May Makeover (Part II) and a Thank You

First off, thanks for all the feedback. It is VERY much appreciated! Per several requests, I plan on revisiting some of the techniques I use during my building phases and provide detailed tutorials for those who are interested. I also plan to create an Etsy account for pieces that are ready to find a new home. Stay tuned!

Now, back to the good stuff…

When I bought this piece, it started to fall apart as soon as my boyfriend and another guy lifted it up it to move. The top was worn with deep scratches and there was water damage throughout. My boyfriend said, “Uh, hun, are you sure about this?” I just said, “Keep going.”

This is a "during" shot, I apologize for not having a "before" shot.

The packaging tape used to hold a make-shift drawer together was a nice touch as well.

But the Hallmark calendar card from 1970 I found in the frame actually was a nice touch.

I made replacements for the warped drawers and cabinet linings with 5.2MM hardwood. The warped linings were used as a template and a jig-saw cut the pattern.

I had to break apart the dovetail joints on all sides of the drawers with a rubber mallet in order to replace the lining. (I used a rubber mallet to prevent denting or splitting the wood like a hammer would.) Some clamps and wood glue bonded it all together. The drawers now slide in and out instead of jumping from side to side.

Sometimes, my clamps aren't large enough for my projects, so I link them together as shown.

The cabinet lining doesn’t droop anymore either. I sanded the rough jig-saw cuts with a sander to remove the splinters and to also help the board fit in the grooves. 

After a lot of sandpaper, wood glue and elbow grease, it started to come together. I played around with a few color combinations while I was working to see what would work best. 

I wanted a 2-toned piece in order to show the quality and richness of the wood top, and planned on painting the base all cream to accentuate the details, but it was getting late - the finishing touches were going to have to wait until the next day. 

My plan was to finish painting the frame cream and put it up for sale…but I moved it into my dining room before heading to bed.

She was the missing piece for my dining room. The colors help tie the whole room together. And so much work went into this piece; I couldn’t bear to let her go! In sum, I’m sorry to say, this one’s mine.