Decorating DIY Decor DIY Furniture How to Refurbish a Dresser to Bring New Life to an Old Piece Learn how to refinish a dresser—and give your old wood furniture an updated look—using our easy step-by-step guide. By Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett Jessica Bennett is an editor, writer, and former digital assistant home editor at BHG. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on July 20, 2023 Project Overview Working Time: 4 hours Total Time: 3 days Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $35-$50 Hand-me-down furniture and thrift-store finds provide an economical way to furnish your space. If the bones of a piece are good, but the finish isn't quite right, you can easily fix it with a new coat of stain. Learning how to refurbish a dresser or other wood furniture isn't as difficult as you think. With the right tools and a little elbow grease, you can give your old furniture a fresh look with just a few hours of work. For this project, we stripped a wood dresser of a dull coat of paint, so its lustrous graining and elegant lines could shine. Next, we added painted hardware for a contemporary twist to this heirloom. A coat of polyurethane will keep the newly refinished dresser looking gorgeous for years to come. Follow our instructions to learn how to work this magic. 40 Furniture Makeovers for the Ultimate Project Inspiration What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Drop cloth 2- and 4-inch foam brushes 2- and 3-inch putty knives Scrap bucket Small wire-bristle brushes Steel wool Tack cloth Staining pads Paintbrushes Cheesecloth Materials Nitrile gloves Respirator Wood stripper—we used Citristrip Mineral spirits Medium and fine sandpaper Stirrer Wood stain Water-based polyurethane Spray paint Instructions Jay Wilde Apply Wood Stripper Remove the hardware from the dresser and place it in a safe spot. Remove the drawers. Place the dresser and drawers on a leakproof drop cloth in a ventilated area. Then, wearing nitrile gloves and a respirator, use an inexpensive foam paintbrush to apply a 1/8-inch-thick layer of wood stripper. Jay Wilde Scrape Off the Paint Once the entire surface has bubbled, use a plastic putty knife to scrape off the paint. Discard the paint remnants in a scrap bucket. If stain remains, the wood is deeply grained, or the piece is particularly ornate, you might need to apply a second coat of stripper and repeat the scraping process. Use a small wire-bristle brush to remove any paint from crevices. 24 DIY Furniture Projects to Personalize Your Home on a Budget Jay Wilde Remove Residue Using a piece of steel wool and rubbing along the direction of the grain, wipe the wood down with mineral spirits to remove any stripper and paint residue. You might see bits of paint still on the surface, but that's OK. Allow the wood surface to dry for about 15 minutes. Jay Wilde Sand the Dresser Sand the dresser using medium-grit sandpaper, moving with even pressure along the direction of the grain. Sand thoroughly, including all the details. Wipe with a tack cloth to remove any dust. Sand again with finer-grit sandpaper, and wipe with a clean tack cloth. If you're unsatisfied with the wood's appearance, sand again, using the finest-grit paper. Wipe it down again. Jay Wilde Stain the Dresser Thoroughly stir the wood stain and apply it, using a paintbrush or staining pad, working in the direction of the grain and completing small areas at a time. After applying the stain in one section, wait about five minutes, then wipe the section with cheesecloth to remove any excess stain or until you achieve the shade you want for refinishing the dresser. Continue applying the stain over the rest of the dresser. Repeat the steps for a darker shade. Let dry according to the manufacturer's directions, from eight to 24 hours. Jay Wilde Apply Polyurethane to Complete Refinishing the Dresser Wipe down the dresser with a clean tack cloth or cheesecloth. Working first on the horizontal surface, drizzle a light line of polyurethane onto the dresser. Using a bristle brush, spread it in the direction of the grain, working quickly and brushing over the same area only as much as needed to avoid bubbles, streaks, or imperfections. Cover the entire dresser. Let it dry completely, about 12 to 24 hours. If a second coat of polyurethane is desired when refinishing the dresser or imperfections appear, lightly sand with very fine grit sandpaper, then wipe with a tack or cheesecloth. Repeat the polyurethane process. While the polyurethane dries, spray-paint the hardware. Allow it to dry completely, then reinstall.