I literally saw this piece on Facebook Marketplace for months and when it finally went down in price, I decided to go for it! I could tell it had a laminate frame but hoped the drawers were wood.
And look at it now!
Materials:
- Cleaner (non wood surfaces): Rustoleum’s Krud Kutter
- Wood sealant: Osmo Polyx-Oil Tints in Honey
- Wood sealant: Osmo Polyx-Oil Clear in Matte
- Canadians – For 10% off Osmo products, send me an email (KristinLia@rogers.com) with the products you love!
- Paint accent: Country Chic Paint – Peacoat
Tools used:
- SurfPrep 3″X4″ electric ray sander
- Dewalt 5″ random orbit sander, variable speed
- Dewalt cordless vacuum
- Country Chic Paint 1.5″ oval brush
- Staalmeester microfibre roller
- Elite small round (ring) brush
- Elite washi tape
- Osmo microfibre roller
- Osmo roller tray
- Osmo Superpad
- Osmo pad holder
- Tack cloth
- Bar rags
- Safety gear- respirator, ear protection, anti-vibration gloves, Suadex safety boots
- 2000 grit sand paper and sanding block
HERE ARE STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW I TRANSFORMED THIS LAMINATE DRESSER:
Here’s how I prepped it:
removed the hardware 
using a tack lifter, removed the decorative pieces 
used a hammer to remove what I could with the claw and to pound the nails into the drawers
THIS WAS A BAD DECISION TO POUND THE NAILS IN
added a side saddle to help lift the drawer a little bit so it doesn’t drag on top of the other one; used a nail gun to secure.
I decided to sand and see what was under that finish on the drawer before I decided on a design plan.
Here’s how I sanded:
started by putting on all my safety gear including my Suadex safety boots
used my DeWalt random orbit sander to remove the original finish on the drawer fronts, front wood pieces (to smooth out) and the legs; started with 100 grit and smoothed with 150- scuff sanded the laminate frame also with 150 grit
vacuumed the sanding dust with my DeWalt cordless vacuum
cleaned all the non wood surfaces (inside and out) with Rustoleum’s Krud Kutter
to rinse any remaining residue, changed the water, got a new rag and wiped down all the surfaces
removed the dust from the wood surfaces using a tack cloth
was able to see all the dings I put into the wood using the hammer
Well, this has definitely taught me never to do that again. But on the plus side, the maple on the drawers is spectacular!
Well, I damaged those top two drawers when trying to remove those decorative pieces.
I needed to fix the dents and here’s how I did it:
used vise grips to remove the nails from the inside (the ones I hammered in); this took FOREVER- when I was done, I applied Saman wood filler with a putty knife to the dents
fixed two of the decorative pieces I accidentally broke using wood glue and Elite Toughtape washi tape
when the wood filler dried, I sanded the surface smooth with my SurfPrep Sanding 5” random orbital sander; used 150 grit- also used the sander to remove the finish from the long decorative pieces
after placing the other decorative bits on the surface, I decided they didn’t fit the design plan so I discarded them
removed the dust with a tack cloth
for the legs, used my SurfPrep 3×4 electric ray sander to smooth out the finish
With the surfaces all prepped, it’s now time to seal the wood and paint the frame and accents!
The wood and paint parts don’t overlap on this piece so I could get started on both! For the wood areas, I decided on Osmo’s Polyx-Oil Tints in Honey for a touch of colour. For the painted areas, I applied Country Chic Paint’s Peacoat for the first time. WOWOW!
Here’s how I applied both:
using an Elite ring brush, I applied a very thin coat of Osmo Polyx-Oil Tints in Honey to the drawers, long decorative handle and legs
let dry for 24 hours- applied Scotch Painter’s Tape to the frame before painting
applied Country Chic Paint’s Peacoat to the top two drawers and frame using a combination of a CCP 1.5” oval brush and Staalmeester microfibre roller- let dry for a few hours in between each coat
overall applied 3 coats
THIS COLOUR IS SO GORGEOUS!!! I’m truly obsessed with it
While Country Chic Paint has a topcoat included, I always like adding extra durability. For this, I use Osmo Polyx-Oil Clear in a matte finish.
Here’s how I sealed both the wood and painted surfaces:
- started by giving the Polyx-Oil a good stir
used an Elite ring brush to apply the oil to the edges and a microfibre roller to the flat surfaces- let dry overnight but only 8-10 hours required
- in between each coat, lightly sanded all the surfaces with a 400 grit foam pad to keep it free of dust (and dog hair
) removed the dust with a tack cloth 
for the second coat, repeated this process- for the third and final coat, used an Osmo Superpad to buff in the oil
I love knowing that these surfaces are so protected!
I am just so thrilled with how the different parts of this dresser have come together! Country Chic Paint’ eacoat paired with Osmo Polyx-Oil Tints in Honey was the perfect choice.
Here’s how I finished up this piece:
- boiled the original in a combination of water and white vinegar to loosen the grime
- scrubbed using #0000 steel wool
dried by hand to avoid water spots
they are so sparkly now!- 👴🏻 Used Grandpa Ernie’s sanding method for all the wood surfaces for a “smooth like butter 🧈” finish; let me know if you need a further explanation
- reinstalled the legs
measured out where to place the wooden handles- using wood glue, I applied to the handle and put in place
used books and clamps to secure- let dry for several hours
- reinstalled the hardware
- removed the tape
put the drawers back in their proper locations
I am so happy that I took a chance on this piece! This colour is incredible and pairing it with the slight touch of colour on the wood makes it look so much fresher. The brass hardware really completes the piece. This is your sign to take a chance on that piece you’ve been eyeing.
I'd love to know what you think!