Simple Chalk Paint Makeover for Vintage Furniture: Easy Dresser Update

If you want a quick and easy update for thrifted furniture, I’ve got you covered. This simple chalk paint makeover transformed this dresser without removing the original finish. With these simple steps, you can give your vintage pieces a new life.

I recently updated a beat-up dresser and wanted to share these simple techniques with you.

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Vintage Furniture Find

The vintage dresser was a Habitat for Humanity Restore find that was structurally sound, but the finish had seen better days. I planned to use the dresser in my shop as a display, but I didn’t want to spend much time refinishing the piece. If you find a deal at a thrift store, this is a really easy way to update the furniture without spending much time or money.

How To Prepare Dresser For Makeover

First, I recommend cleaning any used furniture with Murphy’s Oil Soap. Remove all the hardware and wash all surfaces with the soap and water mixture. Be sure to squeeze any excess water from the sponge or rag before applying it to the furniture. Rinse with clean water using a damp sponge or rag. Don’t oversaturate the vintage furniture with water.

If the old furniture has any odor, you may also need to use disinfectant soap. Be sure to allow the furniture to dry for approximately 24 hours before starting your makeover.

Supplies for Chalk Paint Makeover

This simple makeover only requires a few supplies to clean and refinish furniture.

• Old White Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan
• Dark Wax by Annie Sloan
• Dark Walnut Gel Stain by Old Masters
• Murphy’s Oil Soap
• Stainable Wood Grain Filler
• Paint Brush
• Fine grit sandpaper or Sanding Block

Once your piece is clean and dry, repair any holes or deep scratches with Wood Filler. You want to use a stainable wood filler for any area that you plan to stain. Be sure to allow the filler to dry by following the package instructions.

Once the wood filler is dry, lightly sand it with a fine-grit sandpaper. I like to use a fine-grit sanding block.

Furniture Makeover Choices

I love the look of a combination of stained and painted furniture, and leaving the drawer fronts stained on this piece was a great option.

As you can see in the image below, the drawer fronts were extremely scratched. I didn’t want to remove the old finish, so I cleaned them and added a layer of gel stain. The right-hand image shows how well this worked.

You will want to add the stain with a soft cloth and gently buff the stain until you have the desired finish.

Full disclosure: I wasn’t sure this would work, but I’m happy to say that the drawer fronts look like new.

Paint With Chalk Paint

In addition, you will want to paint the remainder of the furniture with approximately two coats of Chalk Paint. This previous post provides more details about how to Use Chalk Paint. For this project, I used Annie Sloan’s Old White Chalk Paint.

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Apply Wax To Seal

The final step for this simple chalk paint makeover is to wax the entire surface with Dark Wax. This includes the stained drawer front as well. If you are not familiar with using wax, refer to How to Use Chalk Paint for tips on applying wax. You do want to be cautious when using dark wax because it will grab the paint. I will mix the dark wax with a clear wax if in doubt. Mixing with mineral spirits is also an option.

Another way to save money on this makeover was to clean and reuse the old dresser hardware.

When displayed in my shop, the vintage dresser looked fresh and new. However, I didn’t have a display for long because it sold almost immediately.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!