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You can refresh antique furniture if the original finish isn’t too messed up. This piece had been stored for quit a while. It was dingy and dirty and dinged up just a bit.
I have to say as much as I love paint I enjoyed every minute of bringing this vintage oak chest of drawers back to life. It is stunning now.
The only thing not original to the oak chest of drawers are the knobs. I think after you get a look at the original drawer pulls you will agree that they needed to be replaced.
The oak chest belongs to a friend of mine. It belonged to my friends Mother who passed it on to her for her daughter’s bedroom. Now that daughter is grown and has daughters. It’s must be nice to have a piece of furniture that belonged to your grandmother.
The chest has been sitting in a garage for years. It’s kind of a mess but nothing a bit of clean up and a few minor repairs won’t fix up.
The veneer was peeling up in places and the original drawer pulls were loose and had rubbed big circles in the veneer around the screw holes.
The chest was also pretty dirty. The sticky contact paper covered all the drawer bottoms.
I was pleasantly surprised and very pleased at how well the chest of drawers cleaned up. I’ll tell you everything I did to make it shine.
I decided the best option was to make all of the repairs before cleaning it up. First order of business was to remove the contact paper/drawer liner.
Once that was removed I noticed one of the drawer bottoms had slipped out of the grooves in the front of the drawer. I gently hammered the drawer bottom into the grooves again by lifting the bottom with one hand (level with the grooves) and hammering the back of it into place with the other hand.
After the drawer bottom was fitted back into the grooves I used a nail gun to attach it to the drawer back. The bottom of the drawer will not be slipping out of the grooves and out the back of the drawer anymore.
There was loose veneer on several of the drawers. At one time a few repairs were made to the veneer and there was just a couple of tiny spots on the drawers where the veneer was missing. Hardly noticeable.
I used a small wood pick/thingie to slip the wood glue between the veneer and the drawer front. I was really gentle because I didn’t want the veneer to crack or break. I used clamps to hold the veneer tight to the drawer until the glue dried.
I removed a few nails where prior drawer repairs had been made. Then I had to remove a couple of nails where I missed the side of the drawer when shooting the nails to hold the drawer bottom in place. At least I fessed up to it.
Once I made all the repairs I used a shop vac to get the worst of the dirt. Next I wiped the inside of the chest and the drawers with a rag and Simple Green.
I dusted the drawer fronts and the outside of the chest with a dry rag. I did not use water or cleaning solution on the veneer and finished wood areas.
Now comes the fun part, where I get to make the chest of drawers pretty again. See the dramatic difference in the two drawers? The bottom drawer has been wiped down with Howard’s Feed-N-Wax.
I used a couple of stain pens to cover the scratches and the worn area around the knob screw hole. That’s all it took to make the finish shine.
The stain pens were two different brands and two different colors. One was dark walnut and the other was dark cherry. I kind of used them together.
When using stain pens I always dot the stain on then wait just a bit and rub it off. The raw area or dull area of the finish should pick up the stain.
I used a small stencil brush to get the Feed-N-Wax into the corners, any tight spaces, and the wood applique on the mirror and mirror holder.
I discovered this trick a few projects ago. The bristles of stencil brushes are firm and they work well for mushing stain, cleaning solutions, etc. into tight places.
A rag and flat tip screwdriver are great for getting into little grooves like those on the feet. I cleaned the casters/wheels with Simple Green and sprayed them with WD40 when dry.
To freshen the drawers I sprayed the inside with Febreze and let them air out for a few days.
Last piece of the puzzle is the mirror. I cleaned the mirror and used a heavy duty stapler to adhere loose areas of the mirror backing.
I attached the mirror holder to the chest then the JTS and I fitted the mirror to the holder. Sorry, no free hands to take photos of that.
The metal attachments on the mirror and holder needed a couple of minor adjustments to make the mirror hang straight. Easy enough to do but works better with 4 hands.
Isn’t that wood gorgeous. I really didn’t think it would turn out this pretty. Glad I was wrong.
Antique Furniture Restored With Love
You guys might recognize those knobs. The ones on the top drawers are new and the others I had on the wardrobe in our den.
I decided it was time for those to go and I couldn’t find any others that worked well with the chest so I put these on. The owner of the chest was out of town and not available to select new knobs.
She came by the workshop yesterday with these. Aren’t they lovely. They really fit the style and the time period of the chest.
The chest was made by the Showers Brothers Company in Bloomington, Indiana. I think the chest was manufactured in the 1930’s but not sure.
A close look at those curvy feet and beautiful wood.
One more close up look at the knobs and the curved edge of the top.
I’m so pleased with this restoration…..and it’s not paint.
If you like old metal lawn chairs and want to save the rusty patina check out my video below….
What do you guys think? Leave me a note and take the Furniture Fixer Upper Tour by clicking the pink text links below the “before” photo collage.
You can find the Howard’s Feed-N-Wax and the stain pens on the Petticoat Junktion Amazon page by clicking here.
Antique Dresser Makeover – Girl In The Garage
Simple Fix For Cane Seat – Confessions Of A Serial Diyer
Deconstructed Ottoman – Prodigal Pieces
Girl’s Vanity Makeover – Just The Woods
Vintage Desk Makeover – The Interior Frugalista
Antique Furniture Restoration – Petticoat Junktion (you are here)
Thanks so much for being here. I know you have other things to do. Have a great day, Kathy
See my Christmas shopping and wish list, click here.Find Your Favorite Store Gift Cards on Amazon here
Ben says
Wow…I love redoing pieces, but this is a piece that you do not want to paint…you did an amazing job, it looks beautiful…great job!!!
Kathy Owen says
Thank you Ben. I was very happy with the results.
Carolyn Kiser says
This is absolutely beautiful! I love to paint furniture as well but every now and then run across a piece that I just can’t bear to paint but decide to restore the wood finish on. I have not tried the Howards but will certainly be heading out to get some in the next couple of days. Thanks Kathy!
Dixie Lee says
I learned about Howard’s from you and I now use it on all my old family pieces. And the wood trim in my new house had been terribly treated by the former owners and their dogs. I tried Murphy’s Oil Soap – no help, But the Howard’s fixed it right up! And no one paid me to say this….
Kathy Owen says
Hahahaha. Unfortunately Howard’s doesn’t pay me either or even give me free stuff. I only recommend products I like. That Feed-N-Wax is good stuff.
Laura Lane says
This is a stunning piece!!! Love that you went natural. I can’t believe it was made by the Showers Brothers in Bloomington, IN that is where I work…of course not as a furniture company anymore but my office is housed in the building. Very neat history, thank you!!!
Laura
Bloomington
Kathy Owen says
That is so cool Laura! Thanks for sharing that info.
PC says
Looks great – I sent you an email asking some questions about cleaning antique furniture which is very dirty.
Kathy Owen says
Hi Patricia, I got the email and sent you a reply. Thanks
Nancy says
Wonderful restoration. I’ve painted quite a few pieces of furniture, but lately have really been drawn to antiques with the original wood. I think it’s nice to mix things up — painted along with unpainted pieces like this. It’s a beauty.
Kathy Owen says
Thanks Nancy!
Jane Doe says
I LOVE it! You did a beautiful job with the wood… it’s so gorgeous! Great call too as there are so many who’d slap a coat of paint on it and cover up the grain of this beautiful wood. I don’t much care for painting the pieces unless it’s too far gone to do anything else. Thanks for sharing with us!
linda kaplan says
bautiful
Naomi S says
Kathy, that dresser is absolutely beautiful. You did a fabulous job. The wood grain is so lovely. To be honest, though, when I saw the knobs you put on it I had a very negative reaction. I tho’t they were completely out of character with the dresser. I’m glad the owner found the ones she brought; I think they are perfect. What a total success story!
Jen @ Girl in the Garage says
Such gorgeous work, and a labor of love! It will last for several more generations I’m sure. Bravo, Kathy! xo
Colleen Vinson says
This is absolutely beautiful! Thank you, Amanda, for some backstory on the piece.
Amanda says
As the daughter (current owner) of this piece, I could not be happier with how it turned out! Kathy did a wonderful job with this and I am so grateful! This was my dresser as a child, which once belonged to my grandmother, and now I can continue to pass it down. Thank you for this beauty!!!
kandice kullmann says
shut the front door Kathy! This is gorgeous!
Cathy Klose says
Spectacular!!!!
Nancy Walden says
I used Howard Feed-n- Wax to restore an old phonograph I found on the curb. I couldn’t believe how it revitalized the dried out wood! The phonograph player was long gone but there was still a manufacturers tag inside so I know it was made by Brunswick on Feb 13 1923. Someone had pulled all the veneer off the top so I had to paint it but multiple applications of Howard Feed-n-Wax saved the rest.
Marcia Horn says
Love that you restored this beautiful wood piece … so very nice … love painted pieces but not everything needs painted to be beautiful … wonderful work 🙂
Kaycee says
Kathy, you did such a beautiful job restoring this gorgeous piece! I love seeing old, dry wood come back to life with a proper cleaning and wood feeding! Love this!
Marie says
Oh wow, what a gorgeous restoration, Kathy! I can’t believe how good the wood looks now. The knobs you added are pretty but the glass ones your friend brought over are even more perfect. She must’ve been so pleased when she saw her chest of drawers 🙂
Jackie says
Beautiful! Glad you didn’t paint it. The glass knobs are perfect!! Love it!Jackie C
Marcie Lovett says
I’m getting so accustomed to seeing painted furniture, that I didn’t realize the photo was an “After!” The wood is just beautfiul and the care you took with it is so obvious. Those glass knobs add the perfect touch for the next generation to enjoy this lovely piece.
Kathleen Hicks says
That is a beautiful chest of drawers, especially with the glass knobs.
gwen says
Fantastic! After seeing the ‘after’ I’m so pleased you did NOT paint it! I love Feed-N-Wax! I recently used it on the legs of an ornate table, but I used a soft used toothbrush and it really got into all the crevices.
You did a great job of restoring this beauty to its original loveliness!
Kathy Owen says
Thanks Gwen!
bonniev says
It looks beautiful Kathy! Did you have an easy way of getting the old contact paper off or is it the old hard way? Also, hope to get to the Nashville Flea market this year, not sure when.
Kathy Owen says
This contact paper came right up! It doesn’t always happen that way. If the paper is really stuck I usually sponge it down with water.
Wendy J Taylor says
Wow ! This is why I refinish furniture . The wood and veneer are just beautiful. You can never get this look from IKEA . As my Dad used to say…..The old stuff is the best. You did a great job..I hope your clients daughter appreciates this treasure.
Kathy Owen says
Yes, she was very happy with it. I was too. Thanks!
Christy says
WOW! What a stunner! Glad you were able to clean it up so well…the original stain is so beautiful! XO
Kathy Owen says
Thanks Christy
Bobby says
There’s a lot of work there, but the wood is so beautiful it was clearly the right decision. And the right result, too, it looks wonderful.
Kathy Owen says
Thank you!
Christina in SW FL says
Love this restoration! You really paid tribute to the craftsmanship that made this piece such a beauty. Thank you for bringing her back to her glory.
Kathy Owen says
Thanks Christina
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
Oh soooo gorgeous!! I just love that you saved that beautiful wood. You rock the paint brush, Kathy, and also restoration. Bravo!
Kathy Owen says
Thank you Larissa.