Pretty Aqua Chest of Drawers

Finally - finished one of the projects I have been "in the middle" of working on for many weeks. I have this terrible habit of developing an idea (actually, many ideas at once), purchasing the supplies and then once I get started, life gets in the way, and its completion is postponed. Kind of like the Government or Corporate America only on a much smaller scale(-:

So TA DA...here's the finished project and it's a beauty!

Here's a photo of the "before" when it was "just an old chest of drawers" we purchased when on vacation one summer in Canada. Many moons ago, the exchange rate on the US Dollar was so good (upwards of 50%) that it was worth stuffing furniture in the car and carting it back home. Now, however, the rate is flat and some days the US Dollar is actually a few pennies less than the Canadian Dollar so its not worth trying to stuff everything in the back of the car.

This time I used Krylon Spray Paint instead of Rustoleum after reading so many good reviews about the Krylon nozzle and finish. It comes in a lot of colors and after looking all over, finally found a great selection at Wal-mart. This finish is a gloss.

I removed all of the hardware from the chest and then sanded down lightly - just enough for the paint to adhere to the surface. I did not use a primer because I want the wood tones and imperfections to show through. I used blue painters tape to protect the rollers on the bottom of the dresser from being painted.

The one difference I noted between Krylon and Rustoleum is that Krylon has a significant amount of drift - where the paint forms a big cloud and moves into adjacent areas. I didn't notice this to such a severe extent with the Rustoleum spray paint.

Since I normally spray in the garage, this made me nervous and I covered the car with a tarp, even though it was a safe distance away. Also, it was very humid so I wonder if that had anything to do with the heaviness and drifting of the spray?

I moved outside when I got to the chest portion of the project because it was a much larger surface.

After waiting 24 hours, I lightly sanded the edges of the drawers and chest and replaced the hardware.
The entire project took 4 cans of spray paint - at about $4 each. I used one sheet of 220 grit sandpaper for the original light sanding and to sand the edges afterward. The remainder of the cost for the project incurred about 3 total hours of labor - and since I did it myself, usually while "in the middle" of other stuff, that was pretty much FREE. So...about $18 total for this:

From this:

I am still working on other projects, or prototypes for other projects, and will be getting those posted in the next few weeks. I have also found a job (insert HUGE smile here) and will be spending a lot of time in the next few months training for my new position as a Home Care Nurse. I haven't felt so excited about a new project in a long time...well since July anyway, when I started this blog!

Have a great weekend and if you see Joe Siehl today, wish him a Happy 15th Birthday!