Tales of my furniture makeovers and great DIY projects...

Friday, September 14, 2012

Stripping, it's not for the weak!

What can I say about stripping?  How about...I'd actually rather strip my clothes off in a room full of strangers than to strip paint from furniture.
 
I bought this great dresser with beautiful lines and my plan was to strip the entire thing.  What the heck was I thinking?  Do you know how many hours and hours and hours and hours something like that takes?  It also takes patience and a keen attention to detail.  Yeah right.  It also assumes that you will find pristine wood underneath, right?
 
 
Well, as you can see, the paint was just peeling off the top already.  I thought it would be easy peasy.  Famous last words.  I even thought it was going well as I saw the bubbling of the paint after I applied my Citristrip:
 
 
It really didn't just strip off like I'm used to.  It took about 3 applications of this stuff.  Did I mention hours and hours and hours and hours of work?  I get the top almost all stripped off and what do I realize?
 
 
Yup, you see it right.  That's some sort of putty fixing the broken veneer.  Not that big of a deal, I've used wood filler when fixing spots and painting over it, but this wasn't wood colored filler, it was like automotive putty.  Strong and durable?  Yes.  Could I stain over it?  NO.  So, I had just spent hours and hours and hours and hours stripping the top and the drawers and now I realize the top had to be painted.  Seriously.  Oh, pretty dresser, I really hate you.
 
I decide to trudge through and apply stain to the drawers just to see how they look.  Hmmmmm, looks really pretty.  So, I painted the body of the dresser in ASCP Paris Blue, then topped it with Old White so some of the blue would come through when I sand.  I used the same pulls, which I love.  Done.  Finally.  Did I mention it took hours and hours and hours and hours and hours of work?  Hopefully, you think it was worth it:
 
 
I'm taking her to Ginger and Spice tomorrow.  I'll be there all day working if any of my peeps would like to stop by and visit--21 W. Pennsylvanina Ave, Walkersville, MD.
 
Thought I'd update the dresser in my space.  I think my handmade burlap wreath looks great hung on the knobs, don't you?!
 
 
 
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5 comments:

  1. Looks worth it to me, it turned out gorgeous! I LOVE the dark stain with the white, beautiful combo!

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  2. I really like this, it looks really pretty. Stinks about the extra work. But it could've just as easily turned out the other way and been incredibly easy and gorgeous stained. You just never know until you try :) It turned out very nice though, I hope it sells quick!

    Kelli
    www.littlecottageofmine.com

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  3. this one is gorgeous! the dark stain is awesome- it's rustic meets refined!

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  4. Very nice! Three of us already posted photos of two toned dressers at Primitive & Proper and they are all unique and different and beautiful!

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  5. Ummm, agreed! I started stripping a huge antique desk and gave up after about 1/3 of the top was done and went with painting it. Your dresser looks AMAZING - way to go!!!!

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