DIY Farmhouse Bedroom Makeover – Chalk Painted Dresser
As I’ve mentioned before, this lovely set of oversized (and outdated) nightstands sitting next to each other look just like one big dresser. They’re high quality furniture that I found used on Facebook Marketplace. With a little homemade chalk paint, some stain and sealant, they are a wonderful addition to my DIY Farmhouse bedroom project!
Materials I used to chalk paint my dresser
- Wood Glue
- A really good paint brush
- Clean with TSP wood cleaner
- Home Made Chalk Paint
- Rustoleum Hammered Spray Paint
- RUST-OLEUM Ultimate Wood Stain in Kona color
- PolyShades by Minwax polyurethane 1-step top coat in Espresso
Directions
With any furniture restoration, you’ll want to set aside some time to prepare your piece. Typically with older furniture, you’ll want to clean it really well before you start painting or staining. There’s a product called Trisodium Phosphate — or TSP for short — that does an unmatched job of cleaning and prepping old furniture for a fresh new finish. In some areas, TSP is not legally sold and there’s an equally good (in my opinion) alternative. Check your local hardware store, or you can buy online. Be sure to read the directions and use proper precautions when using.
As you can see, I took the drawers out, and the slate tile piece that sits in the top. (One will not come out, so I just taped around it with painters tape.) I also added painters tape to mask off the top where I planned to keep the wood color. Then, the painting began!
Using my homemade chalk paint recipe, I brushed on the paint with a 2″ brush. I started with the base pieces, then moved to painting the drawer fronts. In between each coat, I let the paint dry thoroughly. To cover this dark cherry wood, I used 4 coats of my homemade chalk paint. Do not try to do this in one coat of paint! Paint on a thin, even coat and try to be patient. Admittedly, patience is not my strong suit!
Tip: invest in a good paint brush! You will not regret it!
After each coat of paint, I inspected from every angle to make sure nothing was missed. There’s nothing worse than putting your drawers back in — only to realize you missed a spot!
Once the paint was finished, I started on the tops. After removing the painters tape around the edges, I brushed on a thin coat of stain. The stain I used is made to go over the existing finish and add to it. Therefore, you don’t have to sand down the wood first. It costs a bit more, but to me it was worth it. The results were stunning!
Finally, I added a coat of stain enriched with Polyurethane. This sealed the top and added a nice thick clear coat which will protect and wear well. That’s optional, but I highly recommend it. Plus, I got that stain on clearance!
The finished product is more than I ever dreamed it would be! I am so happy with it, and my family and friends compliment it all the time.
