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Lots of sanding and attention to detail with paint were the keys to transforming this timber buffet.
The project
I found this amazing piece on Gumtree and decided to D.I.Y. a gorgeous Hamptons-style buffet/TV unit.
After three days working 12 hours per day it looked as though it came straight off the showroom floor!
It was one of my favourite pieces I couldn’t part with it, so I decided to give it to my mother for Mother’s Day.
Steps
Here's how I did it:
- Removed all doors, shelves, hinges and slides.
- Scuff-sanded with a high grit (anything over 250 grit is perfect; just made sure to follow the wood grain).
- With the top piece I used the toughest grit (about 60 if my memory is correct) and spent a long time sanding to reveal the gorgeous wood.
- Primed using Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 all over the body.
- Painted with a white Dulux paint (I don’t have the name).
- Went over the top with a Cabot's varnish.
- Went over the whole piece using a gloss clear-coat protector.
I decided to paint the entire piece using brushes and sponges. I felt it was easier to get into all the nooks and crannies that way.
More upcycling project inspiration
Bunnings Workshop member Sallie24 customised a large wall unit to accommodate a big-screen TV in her Hamptons-style TV cabinet rebuild.
Workshop member vintagemagnolia used new metal legs in her modern makeover of colonial bedside tables.
How to upcycle furniture
Resident D.I.Y. expert MitchellMc has put together this simple step-by-step guide to updating a bedside cabinet with paint and varnish.
There are also plenty more great ideas in our collections of Upcycled buffets and Upcycled bedside drawers and tables.
Let us know if you need a hand with your own project. Start a discussion and tell us what you need.
