Cassie Bustamante

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New Series-How Do I Prep?

October 5, 2010 by Cassie 21 Comments

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Ok ladies, and perhaps gentleman or gentlemen, I have told you over and over that I would do more tutorials, how-tos, etc.  So I have decided to start a new series entitled “How Do I (Fill in the Blank)?”  I have chosen this title because I am not going to pretend that I know everything and that what I do is the best way to do things.  I am self-taught through experience, my parents’ advice, and lots of googling.  Where would I be without my good pal google?  I tell you where- lost in a world lacking vital information!  Anyhow, Today I am going to talk about prepwork, before you even prime or paint the piece.  Warning, this post will have no pretty pictures to enjoy.  But I hope it helps those of you with questions.  Please leave a comment after this post with topics you would like covered.

So let’s pretend I have just purchased a dresser to paint.  How do I get it ready?

1. Check out the hardware.  Do you like it?  Will you keep it on this piece?  If not, with what will you replace it?  You must ask yourself these questions, because if you want to change it out, you may need to fill old screw holes with wood filler, and you will want to do this before you sand.  If you choose to keep the hardware you have on it, then you just remove it and save it for when the dresser is ready for its jewelry again.  If you are replacing it and holes need to be filled, remove the old hardware, and fill the holes with wood filler.  I use Elmer’s.  I have used others and this is just my favorite.  And the little cow on the label is cute to look at while you work.  I fill the holes more than enough, leaving excess on the outside so that when I sand I can smooth it out to match the surface.  When you are done with the filler, replace the lid tightly, and use a mallet to make sure it’s on as tight as can be.  Otherwise, next time you go to use it, you may find a tub of hardened wood filler.  I have done that before, and had to toss it.  It’s like throwing away money.

2.  Now you are ready to sand the dresser.  Don’t bother cleaning it before or wiping it down.  It’s going to get really dusty in this process, so don’t bother.  I sand my pieces outside for safety.  I was doing it inside for a bit due to a neighbor who is less than nice, but since he can have parties til midnight and leafblow his roof daily (OCD?), I decided I could sand in the middle of the day if I needed to.  It’s best to wear a sanding mask.  I sometimes forget, and then blow my nose and see brown in the tissue.  Gross.  And unhealthy.  But I would recommend that you learn from my mistakes.  Now for the actual sanding, I use an orbital sander.  It’s powerful and doesn’t take long.  I typically use around 120 grit sandpaper when I am prepping for paint.  If I plan to refinish, You need ridonkulously high grit sandpaper… or at least 220.   But for painting purposes, you need the surface to be roughed up enough, but it doesn’t need to be down to the bare wood.  You want to make sure that you sand off all of the shine basically.  As for the detailed areas that are harder to reach, you can use a Dremel tool if you have one as it is fantastic for getting in those nooks and crannies.  If not, just use your good old hands.  They will work just as well, and your arms will look great in a tank top!  If you are doing it by hand, you will want a higher grit than 120- I would suggest 200 grit at least.

3. Cleaning the dresser… aka, my least favorite part.  This step is necessary, but the least fun.  There are no cool power tools involved, and no creativity involved.  It’s a necessary evil.  The best way to be thorough is to remove all of the drawers from the body of the piece.  Inside the body of the dresser, I use cleaning products such as Endust or Mrs. Meyers to just wipe all the surfaces clean of debris and dust.  I also wipe down the inside of the drawers.  On the rare occasion that there is icky gunk stuck in a drawer, I use my pant scraper to remove it.  The outside of the dresser is another story.  I DO NOT USE ANY PRODUCTS ON THE OUTSIDE.  The reason for this is that if the products you use contain any oil or wax, the primer will not adhere as well.  I simply take a damp rag and wipe it down.  Then I let it dry before I prime it.   While the drawers are out of the dresser, now is also a good time to rub soap on all of the runners and places where wood rubs wood when drawers are opened and closed.  Soap is amazing!  It really helps all the drawers glide smoothly, and they smell shower fresh!  And you can just use any old bar of soap.  I use Irish Spring, because it’s what my husband had on hand ( I wasn’t about to use my own hand made bar!), and I like the smell of it.

So there you have it.  Now you are ready to prime your dresser!  Next week I plan to do a post on the next step- priming.  Stay tuned!  I am heading out of town this weekend and don’t return til next Monday, so it might not be a regular Monday feature.  We’ll see.  I hope this post has been informative for you and not too especially boring.  Please comment and let me know questions.  I will reply in comment form so everyone else can see the answer as well.  And let me know what you want to know.  Thanks for being patient with me, and sticking with me!

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Comments

  1. Cathy @ The Far Fifty says

    October 5, 2010 at 1:54 am

    Thanks for the tips! And I also have a neighbour obsessed with his leaf blower, weird!

    Reply
  2. gail myrepurposedlife.net says

    October 5, 2010 at 2:02 am

    Yay! glad you’re starting this series. Very informative!
    gail

    Reply
  3. Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. says

    October 5, 2010 at 2:16 am

    Thanks Cassie! I love tutorials. Keep them coming. Even those of us who do the same thing like to compare notes and learn from each other. … I too am a google fan! How did we ever live without it? … Too bad about your neighbor!

    Reply
  4. - Kim says

    October 5, 2010 at 2:25 am

    Yay! Looking forward to your series. 🙂

    Reply
  5. vkpicasso says

    October 5, 2010 at 2:30 am

    Thanks Cassie for all the good info. It comes at a really good time for me since I am about to paint my very first piece (a head & foot board for my little guys “big boy bed”) I’d like to know what tips you have for painting. Your pieces always look so great.
    Thanks,
    Vanessa

    Reply
  6. Kaden Epstein says

    October 5, 2010 at 2:54 am

    Awesome! Thanks for sharing. I was wondering about what sander you use? Now I know. How about tips on distressing? Lokking forward to more posts!

    Reply
  7. Christa @ Stories of a House says

    October 5, 2010 at 3:56 am

    What a good post, girlfriend! Prepping is so important, yet we all want to skip over that part, don’t we?
    Hugs,
    Christa

    Reply
  8. Tales From My Empty Nest says

    October 5, 2010 at 4:02 am

    Cassie, thanks so much for the tips as they are very helpful. I am working on a bedroom suite right now, so I was thrilled to get some good tips. Yikes, I filled in my holes with spackling paste, but next time I will get some of that wood filler. I am presently working on my dresser and I have to get my nerve up to “distress” it. Then I have a Ralph Lauren glaze to put on it. Any suggestions on distressing the dresser? Do you use a sanding block? Great tutorial and very helpful. Love & blessings from NC!

    Reply
  9. Kim says

    October 5, 2010 at 4:25 am

    Cassie,
    Too funny – I always feel like I’m annoying the neighbs when I sand, too! Love the tip about the soap! I LOOOOOVE your blog and am learning so much from you. Glad you’re doing this little series!

    Reply
  10. Kacey says

    October 5, 2010 at 5:29 am

    Ok, is it weird that I get completely excited about posts like this? {I think I’m officially a nerd} Even if I know this stuff, it’s always fun to compare techniques – and maybe learn something new. You are so generous to take the time to do a tutorial!

    Reply
  11. Allison says

    October 5, 2010 at 6:41 am

    This was very helpful, Cassie. I was cleaning my pieces with a product and am glad you mentioned that the cleaning products could have a wax or oil in them. I also just picked up the soap trick from you so thank you! It’s funny…my husband said this summer, “Wow you are really working out hard at the gym”. I was going to the gym but I think I was working harder at hand sanding the furniture. It’s a great workout for the arms! Thanks for taking the time to write this series.

    Reply
  12. Lenore @ Lather. Write. Repeat. says

    October 5, 2010 at 1:45 pm

    Great tips Cassie!

    XO
    Lenore

    Reply
  13. The Frosted Gardner says

    October 5, 2010 at 2:06 pm

    This was awesome and not boring at all! Bravo! Great tips to help many on their way to making their home more beautiful!

    Reply
  14. Anita @ GoingALittleCoastal says

    October 5, 2010 at 7:17 pm

    Blogger is acting all wonky today. Or maybe it’s reader. Anyway, I’m just now seeing this. I love it. great advice. I hope they continue.

    Reply
  15. Eliana says

    October 5, 2010 at 8:51 pm

    I am really looking forward to this series! great info. thank you!

    Reply
  16. J says

    October 6, 2010 at 2:23 am

    Thanks for the post! The sideboard I bought from you has inspired me to do some refinishing of my own (thank you google!) and I’m glad to see I’m mostly on the right track (the first time I blew my nose afterwards was indeed quite a shock!).

    Reply
  17. Kacey says

    October 6, 2010 at 11:04 pm

    Sharing this on my blog – I’m sure you won’t mind, but I wanted to give you a heads up! 🙂

    Reply
  18. Gililland's Island says

    October 11, 2010 at 1:36 am

    Loved the tutorial! Can you do a tutorial about what to do with furniture that has a little veneer that is peeling in spots?

    Reply
  19. Furrey Family says

    October 29, 2010 at 8:03 pm

    JUST bought a dresser today for $5! Can’t wait to start this process. Thank you so much for the step by step details! I am new to this – so it was VERY helpful!

    Reply
  20. Rene says

    November 10, 2010 at 9:14 pm

    My chairs are giving me a time and just knew that you would have the ho-to over here at P&P. Orbital sander it is. I’ll keep you posted. BTW, your neighbor sounds weird 🙂

    -Rene

    Reply
  21. Colleen says

    October 19, 2011 at 12:03 am

    For Step #2, I believe you meant “lower grit” in two spots. Lower grit is coarser therefore needed for tougher jobs. Higher grit gets things smoothed after the fact.

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Cassie!

I believe that you don't have to spend a lot of money to live a beautiful life and be your best self.  Here you will find budget friendly ideas to live happily, healthily, sustainably, and most importantly authentically.  We all get one chance at this life, and this ordinary girl plans to make hers extraordinary. How about you? Read more...
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Hi! I'm Cassie.

Mother, wife, shop owner, blogger, writer, incurable diy-er, furniture painter, coffee and wine drinker, friend. Seeking happiness and passing it on. Read More…

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