Dorsey Designs

DIY and Interiors by Sarah + David

get the latest straight to your inbox

Color me Coral

This post has been sponsored by Sherwin-Williams. All opinions are 100% mine, if you’ve been reading for a while, you probably know that 🙂 

Over the weekend I started painting this dresser that I picked up at a thrift store a few months ago, solid wood (maybe oak?), dovetail drawers, for $8 – yes please!

It doesn’t look too bad in the photo above, but looking a little closer, it had been repainted with a thick nap roller, leaving a textured surface. 
Using good supplies/techniques and will produce a much better result and save you time if you ever decide to repaint. Read on to see what supplies I like!

Enter in lots of sanding …
 
I used my orbital sander with 60 grit sandpaper to remove most of the textured surface, and then went back over with a 120 grit sandpaper to smooth everything out. 
I patched a few holes with wood filler and filled the holes from the old hardware. One was broken so those definitely needed to be swapped out. I decided on brass ring pulls, so new holes were drilled about 6″ from the edge.
After removing the dust with a microfiber cloth, I used SW Premium Wall & Wood Primer, I find that it has good coverage and adhesion, gives a smooth result while creating a surface that the top coat adheres well to. 
After allowing the primer to dry I used a fine grit sandpaper to quickly sand the surface. I then wiped it down with a microfiber cloth to remove any dust.
For the top coat, I decided to use one of my favorite paints, SW Pro Classic, it is water based with a hard enamel finish like an oil based, but without the fumes and the brush cleans up with water. The enamel surface is ideal for furniture in high traffic areas for maximum durability. 
I used two thin coats and mixed in a little XIM extender to level out any brush strokes prior to drying. The key to reducing brush stokes, is using thin coats and not over brushing, it will level out when it dries. My favorite brush is the Purdy Clearcut Glide 1.5″ and 3″.  

I decided on SW Ardent Coral, a fun, bright, pink coral for the top coat. I’m most likely putting it in my closet for additional storage, but before I move things around I took a few photos with my new stencil.

I picked up a partial piece of drywall at Habitat Restore for $2.50, and plan to use it to try out my new stencils. Stenciled wall is also SW Ardent Coral.

I made my DIY Brass Ring Pulls for the hardware.

Much much better than the previous textured surface! And I love the bright pop of color, making it a great accent piece!  

Stencil is now available through my Etsy shop, click here to view 

Subscribe

get the latest straight to your inbox

Comments

  3. Cute! I always love coral in other people's home, but I just don't see it in my own house. I guess I'm just afraid because it's such a strong color! Well, for me, painting the walls has been a big step after years of white! 😉

    Reply

  4. Sarah, gotta ask. When you decide on doing new hardware and have to fill up the previous holes, how do you get it smooth? After I have attempted it, I can still see the previous holes. It drives me crazy!!!!
    Also, love seeing you pic's of Pismo. We live in Santa Maria.

    Reply

    • I like a smoother wood filler like this one http://www.elmers.com/product/detail/E848D13?filterPath=wood-filler%2f

      Also, I think the key is to make sure not to sand too much, it tends to take the filler out before the wood, but you have to sand enough to make it smooth. And if it still isn't smooth after that I like to add a few coats of primer over the holes (sanding in between) it tends to sink into the dips better.

      Hope this helps! Santa Maria is just down the road, nice to "meet" you!

      Reply

  5. Sarah-
    I paint a ton of furniture too, and always use oil based enamel, so thanks for the tip! My one question for you; I know that you said you paint it in 2 thin coats, but do you paint the whole thing at once? Meaning, paint all sides at the same time, wait for it to dry and then paint all sides again. That is what I have been doing, but I wonder if it is better to paint the flat side, let it dry, paint it again, let it dry, and then flip it so another part of the piece is now the flat side? I feel like the flat part (usually the dresser top) always looks the best, and other sides might have either drips (from not brushing enough) or brush marks (for brushing too much). Thanks for any advise!

    Reply

    • Hi Megan! I go over the whole piece with one thin coat, wait for it to dry and then repeat. Sometimes it takes three thin coats depending on the color. For the sides, typically if I use a thin enough coat it won't drip, but if I catch it early enough wipe it with my brush, if not I'll sand once completely dry. I also like using a foam roller (the smooth white ones) and have gotten great results (again not over rolling) The roller gives a little more control/even coat of paint to avoid drips on the sides. Hope this helps!

      Reply

  13. Have you tried a Corona brush? It's a little more, but worth it. I've learned the hard way that cheap brushes ruin projects. Well worth the few pennies to upgrade to a high quality brush.

    Reply

  14. Have you tried a Corona brush? It's a little more, but worth it. I've learned the hard way that cheap brushes ruin projects. Well worth the few pennies to upgrade to a high quality brush.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

MENU