If you have one looking a little worn, try updating it with paint!
Even if it has previously been painted, you might always give it a fresh coat.
Heirlooms at Home
There are many different options for painting a dresser.
Heirlooms at Home
When painting furniture, you have a couple of options, including a brush or apaint sprayer.
Opting to repaint thedresserin a solid color lightened the overall look and made the piece more eclectic.
To maintain a little vintage charm, we buffed in some dark wax and created a subtle antique finish.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
Review the following steps to recreate something similar.
Antique dressers should be evaluated before painting to ensure that altering the appearance won’t devalue the piece.
Prep work is vitally important when painting a dresser.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
To start, empty all the drawers.
Working on the dresser will be much easier when it’s not loaded with stuff.
Then use a screwdriver to remove the drawer pulls carefully.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
You also need toevaluate whether the dresser needs sanding or not.
You might not need sanding if the furniture piece has a nice smooth finish.
But, you might want to give the paint some grooves in the furniture to create a bond.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
Clean the Dresser and Let It Dry
Remove any dust and debris from the surface.
If the surface is not pristine, dust will get stuck in the paint and compromise the finish.
Use a damp, lint-free cloth to wipe down the dresser.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
Allow the dresser to dry completely.
Stain Removal
Remove tougher stains and gunk with a combination of equal parts vinegar and water.
Roll on a Coat of Paint
Read the directions on the paint can for specifics.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
Roll paint onto drawer fronts and drawer sides to ensure a smooth finish.
How Much Paint Do You Need?
A quart of The Spruce Best Home Chalky Finish Paint will cover 60 to 100 square feet.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
That is enough paint to cover an average dresser with two to three coats.
Trim With a Brush
Not every surface of the dresser can be painted with a roller.
With a paintbrush, fill in the edges and any detailing the roller didn’t hit.
The Spruce / Jason Donnelly
Allow the paint to dry completely.
Depending on the paint used, you may need to apply one to three coats.
Wait about 48 hours before applying the final protective finish.
However, if you’repainting with chalk paint, wax finishes are a common finishing step.
We buffed on two different wax finishes: a clear and a dark.
Improve the Drawers
One way to make a dresser seem new again is to improve its function.
This quick trick will help old wooden drawers slide easier and not get stuck.
Buff on a clear wax finish on the wood rails of the dresser drawer.
Then buff on the same wax finish on the inner rails where the wood pieces slide against each other.
Reattach Your Hardware
The last touch is adding back the decorative hardware.
you might reuse the existing knobs without refinishing them to retain that authentic antique vibe.
