A fresh coat of paint doesn’t always get the job done on boring old furniture. Especially if it doesn’t have curves. What about adding crown molding to dress it up a little?
Just check out those curves!
I found this piece on Craigslist a while ago. Truthfully, I probably shouldn’t have bought it- I thought it was solid wood, because we were checking it out at a storage unit that was poorly lit. It wasn’t until we were loading it into the truck that the guy divulged that it was laminate. Boo! Next time I’m unloading it off the truck. You live and learn, right? I still love the look of the cross sections on the doors- that’s what caught my eye.
It turned out just fine after adding crown and a few coats of paint. You’d never know it’s laminate.
This was truly a learning experience for me- not every part of this project was a cake walk. Nitty gritty details to come.
First thing’s first~ I removed all the hardware.
I found molding on sale, but it was way too big for the top of the cabinet. We don’t have a table saw, but we do have a scroll saw- gotta work with what ya got. My poor husband sliced that molding for a good half hour, and I’m sure the blade is pretty dull now. Here’s a little tip- find the right size.
We cut each piece of molding to meet at a 45 degree angle on the corners.
1. We stripped off the laminate where we were going to attach the molding. This was easy since the laminate was already coming off.
2. We generously applied wood glue.
3. We placed the molding flush against the table so that it was perfectly even with the top.
4. We used clamps to hold the molding in place over night to let the wood dry.
5. We sanded down the top of the cabinet.
I’ve heard the Cover-Stain Primer from Zinsser is the best product to use on laminate. You don’t even have to sand. Sounds amazing, right? Ok, here it comes (the nitty gritty)- I have a love-hate relationship with this primer. Here’s why: the fumes are awful. I had the garage mostly open when I was painting and I had a headache and nausea all evening (no I’m not pregnant- good thing!) Turns out this primer doesn’t meet VOC standards and on top of that it contains lead – great! It works wonders on laminate, but be sure to read the label and take appropriate safety precautions.
6. I used a roller brush to apply the Zinsser primer. Set aside my reservations about the chemicals in the primer, it really is great to use on laminate.
7. I used 220 grit sand paper to smooth the surface.
8. I applied Pale Daffodil from Behr using a roller brush and used a regular brush to get the cracks and corners.
Beautiful!
Was it worth it? Oh most definitely- I love that I was able to work together with my husband on this project. And despite the headache (literally), I enjoyed the process of transforming this beauty.
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XOXO
Diana
www.thegirlcreative.com
Wow! This turned out beautiful, I just pinned it because I have a cabinet that I was ready to throw out but now I think I will try this:) I am now following you on Linky Followers. I would love to link up for the Monday Link Party:)
My Turn (for us)
http://myturn-evelyn.blogspot.com
Thanks so much, I sure enjoyed the visit!
This turned out amazing, I would buy this in a second!
New Follower of GFC and LInky!
That turned out fabulous!!! I think adding the crown molding totally changed the look of the piece, too 🙂 Love and hugs from the ocean shores of California, Heather 🙂
Love the yellow color. Amazing what paint and trim can do.
love it! so cute!
What a great makeover!
Such a beautiful piece with the molding! Very good job!
Beautiful!!! Love it!
That looks amazing!!!
Nice job!!! That’s just gorgeous, so beautiful!
Absolutely adorable! Thanks for the inspiration.
Turned out beautiful! Megan
WOW, I have totally wanted to do something like this some of my boring pieces, but I’m sure enlisting my hubby to help isn’t an option and I’m afraid to tackle it on my own so I’ll just have to admire yours for now. Looks SO AWESOME! Would never know it was cheapo laminate. If you get a chance, I’d LOVE for you to link this (and anything else that qualifies) up to my Trash 2 Treasure Tuesday Party. 🙂 http://kammyskorner.blogspot.com/2012/03/trash-2-treasure-tuesday-22.html
great work done!!