Furniture Redo

I have been on a serious picking-things-up-on-the-side-of-the-road-kick, and no I don’t mean women of ill repute. I mean furniture. First it was a hutch, then it was a side table, and then it was the amazing 1930’s cabinet. I’m not sure if it’s just that I’m on a roll for finding them, or if I’m on a roll for seeing potential but either way I am on a roll.

It started innocently enough we were just driving to Jordan’s parents place for a BBQ but there it was, hiding behind a corner beckoning me, With waterfall edges, bakelite handles and something very sturdy about it, as though it might be real wood underneath. I had to have it.

I screamed at Jordan to stop the car, and we tried to get it into his little Mazda, then we tried to carry it (that’s when we discovered it was hardwood) and then finally the woman with the truck who was waiting for us to give up so she could take it decided to help us. I am eternally grateful.

This was an enormous task, much bigger then I was expecting.

Let me tell you all right now that if you need to strip a large piece of furniture do not, under any circumstances, do it inside a small apartment with very little ventilation. Just don’t. You will get a terrible headache, and it will take days if not weeks to get the smell out.

At least that was my experience, man that was one hell of a migraine.

Anyways here’s how it was done.

 The biggest problem in this was the doors. The doors with the lovely arches on them that were covered with laminate. Laminate that was falling off. Laminate that had to be painstakingly chipped off with a chisel, by hand. That took an unbelievable amount of time.

 Then there was a stripping the paint off the sides. Thick, heavy, chemical stripper was used, this was very easy. Just paint it on with an old brush you can throw out afterwards. Paint it on and immediately it should start to bubble up. After a minute or two take your trusty chisel and it will peel off. This is of course if it’s latex paint. The first layer of this was latex. The bottom I suspect was oil based, and it was much more time consuming to get off. It would have been a much better idea to get an electric sander. But I am much to stubborn for that.

This is of course if it’s latex paint. The first layer of this was latex. The bottom I suspect was oil based, and it was much more time consuming to get off. It would have been a much better idea to get an electric sander. But I am much to stubborn for that.

Then you sand and you sand and you sand and get it into shape.

And then you wash it down to get all the dust off, let it dry and stain and paint! To stain it I painted on with a brush and then right away wiped it off with a cloth. This has to be done quickly or it will stain unevenly. Any part you’re painting you’ll need to prime first. I am very sorry but I accidentally deleted these photos!!