Finders, Keepers . . .

I could hear it calling me - I couldn't resist this old bureau which was in my sister's backyard. I am inspired by wooden furniture that needs a little TLC. This piece was a little weathered, warped and some mold had set in on the legs. Kris was happy to get rid of this old bureau and I was excited about the project. However, it sat in my garage for about 3 years before I decided to start the refinishing. Once I decided to begin, I applied a gel furniture stripping product and removed it with a combination of steel wool, metal spackling spatula and old toothbrush. There is some carving and indentations, so I needed all three items to complete my project. I didn't do this all in a week. I was able to work on it for about an hour or two at a time, which fit in with my schedule. Due to the nature of the product, you could not apply the stripping paste and leave it for more than 20-30 minutes. Be sure to wear rubber gloves and some suggest goggles. Since I wear eyeglasses, I did forego the goggles. A face mask might be a good idea for the toxic smell.

To see phase 2 of this project, click here.