DIY Furniture Flip: Vintage Buffet Table Project

After a lotttttttt of sanding and a little staining, sealing and painting, the buffet table is complete! Let’s take a look at this project, step by step.

Materials I Used

Ryobi Orbital Sander (Sandpaper grit #80, #120, #220)
Minwax Stain in “Early American”
Sealant
Behr Spray Paint (on hardware)
Copper Leaf Foil + Metal Leaf Foil Adhesive

Step One: Sanding

I started out sanding with 80 grit to get the original varnish off. Once I had accomplished that, I used 120 grit to smooth out the wood. Lastly, I used 220 grit to finish sand the buffet table. Remember to wear a mask or respirator when sanding! Sawdust is extremely toxic so let’s keep it out of our lungs.

Step Two: Copper Leaf Drawer

This was a fun step in this furniture flip, but also completely unnecessary if you don’t have an ugly wallpaper drawer to cover up. 😉 I tried to sand the wallpaper off of the drawer, to no avail. SO, operation cover up the old wallpaper began!

I knew that whatever I did with this drawer, I wanted it to be understated, but elegant. I had never used metal leaf foil so I was eager to try it out on this project. I went with a copper colored metal leaf to accent the color of wood stain I was planning to use.

You need to buy metal leaf adhesive as well as the metal leaf sheets. I also used a couple of foam brushes for applying the adhesive and foil. First, I applied metal leaf adhesive all over the drawer with a foam brush. Next, wait for the adhesive to “dry” for 30 minutes. The adhesive dries tacky. Now it is time to start applying the foil! Grab the sheets of foil and place them on the drawer. Smooth out the foil with a clean foam brush.

Step Three: Hardware Revamp

Spray paint is an easy (and inexpensive) way to update a piece of furniture’s finishing touches. Make sure to clean off your hardware to ensure the paint lasts. Then apply multiple light coats of spray paint until your hardware is completely covered. I decided to go with a glossy black hardware finish.

TIP: Do multiple light coats of spray paint. I did a total of 6 coats on these handles.

Step Four: Staining

Before staining, it is extremely important to prep your surface! I recommend vacuuming off your piece of furniture, and using a tack cloth to make sure there’s no sawdust left before you apply the stain. I applied two coats of stain, one day apart. I used a foam brush to apply the stain (brushing with the grain of the wood). I let the stain sit for 15 minutes and wiped off all excess stain.

Final Step: Sealant

This step is optional, but I highly recommend it if you are refinishing a wood furniture piece! This will protect your piece from watermarks, staining, and scratches. I chose a polycrylic in satin finish. And there you go! It is amazing how a little elbow grease and new finishes can bring a beautiful piece of furniture back to life.