Particle Board Nightstand Makeover

Particle board furniture gets a bad rap. It can definitely be worked with.  

step 1 = spray prime

Wear rubber gloves & spray prime table.

primer is necessary for paint to stick to particle board.

step 3 = touch up

While the 1st coat is drying, wrap your paint brush tightly in a rubber glove to keep the brush wet so you can reuse it for the touch up.  When 1st coat is dry, brush paint on areas that need more coverage.

---

Before

step 2 = paint

Paint w/ cheap bristle brush & gloss white paint to get the brush strokes that give it a hand painted look & character.

step 4 (optional)

Take the glass out of a 16x20 picture frame & use on top of the table. Slide pictures, post cards, etc. under glass.

You can stop there or you can do this...

step 5 = distress

Sand edges to give table a distressed look. 

step 6 = add reclaimed wood

Distress new wood (with vinegar/steel wool or with stain & paint) to look reclaimed or salvage old wood. Cut wood to size &  use construction adhesive & screws to adhere wood to existing table top. Cut a small chunk or use a scrap to make a drawer pull. 

To attach the drawer pull, you just screw it right into the drawer front (not into the existing hole--make a new hole slightly to the side of that one so that your screw is in there tightly).

step 7 = seal it!

Seal it all using polyurethane.   You can also use a wood sealing wax on the wood top to give it more depth & character & shine.

This is what it will look like when it's done!