Upcycled Dresser Turned Kitchen Cabinet

an old dresser turned two-toned kitchen cabinet

Posted by SemiFrugalLife

About

Live in a place with a tiny kitchen with limited counter space and cabinets? Have an old dresser in need of some tlc? Turn your dresser into a two-toned kitchen cabinet with a little paint and elbow grease. The price of the this project is significantly less if you already have painting and stripping supplies.

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You Will Need (17 things)

  • Old Dresser
  • Plastic Drop Cloth
  • Painter's Tape
  • Gloves
  • Paint Stripper
  • Paint Stripper Tool
  • Scrubber
  • Mineral Spirits
  • Sander
  • Sand Paper
  • Clear Spray shellac
  • Tack Cloth
  • 1 Quart Satin Enamel White Indoor Paint
  • Paint Roller
  • Paintbrushes
  • Metallic Spray Paint (optional for hardware)
  • New Hardware (Optional)

Steps (9 steps, 480 minutes)

  1. 1

    The "before" look

  2. 2

    Prep the dresser top for stripping by taping a plastic drop cloth around all the sides of the dresser. Wearing gloves apply the stripper. Let it sit for a couple hours or according to the manufacturer's directions.

  3. 3

    Remove the stripper and stain with a stripper tool and scrubber. Use mineral spirits to remove any sticky spots.

  4. 4

    Use an electric sander to sand the top with the grain.

  5. 5

    Apply a clear spray shellac in even coats. Watch for drips! We used Zinnser Clear Shellac Traditional Spray.

  6. 6

    Remove the drop cloth and prep the drawers and lower dresser for paint by sanding with a fine grit sand paper. Remove any sanding bits with tack cloth.

  7. 7

    Paint the dresser bottom and the drawers with a white indoor paint with an satin enamel finish that allows for easy kitchen cleanup. Our dresser needed three coats of paint to cover up the dark wood.

  8. 8

    After the paint has dried, add new hardware. Or update the old hardware with spray paint. We bought new hardware, but spray painted it using Rust-oleum Satin Nickel Metallic Paint and Primer in One.

  9. 9

    Fill the drawers with baking sheets, strainers, spices, and any other miscellaneous kitchen gadgets and enjoy your new, improved dresser and kitchen!