How to prepare solid timber dresser for refinishing?

I have a dresser, possibly built early to mid 1900's, out of silky oak (I think). It has a stain and varnish on it currently that is very orange. I would like to remove it and make it lighter, maybe even have it natural with a glossy clear coat finish to modernize it. I have enclosed a pic of the unit - I intend to remove the mirror and vertical board under the mirror (highlighted in photo). I've also attached photo of a drawer (highlighted) that I have sanded back with 80 grit on an orbital sander. The varnish and most of the stain has lifted but I'm not sure how to remove the rest of the stain which may have soaked into the timber. Guess I will keep gentle sanding. I will finish with 180 sandpaper for smooth finish.

Any suggestions or feedback on my project greatly appreciated as this is my first makeover and I'm very nervous about ruining such an old piece of furniture. Thanks in advance

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Comments

JacobZ

Hi @DMacca,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and many thanks for your question about rejuvenating what looks like an old silky oak dresser.

They've used a penetrative stain, so it has gone between the fibres of the timber. It will need more sanding, but not so much that it will adversely affect the timber.

Sanding is an inherently "damaging" process, but its intention is to remove the top layer to reveal the nicer stuff beneath. Unless you go crazy, you'll only remove fractions of a millimetre at a time, so it would be very difficult to ruin anything.

Some tips I can offer are to make sure you keep the orbital sander flat to avoid putting grooves in the timber and work in a circular motion in small sections. Once you've sanded a section, wipe the saw dust off to see if it requires more before moving on to another section.

It will also be worth removing the handles, so you don't need to work around them. This should be fairly easy to do with a screwdriver or drill.

You should also forego using the orbital sander on the round legs and the decorative fretwork at the front. It's much better to hand sand so you can follow the shape and contours. You can do this with one of the sanding pads off of the orbital sander, or you can pick up a roll of timber sandpaper.

You are absolutely on the right track with the sanding, you just need to stick with it. It might even be worth grabbing a heavier grit such as 40 grit to remove the bulk of the stain before switching up to the finer grits for finishing.

It will require a lot of sanding, but the end result will definitely be worth it. If it is silky oak as both you and I suspect, it will be absolutely stunning once you've finished.

My suggestion on what to coat it with is Clear Danish Oil as it will bring out the natural beauty of the timber.

Let me know if you have any other questions or concerns, I'm more than happy to help.

Jacob

DMacca

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/39445#Comment_39445

Jacob, thank you so much. I really appreciate you tips and recommendations. Very reassuring to know my approach is unlikely to damage the unit. I will post pics of the end result which I'm hoping will turn out really nice. Thanks again (and on a Sunday! 😊)

Donna

Jason

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/81903#Comment_81903

Looking forward to seeing the end results @DMacca.

Let me also extend a very warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and also tag a few other experienced furniture upcyclers to see if they can add some further encouragement or tips: @craftyhopper, @DonnaDrummond1, @prettyliving and @lifestylebymari.

Jason

DMacca

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/105700#Comment_105700

It's taken a while, around 25 hours to be exact! to sand back to bare timber. Now ready to apply some clear Danish oil. Thought I'd share a progress pic.

Any tips on applying the Danish oil? I like the idea of applying by cloth but worried it may leave fibres. Some YouTube videos use a brush, some paper towel and some cloth. All seem to include wiping off excess after 5 or so minutes before leaving to dry for 8 hours. But I notice the Cabot's instructions don't have that step.

I'm thinking the 1 litre size will be enough for the job.

Thanks for any special tips 😊

Donna

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/120104#Comment_120104

Hi @DMacca,

Love your work.

I'd recommend using a micro-fibre cloth as they tend to shed less than other cloths.

I suggest you wear latex gloves and dip your cloth into the oil. Then, remove the cloth and squeeze it to remove excess oil. Apply the oil in smooth, long strokes to the piece. Re-saturate the cloth when your strokes are not applying enough oil. Provided you remove excess oil from the cloth before applying it, there's no need to wipe off excess. If there is excess, then it's a good indication that you're applying too much product. The Cabot's Danish Oil is designed to be applied with two separate coats with a drying time in between. So, there's no need to saturate the timber entirely on the first coat.

A one litre can should be more than sufficient.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

DMacca

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/128805#Comment_128805

@MitchellMc , thanks so much for the advice. I'm happy to say the project is now complete and I am happy with the end result. Sanding was the biggest part of the job by far. I acknowledge I wasn't able to remove all of the stain, I was mindful of not sanding out the bevelled edge. After sanding I applied 2 coats of Danish oil with a Vileda microfibre cloth and a light sanding between coats. The oil is amazingly easy to work with. I can't believe I didn't know about it til now. Anyway thanks immensely to the Workshop community for guiding through this, my first project. 'After' pics attached.

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/134339#Comment_134339

Hi @DMacca,

A magnificent result!

Thank you for sharing the updated images of your fabulously restored timber dresser and congratulations on a job well done.

Jacob

DMacca

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/137886#Comment_137886

@JacobZ thank you. The legs look darker in the photos. Must be the light in the room when it was taken as they are the same colour as the top.

Donna

JacobZ

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/140287#Comment_140287

Hi @DMacca,

It's interesting how different lighting can affect the look of things so greatly. I had thought that it was perhaps timber from a different tree or even a different species of timber.

Regardless, it looks fantastic and I'm glad you are happy with the results.

Since this one was such a roaring success, do you have any plans for further restoration projects in the future?

It would be great if you did as I'm sure this one will inspire many of our members in the future.

Jacob

DMacca

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/142018#Comment_142018

Lol, I'm having a break from the sander for a bit but there is this tv unit I want to freshen up. It's a modern piece that I'd like to take back to the pine, recoat the top and some of the framing around the doors in a light stain varnish and paint the panels of the doors with traditional paint. Will keep you posted! Thanks for the help and support Jacob.

Donna

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