Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

I saw this dresser on my local for sale site and the guy was open to offers. Yes, you read right it was for sale.

I offered $20 and my son said he would offer a match because firewood was all it was good for. So, I wanted to prove the doubters wrong even though I had never restored on before. In my head, I can do anything if I try and luckily most projects work in the end.

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

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This was the dresser when I picked it up. (The spiders and the webs were included in the price…Bargain.  As soon as I got it home, I regretted my decision. On closer inspection, I noticed that not one piece of wood was intact.  Every section had a big split down the middle where it had dried out and shrunk.  It had no legs, and most of the hardware was missing or rusted and the mirror was peeling.  But I decided to try and restore it anyway.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Fixing the frame of the dresser

I thought I would rebuild the structure first because it was no use continuing if I could not do that.  Every piece of wood was warped and loose.  I did some research (I Googled it) and some suggested steaming the wood with a clothes steamer.  This did work a bit, but it took forever.  As I steamed the wood, I used clamps to pull the wood into place and left them for a few days to dry out again.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

glued all the loose areas, which was nearly every piece of wood on the dresser. To hold the structure in place while the glue dried, I used clamps and ratchet straps.  I was still left with some small gaps which I filled with wood filler.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Adding some legs

There were no legs on this dresser they had all rotted away.  I found some suitable legs in my stash of pares from stripped-down furniture. strip down old furniture that cannot be repaired and keep the parts as spares.  That is where I got the legs.  I attached the new legs by screwing them into the base. I did have to add some blocks of wood so they would fit properly, but you would not see them.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Repairing the dresser tops

The dresser tops were the same issue, they were split in half and had water stains all over them.  I repeated the same process of steaming and glueing the pieces back together and filled all the gaps with wood filler.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Replacing the shelves

The shelves inside the dresser were beyond repair they had shrunk so much the gap was too large to fix them.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

To make some new shelves I used some scrap plywood that I cut to size.  To hide the fact that I was using plywood, I used some wood veneer tape to hide the plywood layers.  I ironed on the tape, and cut away the excess with a craft knife so it looked more like solid wood.

Antique Dressing Table Restored.

Repairing the drawers

Even though the inside of the drawers were all dried out I did not replace them. It was just a matter of gluing them back together.  

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Cleaning the hardware

The hardware that came with the dresser was so rusty and most of them were missing.  I did a bit of research (Yes I googled it again) looking for new matching hardware.  A full set was so expensive so that was out of the question.  I decided to try and clean what I had and replace the others for my hardware stash. To remove the rust you can soak the hardware in undiluted vinegar for 24 hours.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

After 24 hours all the rust just rubbed off, I have never been a big believer in these home remedies but this one worked great. The hardware from my stash was not the same but they were close enough in resemblance to blend in. Once the hardware is all clean and dry you can spray them with WD40 if you are not going to be painting them.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Repairing the mirror

This mirror had some areas where the finished had peeled of which was unsightly.  I phoned around to see if I could get the mirror stripped and resprayed, but no luck there. To have a new mirror cut to shape was also too expensive. Which left me trying to repair the damage with a mirror effect spray paint.

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

Before you apply the mirror effect spray you need to remove all the old peeling paint first. A Stanley knife blade works well to do this.  

You need to add at least 2 thin coats of the mirror effect spray paint. It was not perfect but was good enough for me to at least sell it.  

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

Fixing the doors

The doors of the dresser were not that bad, I just had to glue them all back together. The holes for the hinges were all worn, and the screws would no longer grip the wood.  To solve this issue, you can put some toothpicks into the hole and the screws will grip again. 

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

Sanding the dresser

I sanded down the whole dresser using a random orbital sander using 120grit and ending with 240 grit. I used Dark Mahogany stain because I still had some watermarks that did not go away with sanding. But they did not show through once stained.

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

Staining and varnishing

I used an oil-based satin varnish to seal the dresser and after the first coat of varnish it was started to look good already.  (Ignore all my scrap timber and other projects in the background.  Note to self.  Tidy work shed up for photos.)

Antique Dressing Table Restored

Once the dresser was all stained and varnished, I replaced the hardware and put it all back together again.  I replaced the backing with a new thin piece of MDF board because the old one was beyond repair. The drawers were so hard to push in because all the wood was still so dry on them. 

I had some Annie Sloane wax that I use with the chalk paint and rubbed some on all the sides of the drawer and now they close as smooth as butter.  Very proud of myself coming up with that idea. 

Finished dresser

Antique Dressing Table Restored

It is becoming a thing that one or both of my fur babies end up in my photos.  They always seem to come around when the camera is out. I am sure there were a few things I have forgotten to put down so if you have any questions feel free to ask.  The colour does change in some of the images depending on the angle and light.

Antique Dressing Table Restored

This photo is the most accurate to the colour of the finished dresser.

Tips for Restoring an Antique Dressing Table

The image below is the best one to show the repair to the mirror.  The Damage looks worse from this angle, but head on it does not look that bad.   

Antique Dresser

More restorations

Old commode chair gets flipped

Commode restored

Leather top desk restored

Leather top desk restored

If you are looking for any of the items used in this project, please consider using our links. By clicking on the links we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.  Which helps us come up with new and exciting ideas to share with you.

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58 Comments

  • Reply
    Cathy
    July 17, 2018 at 10:18 pm

    Wow, that’s gorgeous! Great job!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 18, 2018 at 10:56 am

      Thank you Cathy

    • Reply
      Syl
      July 21, 2021 at 2:34 pm

      That took love and patience. You threw yourself into that project. It is fantabulous.

      • Reply
        Anita Holland
        July 23, 2021 at 11:26 am

        Thank you so much Syl, It was a challenge once they said it could not be done. lol

  • Reply
    Emily
    July 28, 2018 at 8:54 am

    I found this post to be very informative and helpful. I will have to recommend you to my friends. I am very thankful to you for giving this post.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 28, 2018 at 10:02 am

      Thank you very much Emily, My posts are under construction at the moment. I have some really great projects that I will be putting back up once I have sorted out my site. So stay tuned if you would like to see more.

  • Reply
    Joan Bardot
    August 27, 2018 at 2:10 pm

    Beyond excellent work Anita, thanks for sharing!

  • Reply
    radio rich
    October 11, 2018 at 2:18 am

    Anita,
    I like how this project turned out myself I enjoy restoring antique just as much as I like building new stuff.
    my favorite is old oak furniture my day job I help teach young girls and boys in beginning wood class at local school

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      October 16, 2018 at 9:50 pm

      Thank you, It did turn out better than I had hoped.

    • Reply
      Linda at Mixed Kreations
      February 16, 2020 at 8:34 pm

      What a gorgeous piece! You did an awesome job restoring it. Thanks for all the great tips!

      • Reply
        Anita Holland
        February 16, 2020 at 11:55 pm

        Thank you so much Linda, It was all trial and error as I went along. The end results were worth all the work.

  • Reply
    Jane
    October 26, 2018 at 1:13 pm

    WOW Anita. You’ve got talent for sure!! Love the dresser!!
    I’ve got some furniture that was left to me by my aunt. Its in good condition except the top of the chest of drawers and the vanity have water damage. I don’t really want to change the color but I’m not sure how I can match it. The color reminds me of some of the pictures of your dresser. I want that dark red and didn’t think Mahogany until I looked at your pictures. If I redo just the top, the rest will look so dull. To do it all, do i sand it all down to bare wood? Any advice or guidance would be appreciated.
    Thank you ahead of time!!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      October 28, 2018 at 4:30 am

      Hi Jane,
      I don’t think you would be able to just do the top, because all stains are different. I have 3 different brands of dark Mahogany stain and they are all different. I stick to the one brand now for all my projects so I know how the colour will turn out. I am no professional just self-taught but if it was my dresser I would sand it back to bare wood. Remove all the old stain and varnish so It is all the same colour. I personally always use the dark mahogany to cover water marks on wood I just find it hides 99% of them. Good luck with your project and if you need more info I will be happy to try and help.

  • Reply
    Patt
    November 3, 2018 at 6:34 am

    So glad to see your site! Fantastic work and I appreciate the comprehensive descriptions to go with each stage. Very beneficial to anyone wanting to restore. My students will be so pleased to see your work. And you certainly showed the ‘doubters’! I envy your patience and commitment Anita! Awesome job!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      November 4, 2018 at 10:41 pm

      Thank you very much Patt, very kind of you to say. I see any piece of furniture as a challenge. I always like to restore first then paint as a last resort.

  • Reply
    Sandra
    November 25, 2018 at 2:25 am

    I loved the project. It inspires to keep looking for old furniture that no one wants or needs any more. Thanks for all the tips. Sandra

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      December 7, 2018 at 2:34 am

      Thank you, Sandra, I have done a few projects like this, they are great because most of the time they are free. I find that because they are free I know mind if they don’t work out because it does not cost me anything but my time. This is my hobby so my time to me is free. Winner Winner

  • Reply
    Lori Carbone
    April 26, 2019 at 12:29 am

    Looks SO awesome!! Thanks for sending me the information, I really appreciate it!!

  • Reply
    Ann
    July 16, 2019 at 3:45 pm

    This dresser came out beautiful! I’m a fan of ‘lost-cause projects’ and this sure was a challenge. Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJ’s! You are being featured on my blog tonight.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 17, 2019 at 2:33 am

      Thank you so much, because I do all my DIY using broken and free furniture. I get plenty like this that I try and restore. I have had a few like this that have worked out great. Thank you so much for the feature.

  • Reply
    Marie
    July 17, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    Wow, you did an amazing job restoring this dressing table! So how did the naysayers respond when they saw the finished restoration?

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 18, 2019 at 3:17 am

      Thank you so much, I did show it to the guy and he said to me “I told you it was worth $100” I just had to love. It did turn out really good I surprised myself.

  • Reply
    TR
    July 29, 2019 at 3:02 am

    A Beautiful dresser you made glorious again, probably better than it’s original. I’ve never seen a vanity/dresser with a mirror shaped like that one. Love it’s form.. Again Great Job!!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 29, 2019 at 4:46 am

      Thank you so much, very kind of you to say. The mirror was unique which made it very hard to replace. That is why I had to repair it.

  • Reply
    Michelle Leslie
    February 11, 2020 at 12:45 pm

    Wow, my friend, you sure proved all the doubters wrong. Stunning makeover.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      February 12, 2020 at 12:48 am

      Thank you, I can’t be told I can’t do anything lol

  • Reply
    Christina Woodcock
    February 16, 2020 at 1:19 am

    Anita this is beautiful! Your hard work paid off. ❤️❤️

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      February 16, 2020 at 11:50 pm

      Thank you, It was a lot of work but the end results were worth it.

  • Reply
    Simone
    April 4, 2021 at 1:28 am

    That dresser is a gem! So many people these days just paint things and in awful colors too!
    They will go out of style in a snap. This will be handed down! Fantastic job! It must have taken forever to do
    but well worth it!
    thanks for sharing!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      April 4, 2021 at 9:59 am

      Thank you so much, I always try and restore before I paint. I love the look of wood.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      April 6, 2021 at 3:32 pm

      Thank you so much Simone, I am not a big fan of painting wood unless I have no option.

  • Reply
    Lynn Kay Nienas
    May 26, 2021 at 9:44 am

    You did a wonderful job. I just love this piece. Brava!!

  • Reply
    Shirley
    July 21, 2021 at 11:37 pm

    Anita..WOW…I am so impressed! I did woodworking and pulling things together like this as a crafter/woodworker too, and honesty I just can’t believe what you have done. This is beyond beyond what someone like you should be doing as a crafter. Phenomenal work!! You definitely went above and beyond! I’ve also been following blogs for a very long time and have never come across someone that would take on a challenge like this. FANTASTIC, PHENOMENAL, EXCELLENT WORK! “”””””a CONGRATULATIONS is certainly in order for YOU!””””””

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      July 23, 2021 at 11:28 am

      Thank you so much Shirley, your comment has made my day, month and year all in one. I do projects like this so I can learn new skills because I am self-taught. And if the projects don’t work out I can just reuse the wood in another project and no money lost.

  • Reply
    Sara
    August 2, 2021 at 9:35 pm

    You sure do have the knack for anything involving wood! Phenomenal work on this Anita! Great tip on fixing that mirror; such a time saver.

  • Reply
    maria
    August 2, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    You are great with painting furniture, you have done an amazing job with this one. The repair job was done like a pro. In fact you are a pro.

  • Reply
    Susan Stevenson
    August 2, 2021 at 9:51 pm

    Wow great job! It looks like new 🙂

  • Reply
    Angie @ Postcards from the Ridge
    August 2, 2021 at 10:39 pm

    Wow! You really worked a miracle on this piece! It looks amazing. I never would have had the patience to put it all back together. Thanks for the tutorial.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 5, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      Thanks Angie, you are very welcome. Projects like this teach me new skills.

  • Reply
    Laura L WALKER
    August 2, 2021 at 11:33 pm

    It is beautiful I love that you chose to restore it. Laura

  • Reply
    Rosemary Palmer
    August 2, 2021 at 11:48 pm

    OMG – that had to be a labor of love. Hope you are keeping it, a true treasure to have.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 5, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      It sure was a labour of love and such good practice.

  • Reply
    Linda Johnston
    August 4, 2021 at 3:16 am

    I’m impressed1 beautiful job. Love the stain; it is so similar to my parent’s bedroom furniture which is mahogany.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 5, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      Thanks Linda, the stain was dark mahogany.

  • Reply
    Meegan
    August 5, 2021 at 12:02 am

    What a gorgeous transformation! I especially like the fresh new look. AND how smart to use the Annie Sloan wax to loosen up the drawers. I never would have thought of that. So smart.

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      August 5, 2021 at 4:18 pm

      Thanks Meegan, I surprised myself that it worked. lol

  • Reply
    Libbie
    August 5, 2021 at 10:35 am

    What a beautiful transformation!

  • Reply
    Kippi Ohern
    August 6, 2021 at 1:50 am

    Wow! This dresser turned out better than new. You are very talented!
    Hugs,
    Kippi

  • Reply
    Shirley
    June 12, 2022 at 12:55 pm

    It’s a beautiful piece, you did a beautiful job on repairing and restoring, HOWEVER, I could never stain something back to make it the same as it was..lol. I am so sick and tired of oak cabinets and red bedroom furniture or any other furniture done in the previous 5 decades! Again, it’s a job well done!

    • Reply
      Anita Holland
      June 13, 2022 at 4:01 pm

      Thanks so much Shirley. I did have to use a darker stain because of all the water damage on the oak. But I do understand what you are saying.

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