skip to main content

Trash To Treasure

how to refinish a laminated dresser

22 years ago

Hubby and I went out curb shopping last night and found a fantastic Bassett dresser from the 60's-70's. It's about 5 feet long with a rectangular top and beautifully arced drawers. Its some sort of yellowing white wood looking laminate but has great lines and will be perfect for our new baby's room as it is the perfect height to use as a changing table. How would I go about refinishing this? Would I sand the laminate off or just rough it up? We're not finding out the sex of the baby, so I don't want to make it gender specific. Any ideas?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

Lillie1441
22 years ago
I refinished a laminate dresser several years ago and it still looks great.The first thing you need to do is get a bonding primer and paint the whole thing.Then paint with acrylic enamel in whatever color you choose.Use a small sponge roller for the larger surfaces.If it has grooves or whatever you can paint those areas with a brush first then the roller and smooth out again with the brush.The roller will leave a nice smooth finish without leaving brush marks and painting will go a lot faster.You can finish with an acrylic sealer but it isn't necessary.After the baby comes you can add some stencils or something if you like.I did a faux marble finish on the top of mine with a sponge and several coats of acrylic sealer over that.I did it about 10 years ago and it has had lots of wear and still looks great.
Good luck and congratulations on the new baby!......Lillie
october17
21 years ago
I recently repainted a couple of old nightstands. They were from my parents' bedroom set - probably over 45 yrs old (don't make'em like that anymore.) The tops were laminate. I just sanded them to rough them up. I used a metallic latex paint (light blue). They came out really cute. Used BF's paint sprayer. Wish I could post a pic. I do have a pic, just can't figure out how to post!
Related Discussions
How to refinish a dresser that's meant to be painted
Q
Comments (4)
I am guessing this piece is from the forties or fifties. It looks like it was originally painted a cream color with gold (metallic) details. It was also sprayed, not brush painted. I am just not a big fan of painted furniture. So, here's what I've done. -Just testing it out on 1 drawer. If it sucks, I'll just paint the thing white & be done with it. It's completely stripped. I did 1 coat of "polyshades" -Bombay Mahogany Then 1 coat "polyshades" -dark walnut Then final coat of polyshades -Bombay mahogany. Steel wool the hell out of it between coats. After the last coat I will sand it with 220, then put 2 coats of oil based varathane. The handles are solid brass, and look nice agianst the dark color. I know everyone hates polyshades, but I don't know what else I could have done, except paint it with paint, and that would not have looked good with the brass handles. The paint store guy told me polyshades is crap, (which I know) but if I use a good oil based varathane over it, it will just be providing even color. It's still not too late to talk me out of it. I have only done 1 drawer. I'll take pictures
...See More
Help me refinish my great-grandmother's dresser
Q
Comments (3)
The wood looks to be birch. I would apply a preconditioner, and then use a gel stain which gives better coverage than the oil base. With gel stain you kinda buff it on, rather than oil base that let soak in.
...See More
Kitchen Cabinet refinishing - mixed Laminate and wood
Q
Comments (2)
Are the backs of the doors or drawer fronts finished the same as the exterior? You could do a test on those to see just how much you need to sand and what the stain will look like. I wouldn't think it's necessary to sand down to bare wood. With two different types of materials, you probably won't get a perfect match but I think you can get the colors close enough that it wouldn't be that noticeable. I suggest posting on the woodworking forum for more input on how much to sand down the finish. The folks over there are very helpful.
...See More
Existing oak floors - refinish & how, or go to laminate?
Q
Comments (8)
A regular sand/refinish = $4 - $5/sf. Adding in new wood can be done with the purchase of the wood (should be easy to match without a massive price tag) and then the cost of labour to weave in. Then the full sand/refinish takes place at the above cost per square foot. Laminate, in a quality that is going to do your home the justice it deserves = $3.50/sf or more (some of the REALLY nice ones will be even more) and then cost of install is another $2 or so (not included underpad which can be $0.80 - $1.25/sf). If you do the math, the cost of laminate + install = $6.50/sf or so. And you need ALL OF YOUR HOUSE covered in it. Compare that to the cost of sand/refinish + cost of wood + labour to install wood. I would bet you come out very close to the same price once all the bills are paid. And wood ADDS value to a home. Laminate will not (a high quality laminate will not detract value...it just won't add anything). I say add more of the same + sand and refinish everything. If you need to have the species verified, you can send away a cut of your wood to a lab that specializes in this. It is about $100 for a sample and takes 2-3 weeks to get the results.
...See More
User
21 years ago
caro -
Scrub it well with TSP (Spic and Span, or the liquid stuff by Jasco) to get rid of the decades of polish and wax.

Then get a primer made for laminates (ask andy decent paint store or large hardware store) and prime it carefully.

From there, you just paint - a nice satin enamel would be good for kids.
BDnBAMA
21 years ago
I have also refinished a laminate night stand & dresser. I sanded it just to rough it up, put on a thick coat of Kilz which sticks to ANYTHING. Then used a semi gloss latex enamel (couple of coats)to paint then sealed with a water based polyurethane. That was 2 yrs ago & still looks great. Betty

Related Stories

GREAT HOME PROJECTS What to Know Before Refinishing Your Floors

Learn costs and other important details about renewing a hardwood floor — and the one mistake you should avoid

REMODELING GUIDES Laminate Floors: Get the Look of Wood (and More) for Less

See what goes into laminate flooring and why you just might want to choose it

LIFE Reluctant DIYer’s Diary of a Dresser Makeover

By Becky Harris

Weekend project: Glossy new black-and-white dresser, hold the sandpaper

COLOR Happy Color: A Rainbow of Dressers

By Jen L'Italien

A dresser is the perfect place to experiment with a bold shot of color for your mix

VINTAGE STYLE Flea Market Find: Vintage Dressers

By Michelle Gage Interiors

Think beyond the bedroom when searching for your next dresser

DECORATING GUIDES Decorating With Antiques: Chests, Dressers and Buffets

By Mike Dietrich

Pretty, practical and versatile, antique chests add history and character along with storage

KITCHEN CABINETS Get the Look of Wood Cabinets for Less

No need to snub plastic laminate as wood’s inferior cousin. Today’s options are stylish and durable — not to mention money saving

BATHROOM VANITIES Vintage Vanities Bring Bygone Style to Baths

By Susan Mathison

Turn an old table, desk or dresser into a bathroom vanity with a character all its own

SMALL HOMES Houzz Tour: Living With Style (and Impermanence) in 450 Square Feet

By Vanessa Brunner

Temporary digs don't have to mean mishmash furniture and drab decor. Just check out this Vancouver rental studio

MORE ROOMS A Bedroom for Both of You

By Samantha Schoech

The bedroom doesn't have to be a battleground in the war between the sexes. These solutions will keep you both happy

Sponsored

More Discussions

Experience with PlayerBoost

0