One of my hobbies that I’ve really begun to enjoy is finding old furniture that is still in good condition and breathing new life in it. Matt and I found this desk at a flea market a couple weeks ago and I just fell in love with it. The top was pretty scratched up and it needed a little loving but nothing too serious.
I lightly sanded it with #220 grit sandpaper. You will probably remember my General Finishes Java Gel Stain from other projects in my house. This stuff goes a long way so I had plenty left over from the last job. You will always need gloves to protect your hands when using this stain unless you want stained hands for a couple days. 🙂 I also used an old sock for the actual staining. I like using old socks rather than an old rag because I can just slide it over my hand and it protects my arm as well: however, a rag would work just as well. I used painter’s tape to tape off the back side of the drawer faces. I also like to have some paper towels or a sponge or rag of some sort to use for any clean up needs.
I only used one coat of stain on this desk because I liked the color with only one coat. Lastly, I used an old sock to cover the desk with Waverly Antique Wax to seal in the stain. I found this stain at Walmart in the craft aisle. I’ve been really impressed with this stuff so far!
I want to do something with the knobs, but I haven’t decided what to do yet so I just put the originals back on. I am so so happy with the results! This little beauty is sitting in my son’s room, but I really want to steal it back and use it for myself. ♥ 🙂
Before
After
The purple chairs in the background of the before picture is another project I’ve been working on. Stay tuned to see how they turn out! 🙂
We remolded our kitchen a few years ago and bought cabinets from someone that had them in storage for a project they never completed. The were still in the raw wood state and had a little water damage on the bottom. I decided I wanted to try and finish them myself. I had never done anything like that before and I am not creative or crafty at all.. I took me awhile as I mostly had to work on it on weekends but I discovered I LOVED it. I loved the feel of the wood.
I’m glad it was a positive experience for you, and turned out like you wanted it to!