Closet fashionista

Are you put off the idea of upcycling old furniture because you don’t fancy the noise and dust made by sanding? The good news is that many wooden makeover projects can be completed without having to sand a thing. In the case of old, stained furniture a decent scrub with Resene Timber and Deck Wash can be sufficient to prepare the painting surface. Here’s an example:

You will need

• 1 wooden wardrobe
• Paintbrushes of various sizes
• Resene Timber and Deck Wash.
• A wire pot scrubber
• Rubber gloves
• A source of fresh water (ideally a garden hose fitted with a spray nozzle)
• Paint in colours of your choice. I used Resene SpaceCote Flat waterborne enamel in the shades of Resene Glade Green and Resene Clover
• Old cloths or rags

Step-by-step instructions

1. Sand-free prep Choose a place to work – ideally somewhere outside that is within reach of water and on concrete or another hardy surface that will not be affected by the cleaner. Using your gloves, dilute the Resene Timber and Deck Wash as per the instructions on the pack and coat all paintable surfaces liberally. Leave for five minutes.

2. Scrub clean Using the pot scrubber, rub over all paintable surfaces, working in the same direction as the wood grain.

3. Wash off Use a garden hose (ideally one with a medium-pressure spray nozzle) to quickly wash down all surfaces. Avoid soaking the cabinet more than necessary. Allow to dry completely.

4. Paint Working a small area at a time, paint with a colour of your choice and rub the paint back using rags to achieve the look you want. Do this to a greater or lesser extent depending on how much of the original wood grain you want exposed. Cover all visible surfaces , including painting any features you wish to accentuate in a lighter or darker colour. If painting the insides of the drawers, avoid painting the outer panels as an extra layer of paint may make them jam. Allow to dry completely before reassembling.

Words and photography Sarah Heeringa.

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