Before and After: Old Oak Dresser!

This old dresser was one of my proudest transformations! Check us out at www.grandmashousediy.com for more information too!

No one knows where this dresser came from, nor does anyone know exactly how long it sat out on the screened in porch. Both my mother and aunt would agree that it had been there for as long as they could remember. There is a rather good chance that this dresser may have even been in the house when my Grandparents moved in in the '50s. We just don't know. What I do know is that before it was moved to the screened in porch to experience all of the degrees of Minnesota weather, it had been painted white and a mirror (not its mirror) had been added to the back of it. It may have had its own mirror once I only know that the mirror that had been added had fallen off at some point and was sitting behind it. The entire thing was so utterly covered in dirt that no one wanted to even touch it. This is the kind of filth that's hard to explain, dirt that is so old and so dense its like skin. But, I thought, what the hell, what have I got to lose? It wasn't terribly heavy and, amazingly, the drawers worked and it seemed sturdy. So, I took it home to see what I could do.

I started out by hosing this puppy off as I had no intention of touching that second skin of filth any more then I needed to. I mean, seriously, I don't mind getting dirty but this thing was FILTHY. Underneath the paint was what someone who likes shabby chic would probably have paid a fortune to achieve. It was utterly cracked, jagged, rather amazing actually. (This is when I should have taken the before picture.) It came off in one quick stripping and became what you see in the before picture. Underneath revealed solid oak. With a couple of passes with my sander it looked brand new. I consider this old beast would my greatest save/transformation but, amazingly, it was also one of my easiest. It had seen so much weather that it sanded up really quickly and took stain in text book style. At first I had planned this for the third bathroom vanity in the house but it became so dear to my heart that I decided to keep it as a dresser in Dakota's bedroom. I used red oak stain by minwax and two coats of minwax polycrylic.

A very proud moment here at Grandma's House DIY!

Original article and pictures take http://www.hometalk.com/10230993/before-and-after-old-oak-dresser site