Dresser makeover

So I found this dresser that needed lots of love by a dumpster in an apartment complex. I gladly scooped it up and brought it home... where it sat for months and months, until the snow melted so I could make it over on our apartment patio. 
(I really wish I had a garage so that these kinds of projects didn't have to wait for the sunshine, but someday...someday....)

It was missing hardware, and a drawer, so I got creative... First I sanded it....

1.)

         I bought a hand sander at my local hardware store because I knew that I would need it for the future projects I have lined up anyways. It was $30.00 ! I thought that was pretty cheap, and a good investment for future stuff.

I also first used a de-glossing agent to remove the awful high gloss spray paint that had been randomly applied admist the crackle, and other craft paints..(uhg dunno what someone was thinkin'...) I just put it on a rag and rubbed all over... It works a lot like finger nail polish remover... first taking away the shine but not all of the paint... then you just wash it off with soap and water and let dry...  the rest of the paint came off with the sander.

2. Then I bought mini foam roller, and a quart of black paint, and started rolling... and did a few coats to paint it all black. 

3.) I moved the top drawer to the bottom drawer section, and removed the top space drawer hardware.

4.) Next came the backing for the top shelf. I went to my local lumberyard, and priced out bead board ( the look I wanted..) and it was SPENDY. So... I opted for tongue and groove planked pine. I got one plank for $5.00 for 8 feet.

 I had it cut into 5 one foot pieces, because this worked to fit the section behind the dresser where there was a void from the drawer I obviously had some extras. I took those 5 pieces, and glued them together in the grooves with gorilla glue, and layed flat to dry. Then I painted that black, and nailed it to the back of the dresser where the void was. I did have to cut the back board thing that was nailed in that area to be shorter and just cover behind the drawers. 

I got this picture online, but this is exactly what mine looked like cut into pieces...I just forgot to take a picture of it:)

This is the planks nailed to the back from a side view, it is slightly thicker than the rest of the backing...

5.) I purchased a piece of press board which is commonly used in shelving, with a rounded edge, the width and depth of my dresser, $4.00. Painted it black, attatched "L" brackets under it to hold it up, and put all of the drawers back into the dresser.

This is a close up of the backing nailed on and the shelf installed...

 I added hardware, and TAH-DAH!!!! 

All done. Total cost was $ $20.00 with all of the paint and sandpaper etc. not counting the cost of the sander. Since the dresser was free to start it brought the total cost down a lot. 

I love this new dresser and have it in my craft room now, holding all kinds of goodies.

                                                 

Have a great day!! See ya Thursday...