll the cracks and scratches. be generous filling the gaps and then sand them down after the putty has dried.

I've had really good luck with this.

Can't wait to see it finished.

YOu have some awesome pieces.

Wanderings of a Wannabe said...

oh i love the lines on that piece.

i have painted quite a few pieces in my time...and am learning more and more each day!

get yourself one of those sanding blocks and rough up all surfaces (180-220 grit). if you have an orbital sander, use it! but be careful with the laminate top, as it is a very, very thing piece. 220 grit minimal, don't apply too much pressure.

i usually use oil based paint. kilz (primer, oil base) on the top because it is laminate and will get the most wear and tear. no need to prime the whole thing unless you want to go the extra mile (this is personal preference...but isn't everything!). skip the brushes that are for oil in general, i find that these are very course and leave HUGE brush strokes. Get a multipurpose brush. Roll on where you can. Oil comes in eg-shel and high gloss. You chose.

You can always add a stain on top, polyurethane or a furniture wax. If you paint white, stay away from poly (it will yellow). Oil paint is very durable and if you prime and you roll at least two coats (maybe 3) on there, there is no sealing needed! It will be tough as nails.

Hope this helps! Great piece.

Unknown said...

i had this same dresser growing up. i think i'll snag it from my mom's house and follow your lead:-)

Maggie said...

Oh my gosh - I totally bought that exact same dresser off Craigslist for $40. That is too funny and such a coincidence. Only mine was way up in Maine! :-) It was in rough shape as well. I sanded with 220 with a palm samnder, then took the whole thing outside and primed with spray paint primer and then finished with cream spray paint. Then I painted the handles and all of the little inset areas of the dresser in purple. This was for my little girl's room (she's 2) and it looks great.