Solid Wood Beauty

 This week I am working on this solid wood 9 drawer dresser. This thing was covered in the original finish and topped off with what I am assuming was milk paint with a crackle finish that had hand-painted vines. As soon as I got my hands on it I knew I had to strip the top back to its natural beauty.

So I got to work, removing the hardware, cleaning with my favorite degreaser, vacuuming out the drawers, and underneath to remove all the spider webs. Once I was done with deep cleaning I let the dresser and the drawers dry fully to avoid any issues with sanding! 

While waiting for everything to dry, I had time to formulate a general idea for the look I wanted to go for. I knew I was going to bring the top back to its original wood tones, but I hadn't quite 
decided what the general idea would be so I started sanding the drawer fronts down, just to see how thick the finish was and how durable it would be. 

The finish did not stand up to the scuff sand, so the drawers would be sanded down as well. Once I got the first two drawers sanded down I was in love! The different wood tones and knots show through in the most random manner that only natural wood can.   

                                                                                                              When I sand down with the intention of staining, paintwashing, or just sealing the natural wood I like to sand by hand. This allows me to feel how smooth the piece is becoming, as I stagger through the grits, starting with 60 and working my way up to 220 grit to prepare for staining. Now, since this piece is currently a work in progress I haven't decided if I will stain the drawers or seal them as they are. I also have not decided if the body will be stained or painted. If you would like to get a sneak peek throughout the remaining process follow me on IG, FB, and Pinterest for more photos. 

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