Y’all, I am loving this green kick everyone has been on lately! Have you noticed all the green decor popping up? So I had to jump on the bandwagon and order some Country Chic Paint in Hollow Hill (the most amazing green) and show you another cabinet makeover!
Just like my Singer sewing drawers and our shoe cabinet, this cabinet was saved from the burn pile of my dear friends fathers home. I wasn’t even sure this one could truly be saved but it was free, so I grabbed it anyways.
To truly appreciate this transformation, let’s take a look at the before!
What a beauty, eh? But it was solid wood, and you can save anything made from solid wood. I had my work cut out for me. Let’s get started!
Materials
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Country Chic Paint in Hollow Hill (Use TWOPAWS10 for 10% off)
Stain
Paper Towel
Sandpaper
Step 1: Strip
First things first, make sure your piece is clean from dirt and grime. I use Clorox wipes, but you’re welcome to use whatever you want!
I got the messy part done first, and that was stripping the top of this old piece so I could stain it. As you can see from the before photos, there was layers and layers of old paint and it wasn’t going to come up easy. I picked up the harshest paint stripper out there and got to work.
Using a foam brush, brush your stripper on thick all over the area you want stripped. I let mine sit for about 30 minutes and occasionally check on it by using my paint scraper to scrape a small spot. If the paint comes up easily, it’s ready to scrape. If you really have to work to get the paint up, apply a bit more stripper, and wait another 30 minutes!
The process isn’t pretty but it’s so worth it! I had to do 3 coats of stripper to get all of my paint up and still had to sand it down eventually but we’ll get to that!
Here’s what she looked like after 3 coats of stripper. Your stripper isn’t going to get EVERY little bit off but it will remove the majority.
Step 2: Get Your Beeswax Out
If you love the distresssed look, I urge you to invest in a beeswax bar. When rubbed against wood, it will leave a wax substance that makes it harder for the paint to bind too. Then when distressing, it takes much less elbow grease to get the look you’re going for.
Just rub your beeswax bar along the edges and areas you would like your distressing at.
Step 3: Paint
The easiest step of this whole project is the painting! Grab your paint brush and your favorite shade of Country Chic Paint and paint away. This cabinet only took 2 coats for full coverage and it goes on like buttahhh!
This photo was after the first coat! Amazing!
Step 4: Sand
Now it’s time to take this project back outside and bust out your orbital sander!
I used an 80 grit sandpaper to finish sanding the rest of the surface and then finished with a 120 grit sandpaper to smooth. It only took me about 10 minutes of sanding to get this ready for stain! That is why stripper is so important in this process!
Step 5: Stain
Now that your top is ready to stain, grab a foam brush and apply your stain in even brush strokes, brushing one way.
Once the entire top has stain, immediately wipe it off using paper towels. Apply another coat if you prefer a darker shade!
Step 6: Distress
To antique this piece, I used a leftover piece of sandpaper I had from earlier and sanded the edges of the cabinet where you might typically see wear and tear. This is where I had applied my beeswax bar because it helps make this step easy peasy!
The sandpaper will leave a little bit of this white residue on your piece. Once you’re done sanding, just wipe it down with a wet washcloth and it’ll look good as new!
Step 7: Dark Wax
If you want to age this piece even more, whip out some dark or antiquing wax. You can apply this using just a sock or if you have a wax brush on hand, use that. I do have a wax brush so I used that to apply the dark wax in crevices. A little goes a long way, so you really just have to barely dip your brush in the wax.
Step 8: Seal
There are SO many options out there to seal your piece. If this piece is going to be heavily used or used in an environment with kids (which this was), use a polyurethane or polycrylic. I always use polycrylic because it doesn’t amber as time goes on. Just keep in mind you may need more coats since it’s not quite as durable as polyurethane and is a water based sealant.
I applied the Polycrylic using a foam brush and brushing in the same direction as I did the stain. I ended up putting three coats of Polycrylic on the top stained piece and one coat on the rest of the piece. Make sure you allow ample time in between coats to dry.
Cabinet Makeover: After
Okay, so let’s take one more peek at the before of this horrendous cabinet!
Not sure what that piece of pallet was nailed to the back, but that definitely had to go. Plus, that peeling top was a serious eyesore!
And the after!
Can you believe the transformation? Isn’t that so much better?! I seriously doubted that I could save this one. But since it was free I still tried and I’m so grateful I did. This has no doubt became the focal point in my daughter’s bedroom and these locker baskets fit perfectly! I had thought about somehow installing a curtain where the used to be doors but realized that baskets would make it so much easier for Ryan to access and pick up her toys.
I ordered my hardware from D. Lawless Hardware. Seriously hands down the cheapest hardware you’ll find anywhere along with great quality. I now realize I paid $8 per pull for my kitchen cabinets when I could have paid less than $2 for the same look at D. Lawless. These are the pulls I ordered and I’m already eyeing my next set!
Feel free to comment below if you have any questions! I’d love to help you on your chalk painting journey!
Don’t forget to check out Country Chic Paint on Facebook and Instagram to see all their bloggers latest projects!
|Shoe Cabinet|Primitive Hutch|Singer Sewing Drawers|Vintage Kid’s Desk|
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What A Great Job, well worth all the work, came out great.. Ann H.
Thank you so much Ann! I’m in love with the color!
Wow, I love, love, love everything about this project. Fabulous job!
Thank you! I am SO happy with the results!