Hello Friends,
When it comes to restoring furniture, I’m all in. Any piece. Any place. Any time. And for me, the One Room Challenge just wouldn’t be the same without at least one refinished piece. This week (ORC Week 2), we share how a slightly beat-up 1970’s buffet finds its way to 2019.
Easy Buffet Makeover Using a Paint and Stain Combo
But before I begin, a little share. A friend of mine just sent me a text looking for the Week 2 post. I can’t tell you how it warmed my heart. Support and kind words are so very, very helpful as we push through these tough deadlines hungry, dirty, stressed and exhausted. So first and most importantly, let me say thank you. Thank you for every blog visit, social media share and every kind word. Thank you, thank you. How wonderful you are.
Disclosure: Product was provided by Fusion Mineral Paint, but all opinions are 100% my own.
In the Beginning
Well way back, like a gazillion years ago, the hubs and I bought our first new pieces of quality wood furniture. I don’t remember what we paid for them new, but we bought a Drexel table with six chairs and this matching buffett. About 14 moves and many years later, they still look almost as good as new. A water stain here and a ding there, but the joints are perfect and the dovetail drawers work like a well-oiled machine.
So why would I get rid of these pieces only to spend good money for something new?
The answer is that I wouldn’t.
It would be hard to replace this kind of quality.
Knock It Off
So after a thorough washing with a cleaner/degreaser, I grabbed my trusty hand sander, slapped on a fresh 150-grit sanding pad, and proceeded to get this piece in shape to receive paint on the body and stain on the doors.
How Far Can You Go?
Personally, I believe that sanding and stripping are those things that should be entered into lightly. You can always go over the area or piece a second time, but coming back from an over zealous swipe can be very difficult. So I like to take my time and use a light touch.
Easy Does It
To get the ball rolling, the body of the piece was roughed-up and a water stain completely sanded out. Then the doors were sanded down to raw wood. The sanding process is the same for both, but sanding down to the raw wood takes a bit more patience.
Switch to Hand Sanding
And once you get through the original finish where only a few stains remain, change to 120-grit sand paper and sand these out by hand.
If you are wondering why removing these stains matter? Because stain darkens the color it covers, it does not hide the stain like paint does. And so, if old stain spots remain, the newly stained finish could end up spotty.
After this, suggest to buff the entire raw wood piece with 320-grit sand paper and wipe it down with a tack cloth. That’s how to get raw wood to go all buttery smooth.
How to Use Stain and Finishing Oil All In One
Stain and Finishing Oil (color Cappucino):
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Spread the product onto the raw wood using a paint brush. I used a cheap chip brush that could be thrown away.
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Wait up to 10 or 15 minutes.
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Wipe back the stain with a clean, soft and lint free cloth. I used pieces of an old tee shirt.
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With this product, there is no need to use a pre-conditioner on raw wood as it will penetrate and stain the wood evenly.
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The key is to apply the same amount of product across all of the wood and allow for the same set time before wiping back.
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Then wipe back with the grain.
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Once a door was completed, it was kept nearby to compare alongside others. This provided a visual prompt that my process was creating an even color across the four doors.
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Then all four doors cured for about 72 hours. The stain color sets in a few minutes, but the oil needs a bit of time to set and seal.
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Suggest to place the piece in an area away from family traffic and pet hair. I finished one door at a time and left it in place until the next morning. By then, the finish was a bit tacky, but moved easily. I just made sure not to touch the refinished front.
How to Use Fusion Mineral Paint
While the doors cured, the body was painted with Fusion Mineral Paint in the color Coal Black.
Here’s how it happens:
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Two coats are rolled onto the surface using a 4-inch microfiber roller. After the first coat dries, wait at least 2 hours before applying the second coat.
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The wet paint was not laid off (lay off) using a brush. This is a first for me.
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What is lay off? Applying paint with a roller and then dragging a synthetic brush made to minimize strokes across the wet paint. This helps to decrease brush strokes in the final finish. So why didn’t I do this step?
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The goal for this piece is to allow the matte finish of the paint engage the very slight texture from the microfiber roller with the existing rough wood look.
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And no, there was no buffing the top coat. I painted the piece in its new forever home and left it there to dry and cure.
How to Clean the Original Hardware
The original hardware is super heavy and has a fabulous shape, but had acquired a dark patina. Clearly, this hardware also needed a refresh.
How to clean hardware the cheap and easy way:
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Gather a container of Bar Keepers Friend, an old toothbrush, warm water and a soft clean cloth.
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Suggest to wear gloves, too, as this will wreak havoc with your manicure.
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Dip the hardware in warm water, sprinkle on some BKF and brush away.
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For tough grime, allow a piece to sit for a few minutes covered in a BKF paste (powder + water). I have a friend who who once cooked her hardware with super stubborn patina stains in an old crock pot! Yes! And the hardware cleaned up beautifully.
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But for me, I just gave it a good scrub, then rinsed and dried.
And goodness me, look at the difference.
Putting It All Together
From early comments, I realize this refinish looks complicated. And I totally understand where you’re coming from. But now that you’ve seen the process, what do you think? Isn’t it super easy with the Fusion products?
I vote yes. That Stain and Oil product is amazing.
And the matte finish from the paint and the stain/oil is a perfect match.
Here it is all gussied up with accessories. I have all the heart eyes. Do you?
If you have all the heart eyes, too, and want to keep or share this info…please PIN the image below…
For More from the Basement Makeover Series
Spring 2019 One Room Challenge
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Week 1 – Basement Family Room and Bonus Space Plan
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Week 2 – How to Refinish a Buffet Using a Paint and Stain Combo – You are Here
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Week 3 – Easy Patterned Wallpaper Using Paint
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Week 4 – Short Cuts to DIY Upholstery
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Week 5 – How to Make Low Ceilings Go High
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Week 6- Basement Bonus Room Reveal for Spring 2019 ORC
More Furniture Makeovers
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How to Refinish Raw Wood Using One Eco-Friendly Product
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Wall Unit Makeover Using Paint, Glaze and Wax
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Dining Set Makeover Using a One-Step Finish Product
Furniture Makeover Resources
Fusion Mineral Paint TSP-like Cleaner
Fusion Mineral Paint Stain and Finishing Oil All-in-One
#diningsetmakeover #fusionmineralpaint #homesteadhouse #diablo #ryobi
Our Hosts
And as always, we extend a special thanks to our gracious hosts, Calling It Home , One Room Challenge and Better Homes and Gardens. And invite you to enjoy over 200 more room renovations, click One Room Challenge. #oneroomchallenge #ORC #betterhomesandgardens #bhgorc
38 Comments
Girlfriend, your buffet is GORGEOUS!! I can’t wait to see it in the finished space. Cheering you on for this ORC!!
Thanks girl. You’re the best!!
I haven’t tried Fusions all in one Stain Oil but I LOVE the results! This is gorgeous and I can’t wait to see the ORC reveal. Pinned!
Oh Denise! Thank you. I couldn’t wait for you to see it.
Susie this piece turned out beautiful! Oh my gosh I love it, and the gold hardware is perfect! You did a phenomenal job my friend!
Thanks Jen!! Appreciate the help with the hardware. Once it came together, I knew brass was the right decision.
What an amazing transformation! I can’t believe you did this with just stain, paint and bar keepers friend. It turned out great!
Thanks so much, Amanda! I can’t say enough good things about Fusion Mineral Paint. I have about 14 pieces to refinish for this makeover. Lots of Fusion goodness to see.
What a gorgeous buffet table! I love the 2 different tones. You can tell this is a solid piece of furniture. So glad you gave it new life! Excited to see next week’s update! 🙂
Thanks Tee!! I love me some heavy, heavy wood. And this piece is very sentimental to the hubs and me.
Ok! Totally pinned this bad boy. Looks amazing!!!!! Can’t believe it isn’t brand new, bc it looks like it is.
Thanks Jewel. This is my DIY heart. Wood furniture…all the wood.
Girlfriend you rocked this project!!! It is beautiful and I want to bring it home with me the next time I visit 😉 I love the style of this piece and you made it even more striking with this finish
Oh Tonya!!!! Thank you!! How you encourage me with your kind words.
Love how this came out Susie! You’ve given it a whole new life!
Thanks Lisa. I’m all about the wood….huuum like….still thinking about your super fab new floors. XO
Wow! That piece is gorgeous and you really gave it an update! I can’t believe how shiny the handles came out!
Hi Mary and thanks so much. The handles took some elbow grease, but shined up just fine.
I’ve been using Rubio Monocoat stain and finish oil but I’ve really been wanting to try the Fusion Mineral brand! Now I want to even more. This buffet looks incredible.
Thanks so much… and I do hope you will try Fusion’s brand of stain and oil in one. I also have a table and six chairs coming up that I sanded and stained. All of these pieces and I still have about 1/8-1/4 of the container left. It really goes a long way… Let me know if you give it a try. I’d love to hear your impression.
Susie!!!
That is quite the transformation. It looks like a brand new piece. I’m happy that you posted about the Fusion brand. I’ve been wanting to try it out now it’s on my list for certain.
Thanks so much, Libbie. It’s a fabulous product. Let me know if you have any questions. Here’s a bit of info I sent to another blogger (copied and pasted)..: ” I do hope you will try Fusion’s brand of stain and oil in one. I also have a table and six chairs coming up that I sanded and stained. All of these pieces and I still have about 1/8-1/4 of the container left. It really goes a long way… Let me know if you give it a try. I’d love to hear your impression.”
Oh My Beautiful!!! I love the black background and the wood grain, and those doors are amazing! Another beautiful furniture makeover my friend, you should go into business!
Thanks Toni..You’re a doll.
I just bought my first tin of Fusion All In One Stain Oil yesterday so I’m thrilled to see it in action here! Such a stunning buffet makeover, Susie! I love the wood grain paired with the matte black paint finish. Did I tell you how excited I am to follow another of your ORC makeovers? I’m waiting with bated breath to see how you raised the ceilings in the basement without, well, raising the ceilings.
Hi Marie and thanks. I’ll get the ceiling raising photos together as soon as I can. XOXO
I am in love with this buffet makeover! The stain and paint combo is just beautiful. I think that your steps for cleaning, and refinishing are very clear and would be helpful to the first time diy-er! Bar Keepers Friend is amazing- I thought I was the only one who used it 😉
LOL…thanks Jackie. And happy to hear you are a member of the BKF Club.. 🙂
Oh my that buffet is absolutely beautiful now! I love the design of the door fronts and am glad you kept those lighter so it stands out. I need to get my hands on some of that bar keepers friend. I have hardware on a piece I’m working on refinishing that could use new life.
Hi Corinna and thanks so much. BKF is great for general household cleaning, too. So it is good to add to your home products. Good luck with the hardware!! It’s an icky job, but you’ll have fabulous hardware once it’s over.
It’s beautiful, Susie! I love the wood and black combo with the brass hardware! It cleaned up beautifully!
Thanks so much, Emy…
Looks really good. Can’t wait to see them space come together.
Thanks so much, Nicole. We are so anxious to have the living space back.
Susie I love all your room makeovers so you know I’m following along on this one too. I know you are going to do an amazing job and the colors you chose based on the fabric swatches are so pretty. As is this gorgeous buffet!
Thanks so much, Mary. You are such a blessing.
I am absolutely blown away by this Susie! I’ve been wondering how the challenge has been going for you. It’s nearly midnight and I FINALLY found the time to see. And boy am I glad I hopped on over! You are mercking it! (Just learned that term from J-Lo. Lol!) The stain on the buffet is just perfect!
Hi Ola!! Thanks so much for stopping by. We love the stain on the buffet, too. In fact, I stained an entire dining set this color. It will show up in the reveal. I’ve refinished about 13 pieces and am currently working on a sofa and ottoman. So if you like furniture redos, I’ll have posts going live into the summer. XO