This silky oak dresser is one example of a footpath find that would probably be overlooked if it wasn’t for the keen eyes of my assistant Celia, who picked it up and brought it in to my workshop. What a sad old state it was in when it arrived (below).
The sad state of things …
There was a bunch of trash in behind the drawers too. Have you ever found real treasure in a set of drawers behind here? I have heard stories of people finding money or jewellry. No such luck in this case, just old papers and magazines.
The paint was so old, and likely to contain lead or similar nasties, so I had to be careful in getting off these horrible top layers of thick paint. It was looking pretty beat up.
Stripping and sanding the silky oak dresser
I used a Paint Stripper to apply all over top of dresser and on the drawer fronts. See this post on how to strip paint the quick and easy way.
Once most of the paint was removed by the stripper, I washed the surface down, wiped it dry, then sanded the rest of the paint off until the surface was smooth and ready for adding a new finish.
French eggshell and Ebony SFO
I used Fusion’s colour, French Eggshell on the base of the entire piece after sanding and cleaning the painted surface. Always use a mask when sanding old paint (or any paint or wood surface for that matter). For best sanders to use, I go in-depth in this post here: How to Choose the Best Sander for Your Project.
I stained the top and drawers in Fusion’s SFO in the colour, Ebony – which usually turns out a lot more Black than this, but I don’t mind the chocolate tone to it. I have found with the SFO – Stain & Finishing Oil range, it really depends on the colour, and grain of the wood surface you are staining as to how it will turn out.
Finished Silky Oak Dresser
Don’t forget to join my Facebook Group – “I Restore Stuff – You Can Too” and share your painted pieces! Have you painted anything in French Eggshell yet?
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