Dresser Makeover with Enamel Paint

How to makeover a dresser using oil based enamel paint.

This dresser set went from nursery white to grown up black:

A friend asked if I would paint the dressers from her nursery set since her kids had now outgrown the crib.

She wanted a black to match the new headboard:

I distressed the edges and applied stain to darken the wood.

The perfect look for this grown up boys bedroom:

Here’s how I painted the dressers:

1. Sand everything with 150 grit on the palm sander.

(I took all the paint off the legs so no white would should through.)

Prime with oil based dark primer then sand again:

2. Paint two coats Benjamin Moore satin impervo low lustre enamel in black:

Sand between coats.

Same process for the knobs, no primer here:

3. Sand to distress edges then apply Minwax special walnut stain:

Let the paint dry and cure for 3 days.

4. Seal with Minwax polycrylic clear satin, stir really well:

Start with 5″ foam roller to spread the poly.

Look at all those bubbles!:

To make a super smooth finish go back over with a 2″ foam brush making long strokes across:

Consider applying two coats to the dresser top surface for durability.

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