Thrifting is hit or miss when it comes to the style of furniture that I typically refinish. When I saw this 9 drawer, mid century modern dresser in great shape at Mission Thrift Store Hamilton, I was instantly in love.
Materials:
- Walrus Oil’s Furniture Butter
How I refinished this piece:
I brought it home and started by cleaning it with Krud Kutter, a degreaser. Build up of invisible grime over the years is so important to remove before sanding. I removed the legs and front base piece to make sanding easier.
The finish on the top was so thick. Working around a slight wear mark on the back right, I used a 60 grit on my Dewalt variable random orbit sander to cut through the initial layer. I followed up with 100 and finally, 150. For the drawers, I started with the 100 and finished with 150. Sanding the legs were a breeze with my Surfprep Sanding 3×4 electric ray sander.
Once sanded and all the dust removed, I applied Walrus Oil’s Furniture Butter to the entire piece using a piece of old flannel material. This is the second time I’ve used this product on a piece and it is UNREAL. Inspired by finishes produced by ancient violin and cello makers, it is so easy to apply and cures to a gorgeous satin finish. It is a 100% plant-based oil and rosin wood finish fortified with hard waxes and provides water protection after fully cured. I applied the first coat, waited 24 hours and then applied the second. While the piece already had the most beautiful grains, this combination of oils and waxes showcased them.
It was a fluke that I came across this piece and with a lot of hard work, I’m beyond thrilled with the end product!
Kristin Lia Restoration 