Refurbishing an old wooden door in a kid’s room can save the cost of a replacement. Update a door to reflect a kid’s favorite colors, hobbies or interests. Paint is among the most budget-friendly ways to make the most dramatic change and creative embellishments can help personalize it. Redoing a dresser which was painted before 1970 requires special handling, as the paint could contain lead which can be a health hazard if not removed in accordance with United States Environmental Protection Agency guidelines.
Move the dresser outside, weather permitting, and place a disposable painting drop cloth under it. In inclement weather, then move the door to a garage, basement or alternative well-ventilated interior space.
Remove the drawers from the door, placing them atop the drop cloth. Use a screwdriver to remove knobs or handles from the drawers.
Sand any rough spots or tiny areas of chipped paint over the dresser utilizing 320-grit sandpaper. Remove large pieces of peeling paint with a putty knife, then followed by sanding to make it smooth to the touch.
Fill tiny holes, cracks or scrapes in the dresser by dipping a putty knife to your jar of wood filler. Press the wood rubbed into the blemish with a putty knife and scrape away any excess with the putty knife. Permit the wood rubbed to dry. Sand the repaired area with 320-grit sandpaper to smooth and even the blemished place.
Mix a cleaning solution of warm water and mild dish detergent. Dip a clean rag into the soapy solution, and wipe down the dresser base and drawers to clean it thoroughly. Dry the dresser with a clean cloth.
Apply a paint primer to your dresser base and drawer fronts to provide a better bonding surface for paint to stick. Primer also helps cover existing dark paint colours.
Apply paint to the dresser base and drawer fronts with a paint roller to get the big places and an angled paintbrush for hard-to-reach seams and corners. Paint the drawer table another color than the dresser base for a personalized look. Use a latex paint for simple cleanup and very low VOC paints to reduce possible adverse health effects. Allow the paint to dry to the touch typically a few hours before applying another coat.
Embellish the dresser with stencils, ornamental stickers, glitter paint or freehand artwork. Attach colorful new hardware into your drawers with a screwdriver.