Antique Sideboard Gets A Modern Metallic Restoration

I recently transformed this antique buffet that I snagged at the local Goodwill for $10!

Here’s what it looked like when I brought it home:

I’m pretty sure that this lovely piece had been stored outdoors, maybe in a backyard shed. It was porous from having been exposed to high doses of humidity, and the glue on some of the ornate scrollwork had disintegrated. Sadly, I had to remove the scrollwork that remained with my putty knife, and sand the entire piece thoroughly with 80 grit sandpaper.

Note: when working on a piece this old, I wear protective safety glasses, a dust mask, an apron, and gloves, and I work outside or in my garage with the doors open. 

After sanding, I cleaned it thoroughly with TSP, then let it dry.

On to my favorite part: primer! Primer seals the wood and protects it from further damage. It also gives the paint something to adhere to, which is critical when painting over finished wood.

I used a new Kilz primer called Kilz Complete. It’s a few pennies more than the original Kilz, and I liked the spray nozzle much better. It seemed to give slightly better coverage, and went on smoother than Original Kilz does. I sanded away the minimal amount of primer grit with a 320 grit sanding sponge. Using a “finishing” sanding sponge smoothes out the surface before painting and provides a factory-finish feel to a piece.

I chose Rustoleum Metallic Silver paint for the body.

I knew I wanted to use glaze to highlight the details of the piece and tone down the silver exterior. I left the inside pure metallic, as I thought it was kind of a fun, shiny pop when the doors open.

I used Vaslpar’s antiquing glaze, which I’ve come to really trust. It’s inexpensive, easy to get, and a little goes a long, long way. For step-by-step instructions of my glazing technique, visit this post.

I also added new hardware that I found at Home Depot for $4 each. Don’t they look like they were made to go with this piece?

I’m happy with how it turned out, as I had been wanting to paint a piece of furniture metallic for some time. I really do love seeing the complete transformation!

Next up this fall: my coffee table and kitchen table, so stay tuned for more furniture transformations! I’ll also be doing an upcoming series on organization, too!

Thanks for stopping by today,

Tags: Around Mi Casa, Around My Home, buffet, Melanie Bolke, metallic paint furniture, sideboard, spray painting furniture