The apartment complex where I live have some dumpsters that rival almost any college dumpster. You can find some pretty nifty things once in while. One year I'd been needing a dresser and had been looking for a decent one for some time, but it hadn't been a priority. When this one was spotted, it was decided to take it home (along with 17 pennies that dropped out) and paint over it.
The Learning experience
We had a sander that we used to clean off the spilled, stuck on stuff and make the top more even. Eventually we decided to sand the whole thing and just stain the wood again. But after getting 90% done, we realized the wood didn’t match real well and went back to our original idea to paint it. That was a frustrating and the most expensive part of the learning experience.
Buying Cheaper
We picked up a mis-colored gallon of paint and got the clerk to give us the color we wanted, for no extra charge, and we also picked up a cheap base paint, along with cheap brushes.
We picked up some wooden knobs, since I didn't like the door hanger look it previously had. All in all, the free Dresser took 66.58 to paint and fix up, plus labor.
I may have been able to pick up one at a garage sale, but then I might have had to buy the paint and such to fix it up anyway.
I love it. It looks like a piece that would cost a few hundred new! Good job
SonyaAnn~
The best part is that this dresser is an older style and made much better than the newer ones these days
I think it looks great! Great job.
So cute!! I love it. Some new paint and it has a completely different look. My family has done this with multiple chests throughout the generations. We have many that my granparents used.
This summer I was working at a university and in the building there was a pile of chairs with post-its that said "Remove" so I found one I liked and did. It was covered in ugly gold paint and worn fabric, but I stripped, stained, and reupholstered it, and we have a shiny new chair for less than $50. The best part--I couldn't find a chair that I liked at any stores for any price, and I love this one.
@LynnMarie
Thank you
@Jules
The best thing about this dresser is that it is older one and outlasted the newer one that was bought.
@Ruth
Isn't it wonderful how 2nd hand stuff is what is more cherished than the new stuff.