Update a Dresser By Cutting the Base and Adding New Hardware
When you think of vintage dated furniture, often these maple dressers come to mind. They are great pieces of furniture and very well made, but really don’t fit into today’s more modern decor. However, don’t walk by one the next time you see it. They make great transformations! The power of paint alone will make a huge difference on its own. However, changing some of the dated details really brings this style into the modern era. In this article I will cover how two ways to update a dresser – changing the base and updating the hardware.
Updating a dresser base
These dated details had to go! There are so many ways to update a base on a piece of furniture. From getting fancy with carpentry and making a whole new base, to just adding some new legs or feet, to just modifying what is already there. In this example, I just modified what was there and did it without having to remove it from the dresser. It’s a super simple update.
How to cut off the base
Cutting the base may seem intimidating if you don’t use a lot of power tools. I am not a power tool person so the first time I did it I was nervous. But trust me, it was way easier than I thought! All you need is a jigsaw, I use this inexpensive one and it works great for this purpose.
- The first thing is to turn the dresser on its back so that the base is flat and parallel to the floor. Next, use painter’s tape to come up with the design you want. The plan for this piece was a straight line, so it was easy to line up the tape with the existing straight edges. You can also use a straight edge and draw a line with a pencil, but I find this to be easier.
- Now it’s time to cut! Make sure you are following appropriate safety precautions (wearing safety glasses and mask) and all manufacturer’s instructions. Start your cut using the painter’s tape as a guide. For longer cuts, it is helpful to work in sections, making several cuts perpendicular to your main cut before starting.
- After you’ve made your cuts you can remove the tape and it’s time to sand. I like to use my electric sander to smooth out and level any uneven areas, but hand sanding will also work. You can use a hand planer to further even out any areas if you have one.
Note: If you’ve never used a jigsaw before, I suggest making some practice cuts on a scrap piece of wood. Just make sure the piece is clamped or otherwise secured so it doesn’t move when the saw is operating.
Updating dresser hardware
Changing the hardware is a super easy way to update the look of a piece of furniture. I, for example, don’t like the Chippendale (or “bat-wing”) style hardware that was on this dresser. So I searched for hardware that was the same size and easily replaced it without too much work. Since the top drawers had different size hardware originally, I filled the old holes and re-drilled new ones to add a coordinating knob.
There are so many places to look for hardware and big variations in price as well. I have a bunch of inexpensive favorites from Amazon linked here. D. Lawless Hardware is another good place to shop for hardware and Etsy is also a great option.
Other details for this makeover
The rest of this makeover was straightforward. No real repairs were necessary. I simply primed with shellac, painted in the color Aloe Green by Melange Paints, and sealed with my favorite water-based topcoat. These drawer liners were also added to finish off the look.
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