Monday, May 27, 2013

Nightstand - check!

The first nightstand is complete. It looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I used a total of  three layers of stain to get the desired shade I was going for. I used Minwax Polyshades in Bombay Mahogany.






I love the color, and the stain goes on pretty evenly, even when I am dripping all over the place. It is very important to read and follow the directions on the can when you are using any stain. The results will be fantastic. I opted to use a clean lint-free rag to apply the stain - brushes, stain and me do not mix - I always leave brush strokes, no matter how hard I try not to.

Once I let the final coat dry, I coated the entire nightstand with Minwax Paste Finishing Wax. It is easy to use - just take a clean, lint-free cloth (for me it was cut-up old t-shirts) and coat the piece you are working on in a thin layer. Let sit for 10-15 minutes, then buff out with a clean cloth or a buffer (if you have one - I do not).




I picked wax as opposed to any kind of polyurethane coating because I wanted to keep it simple, and I have already used this product on a dresser I made over into my kitchen island. The final feel is satiny-smooth, and it protects the stain (or paint) from chipping with use. I really love Minwax products - they are affordable, and very easy to use - even for a beginner like me. You can check out their stuff here.

The final product, with the newly-polished brass handles, looks awesome!

BEFORE:




AFTER:



I didn't think I would like the finished product, but I was wrong. The nightstands were a pain in the rear due to so many inside corners, but the dressers and the headboard, foot board and mirror will be a piece of cake after this. It's not perfect, but I think the little imperfections here and there add to the character.

I will check back in once I have started working on my next project.

More to come!






No comments: