DIY Network

Cool and Classic Bedroom: Dresser Gesso and sunny maize paint update a too-dark dresser. From "Fresh Coat" episode DFCT-309

Figure A

To lighten up Meagan Dorherty's too-dark dresser, the Fresh Coat painters brush on a heavy coat of thick gesso, which won't soak into the dry and brittle wood as much as primer and will provide a thicker, richer base for the paint.

When the gesso dries, they lightly sand it to smooth out the surface, then apply coats of sunny maize paints for a smooth, two-tone finish (figure A). No need to paint the original ornate brass handles, either... when they can simply be cleaned and polished for a bright, sparkly look!

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Materials:

sandpaper
tack cloth
masks
box brushes
screwdrivers
painters tape
buckets
brass cleaner
white gesso
container
stir stick
foam brushes
small trays
Benjamin Moore's HC-5 Weston Flax-Pearl
Benjamin Moore's 200 Westminster Gold-Pearl

Figure B

1. Remove hardware and place in buckets filled with brass cleaner.
2. Sand and wipe down dresser.
3. Tape off sides of each dresser drawer to ensure clean, straight lines (figure B).
4. Mix white gesso with HC-5 Weston Flax and brush on using foam brushes (figures C and D). Let dry.
5. Lightly sand to remove brush marks. Using tack cloth, wipe the dresser clean.

Figure C

Figure D

6. Paint upper section with foam brushes in HC-5 Weston Flax in pearl finish (figure E). Let dry. Recoat if necessary.
7. Tape off top half for a perfectly clean line.
8. Paint lower section in same way using 200 Westminster Gold (figure F).
9. Remove hardware from brass cleaner. Rinse, dry and reattach.

Figure E

Figure F