Metallic Dresser Refinish Project

I was on the search for furniture for the baby's nursery and I was able to get a set of antique dressers from my Grandmother, which were nice wood and in decent shape but needed refinishing badly.

So, I started by removing the handles and doing some test painting.  I knew I wanted a metallic finish, something with some sparkle!  I tested the Rust-Oleum Metallic Accents paint from Menards (by the way, they sell small sample jars of the colors which is great to test with before committing to a color) as well as the Ralph Lauren Candelight Finish Metallic coating from Home Depot.  I also tried them with some primer options and brush/roller options, until I came up with my favorite look.

 I decided on the Rust-Oleum Metallic Accents paint from Menards in the color Metallic Sea Shell.  I would also do some antiquing on top of the paint as well.  I also chose not to use a primer.

Rust-Oleum Metallic Accents Paint in Sea Shell

Then, it was time to start the sanding.  I started with a very rough sandpaper to remove the extra shiny finish on these dressers.  I then, used a 150 medium grit sanding sponge.  I followed that with a fine grit sanding sponge.  Lastly, I used an extremely fine sand paper just to make it very smooth.  I wiped the dressers down a lot and got rid of all of the dust that the sanding made, make sure they are very clean.

Now, to start the painting.  The paint calls for a 1/4" nap roller for a textured finish or a brush for a smoother finish.  I also tried a foam roller which gave a bubbly finish, and a Ralph Lauren Rag Roller.  I chose the Ralph Lauren Rag Roller (pictured below).  It gave a very nice texture which made the metallic paint stand out.  I did 4 coats, letting it dry thoroughly between coats.  I needed all 4 coats since I did not use a primer and I did not want the wood to show through.

Ralph Lauren Rag Roller

After the 4th coat dried, I used a small stencil brush to add some dimension and antiquing.  I used Rub 'n Buff in Antique Gold and Silver Leaf.  I applied them separately around the edges of drawers, any indents, and corners and then rubbed them with an old soft washcloth until they appeared soft and blended.  I kept working it around the piece bit by bit until I was happy (note: do small sections at a time).  I then added a thin 5th coat of the metallic paint on top of the Rub 'n Buff in order to make it appear even softer of a finish.

Stencil Brush

Close up of finish.

Then, I had to work on the handles, which were marked brass.  I soaked them in some warm water with dish liquid first and got them clean and let them dry thoroughly.  Then, made a mixture of the Rub 'n Buff with mostly gold and a hint of the silver and applied with the stencil brush to the handles and rubbed and buffed it until they shone beautifully.

Rub 'n Buff

Close up of handles.

 I then screwed the handles back on, and was so proud of how they turned out.  I loooooooove them!  A perfect amount of shimmer and shine (pictures do not do it justice).

After

After