This is one of my latest Craigslist finds. A lady had painted this desk using a textured spray paint and decided later on to sell it rather then try and refinish it. I saw this desk as more of a challenge then a moneymaker…So I bought it for $30.
I was ready for the challenge of a refinished desk.
Using a Wagner Heat Gun and a scraper from Woodcraft, I stripped this desk down to bare wood. It took about 6 hours to remove the paint. I suggest if you’re going to use a heat gun, to make sure to be in a well ventilated area and wear a respirator. I had already decided to repaint the desk, so I didn’t get as detailed in my stripping and sanding. This textured spray paint WAS more challenging…It was like removing the equivalent to 3 coats of thick paint.
I gave a light sanding to the entire desk using a sanding block and an orbital sander, then applied 2 coats of a white multi-purpose primer.
Finally, I chose a subtle accent color for the drawer faces and an antique white for the remainder of the desk. 3 coats of paint later and a coat of poly-acrylic and I was finished. With my wives help, we sold it for $50 to a family friend. Not much profit in it, but as I said earlier, it was more for the challenge. Plus, I really enjoy taking a rough project and turning into something that something that someone else finds appealing.
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