DIY ten Thrift Store Furniture Makeovers

I'm non the best decorator, designer, or photographer, my socks lead maintain belike exclusively matched twice inwards my life, as well as my cats are rather plump. I'm far from perfect, but ane expanse I'm getting pretty expert at is paint. Jesse has definitely witnessed several 'I JUST RUINED IT!!!!' mini-breakdowns after ane of my slice of furniture makeovers has gone awry, but my goal has ever been progress over perfection.

After ikon belike xx pieces of slice of furniture inwards the past times few years, I've definitely made some progress inwards my ikon skills. So, today, I sentiment I would roundup 10 of my favorite painted slice of furniture makeovers, as well as hence afterwards reply some of the FAQ's I acquire nigh ikon furniture. 

Let's acquire started amongst my 10 favorite slice of furniture makeovers, going inwards chronological order. I'll portion some failures, some successes, as well as what I've ultimately learned along the way. 

#1.  The Flip-Down Desk Makeover

This was the absolute outset slice of slice of furniture I ever painted. 

I did an awful job. 

I didn't prime number or sand it, as well as it's basically a giant slice of string cheese now. I'm showing you lot this for 2 reasons. One, because I'm nigh to strip this slice as well as redo it, as well as straightaway you lot tin terminate nation you lot knew it back when. Two, because it's a corking reminder. H5N1 corking reminder that if you lot build a mistake, fifty-fifty on your grandmother's fine antique furniture, you lot volition alive to tell the tale. It's non the halt of the world. 

Leave it lone for a flake (bit = 3 years) as well as circle dorsum around. 

*That existence said, I would propose avoiding the heirlooms until you lot know what you're doing. Do every bit I say, non every bit I do. :)

#2.  Gold Stenciled Vanity Desk
This footling vanity tabular array was ane of my outset slice of furniture makeovers every bit well. I painted it as well as stenciled a aureate lattice stencil on top. I've since sold it on Craigslist (tips here), but it withal holds a special house inwards my heart. For existence ane of the outset makeovers, I totally mean value this ane came out pretty cool.
High five, footling guy. So miserable I sold you.

To come across the stenciled vanity earlier pics go here.

#3. Office Desk Makeover

Oh, the desk. I'm sitting at this desk correct straightaway every bit I write. I dear this desk. It's ane of my favorites. I dear it because it turned out amazing, but exclusively after a lot of heartache. There is some definite truth behind the maxim that you lot larn to a greater extent than from your failures than from success. I painted this tabular array twice, as well as scraped the pigment off twice. Then I cried twice. Then, I finally figured out the most durable solution, which was using an crude oil based pigment as well as primer. I'll elaborate to a greater extent than on crude oil based vs. H2O based at the halt of this post.

To come across the earlier pics of the desk, go here.

#4. The Dresser Makeover That Launched It All.
This was the outset dresser I ever owned every bit an 'adult', as well as I eventually decided to pigment it, fifty-fifty after the debacle amongst the heirloom. As fate would lead maintain it, it turned out hence corking that it sent me into a tailspin of ikon everything inwards sight as well as eventually starting a weblog nigh my adventures. 
You tin terminate come across where this dresser lately ended upwards AND assist me amongst some futurity flooring decisions here. Seriously, help.

#5.  The French Provincial Dresser Makeover
This is the filet mignon of dressers...as in, it's my favorite. Also, it was originally $50, hence it's exactly biding its fourth dimension earlier I merchandise it inwards for a steak. Kidding. I would NEVER.
If you've never seen the earlier moving ikon go here. 

#6. Chalkboard File Cabinet Makeover
This footling file cabinet was my outset ever roadkill transformation, as well as I'm hoping it won't live my last. I volition never live besides proud to drag individual else's trash across the street. Even if it's my ain neighbor's, as well as I totally acquire stuck inwards the middle of the street because I overestimate my strength. 
Because that happened. Here. 

#7. Piano bench turned STRIPE.

I'm non including whatever chairs since I've already listed my overstep 10 chair makeovers here, but this bench is exactly begging to build the cut, peculiarly after holding his ain inwards the closet makeover. And I can't fence amongst that. 

So an exception nosotros shall make.

Full tutorial here.

#8. The Blue Dresser Makeover
I generally took a interruption from ikon slice of furniture to pigment our trim down as well as our cabinetry throughout the house, as well as when I came dorsum to it, I had actually learned hence much. My ikon skills actually started to improve past times the fourth dimension this makeover came around. I started out amongst an erstwhile dresser given to us past times a friend. It was inwards corking shape, but needed some updating.

I used my favorite color of aqua blueish pigment as well as some fancy novel hardware to completely transform this dresser into something that looks amazing inwards our principal bedroom.

See the total tutorial, hardware source, as well as pigment colors here.

#9. The Herringbone Dresser Makeover
This is ane of my most recent makeovers. For this makeover, I decided to practise something a footling dissimilar as well as throw some pattern into the mix. Here's the earlier moving ikon of Kevin*.
*(who volition live forever called that after this post).

And hither he is after some fresh novel blueish pigment as well as aureate spray painted hardware.

You tin terminate also come across Kevin inwards his early on days dorsum when I outset painted as well as stenciled him as well as made him live our TV console for 2 years. He's since been relieved of his duties.
*Update: Kevin lives on inwards this post fifty-fifty though nosotros tried desperately to acquire our split ways.

#10. The Silver Leaf Vanity Table Makeover
This is my most recent slice of furniture makeover, as well as although it was difficult, I mean value it mightiness live my all fourth dimension favorite. I started out amongst a $15 thrift shop desk that had definitely seen improve days...

And after a grueling session amongst 50 sheets of silvery leaf, I ended upwards amongst a lovely house to sit down as well as acquire create each day. I also learned something cool nigh plexiglass during this makeover, hence I give it an overall thumbs up. It wasn't easy, but I withal learned hence much.
 Plus, I still detect silvery leafage floating exactly about my line of piece of work solid sometimes...
 so accidental disco = awesome. Or something.

See the entire silvery leafage adventure here.

And those are my 10 favorite slice of furniture makeovers hence far. I'm certain at that topographic point volition live many to a greater extent than to come.

For instance, this one. 

Now, let's reply some of the oft asked questions that I acquire after posting my slice of furniture makeovers. Hopefully this volition reply some of your questions, too.

#1. Do I piece of work an oil-based pigment or a latex-based paint? 

The reply is that you lot tin terminate piece of work either one. Their are pros as well as cons of both. Latex dries faster as well as is easier to build clean up, but it's non every bit durable every bit an oil-based paint. For something similar my desk, I chose an crude oil based primer as well as crude oil based pigment because it gives you lot a actually hard, durable glossy finish. 

#2. What pigment practise you lot ordinarily use? 

With the exception of my desk as well as a duet of other small-scale projects, I ordinarily opt for latex. It is durable plenty for what I need, it tin terminate live cleaned upwards amongst water, as well as it isn't smelly similar an oil-based paint. That materials lingers. Emphasis on the lingers. For most of my furniture, I've merely used a apartment interior pigment inwards the color of my choice, ordinarily Behr or Valspar. Then, I piece of work a topcoat of my choice.

#3. Do I piece of work wax or polycrylic or polyurethane every bit a topcoat?

I ever prime number first, hence I ordinarily pigment amongst apartment paint, hence seal amongst a wax or polycrylic. Wax is less durable but gives it a softer/matte look. Polycrylic is to a greater extent than durable as well as tin terminate live bought inwards satin, semi-gloss, or gloss finish. I exclusively piece of work Polyurethane on slice of furniture I've painted a nighttime color. It's super durable, but it yellows overtime, hence it's non ideal for lite colored furniture. My preferred method is polycrylic.

#4. How practise I acquire the olfactory belongings out of erstwhile furniture?

Wiping the insides of drawers out amongst vinegar tin terminate assist take away whatever erstwhile smells. If that doesn't help, wipe downward the drawers as well as hence pigment them. I did that on this dresser, as well as it smells as well as looks build new.

#5. How practise I repair small-scale dents or scratches on furniture?

I piece of work wood filler (affiliate link) on whatever dents or scratches. Just shine a small-scale amount over the dent, permit dry, hence sand until the excess is removed. Once painted, you lot won't come across whatever of the imperfections. I practise this to almost every slice I paint. 

#6. How practise I acquire rid of brushstrokes?

I ordinarily piece of work a high character brush followed past times a small-scale foam roller (as mentioned inwards this tutorial), but I've lately discovered a corking novel tip that I am loving! When using latex paint, you lot tin terminate piece of work a production called Floetrol (affiliate link). You add together a few tablespoons to your pigment as well as it's basically similar a conditioner for your pigment that leaves barely whatever brushstrokes behind. It's kinda awesome, as well as I tin terminate already tell that I'll live using it a lot going forward. More on that later.

#7. How practise I alter the hardware out for a dissimilar size?

If you lot desire to swap a knob for a pull, or vice versa, take away amongst a screwdriver, as well as exactly create total inwards the electrical flow holes amongst woods filler as well as drill novel ones wherever you lot desire your novel hardware to go. Once painted, you'll never know the erstwhile holes were there. 

#8. Do I lead maintain to sand my slice of furniture earlier painting?

Easy answer. Nope. Sanding a slice outset volition ever give you lot improve adhesion, but these days I ordinarily exactly prime number it using a primer similar Zinsser (affiliate link). It holds upwards actually well.

#9. Can you lot exactly spray pigment a slice of furniture?

 Sure. Spray pigment is predominately oil-based, hence it clings actually good to exactly nigh anything. The exclusively con is that it's super smelly as well as hard to build clean up, hence you'll desire to practise it outdoors inwards a well-ventilated area. I often lead maintain a actually hard fourth dimension getting spray pigment to await fifty-fifty on tabular array tops or large apartment surfaces, hence I ordinarily exclusively spray pigment smaller pieces of slice of furniture similar chairs or halt tables. Plus, it takes a lot of cans of spray pigment to comprehend a large item. All of the higher upwards reasons ordinarily hateful I halt upwards using a pint of latex pigment on my larger pieces. :)

#10. What nigh using a pigment sprayer?

I've never used ane before, hence I can't give you lot whatever advice on that one. However, I tin terminate hope you lot that a pigment sprayer is at the overstep of my listing of 'things I desire asap', hence I hope to portion my findings amongst you lot ane time I finally acquire my hands on one. For those of you lot seasoned painters who lead maintain them, whatever suggestions? I'm listening! :)

And that, sweetness friends, is all for today! 

Thanks hence much for stopping by!

For related posts, delight cheque out the following:

 10 Thrift Store Shopping Secrets

That's all for today! 'Til adjacent time!

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