Transforming this solid wood dresser into a TV console was so much fun and I love how it turned out. I have throws, pillows, and reading material that seem to always be on the couch. This project gave our home a great spot to put all of these items, and more. Plus, it looks beautiful in my space!
To start this project, I snapped a picture of the existing dresser and then sketched what I wanted it to look like. For this one, I had this in mind before starting.
From here I gathered the tools and materials I thought I’d need to complete the project.
Here’s a list of what I used:
Tools-
Reciprocating saw
Orbital sander
Drill with bits and Phillips attachments
Nail gun with finishing nails
Table saw
Miter saw
Materials-
Sandpaper 80, 120, 220, 320 grit
Drawer pull Hardware
Trim ( ½” selection)
½” Plywood 4’x 8’ sheet
12” hair pin legs (4), mine came with screws
Colored stain (translucent and solid)
Enamel paint
Polyurethane (ultra Flat)
Primer (if there are wood knots that you need to cover, make sure to get a good primer that states it does just that)
Paint brushes
Foam roller
Drop cloth
After collecting all these items I disassembled the dresser. I took the back off, removed the drawers, took the legs off and removed all the hardware from the dressers frame and drawers. Then I took a little water and vinegar and cleaned it up real good.
This dresser was painted white by previous owners so I sanded all that off. I should have stripped it, but this is the route I took for this project. Ultimately, it worked out, but if you’re wanting to stain your piece, and its been painted, I’d recommend stripping the paint off and then a light sand after is all that's needed. I started with 80 grit sandpaper after trying 120 grit and the process was taking too long, so I worked up from 80 to 120 grit, sanding till all the paint was removed.
Once all the old finish was gone I used my shop vacuum and a damp rag to remove all the dust and paint scrapings. Then I cut the middle section out of the back that I wasn’t keeping. This allowed me to use the drawer openings as shelves. To do this I marked what I wanted gone and used my reciprocating saw to remove those sections. I sanded the rough spots with my orbital sander 120/220 grit, till smooth.
The next step was to measure and make the shelves that were sliding over the existing drawer framework. I used my table saw to cut my 4’ x 8’ piece of Plywood down to the recorded sizes, and sanded both sides till smooth.
I slid the shelves in place and tacked them down with finishing nails. Next, I added trim on the outside of the new shelves to make the piece look more finished. It worked great and added a nice little detail to the stand. I used my nail gun and finishing nails, and tacked them on after I cut them down to size with my miter saw. For this project I used wood filler to seal any gaps and imperfections I didn’t want to be seen. I only used this on the areas where my solid stain would be used. Once that completely dried according to the label I sanded down any roughness with 220 grit sandpaper, using my orbital sander.
I chose to put the legs on next so my piece would be a bit taller while painting. It worked out perfectly. I used three different paint/stains on my piece. The sections that I was painting with enamel, I primed first. Then I marked what areas were getting the solid and translucent stains and started with the darkest stain first then went on to the solid stain, ending with the translucent stain last. Waiting for paint to dry is probably the thing that challenges me most (LOL), but I do recommend at least two coats of all paints and stains before putting on your polyurethane coats. I put the recommended three coats on each painted area.
The final step was putting on the hardware. My favorite thing to do, because it means I’m done! It turned out just like I envisioned and works like a charm. My kids even fold up their couch throws and place them on the shelf. Yes!
I hope this tutorial helped inspire you, and gives you the confidence to tackle your own furniture makeover project. We’d love to see what you create, so be sure to tag us when you share your finished product. Happy creating!
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