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How to Refinish an Old Dresser

Finding a fantastic piece of furniture at a garage sale or a flea market can be thrilling. It takes a special person to look past a bad painted or stained finish on a dresser to see all of the potential. Many would-be refinishers are discouraged by their assumption that the process is lengthy and complicated. In reality, it is only a matter of removing the old finish, doing a bit of sanding, and personalizing the dresser with your choice of stains.

Things You'll Need

Rubber gloves
Safety glasses
Chemical paint stripper
Lidded container
Paintbrush
Paint scraper
Fine steel wool
Old cloths
120-grit sanding disc
Random orbital sander
Gel stain
Polyurethane

Instructions

- 1
  Put on rubber gloves and a pair of safety glasses. Pour some chemical paint stripper into a container with a lid, such as an old, clean coffee can. Apply a generous coat of paint stripper on the entire dresser with a paintbrush.
- 2
  Let the stripper sit until the surface is bubbled and the paint or stain is lifting. Scrape up all of the old paint or stain with a paint scraper. Remove the paint or stain from odd-shaped areas like knobs with fine steel wool.
- 3
  Wipe away any excess stripper with an old cloth. Insert a 120-grit sanding disc into a random orbital sander. Sand the entire dresser with steady, moderate pressure to remove just the outer layer and open up the grain of the wood.
- 4
  Choose a small, inconspicuous area of the dresser (such as the back of a drawer) on which to test the new stain. Dip a paintbrush into the stain and brush it onto the area. Wait a few minutes and then wipe away excess stain with a clean cloth.
- 5
  Finish staining the entire dresser once you are happy with the test patch. Apply a coat of polyurethane to the entire dresser with a paintbrush once the stain has dried. Let the dresser dry for 24 to 48 hours.

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