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No matter how long I’ve been doing this, I still seem to learn from every project…and in the case of this Boys Dresser, I actually learned two things:  One, sometimes I picture things way differently in my mind.  And, Two, you should really read directions.  You’ll see what I mean as you continue reading on.  For now, let me take you back to the beginning, when this cute and colorful dresser was plain white.

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A dear friend of mine found this dresser at a garage sale last weekend and knew she could use it in her boys’ room.  It had minor scratches, but was in excellent shape overall.  More importantly, at $30 dollars it was a smokin’ deal.

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Having seen her boys’ room before, I knew exactly how I wanted to paint it, and immediately got to work sanding.  It didn’t need too much sanding; just enough to get those scratches out and rough up the surface a bit to give the paint something to hold on to. 

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I noticed a gap at the bottom of the dresser and used wood glue, wood putty, and a strong clamp to fix the problem before painting. 

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With everything all prepped, it was time to paint.  In my mind, I pictured brightly colored drawer fronts in three different colors, with the body of the dresser a more neutral color, like beige to tone down all the other colors.  I thought I could even distress the edges just a bit for a little added character.  I could totally see it, so I got to work.

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Everything was going great.  After applying three coats of paint on each drawer, I distressed them by rubbing some charcoal paint on the edges.  

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I was completely satisfied and even feeling a little proud.  Then I got to the dresser itself.  I rolled on the beige.  It was nice and smooth.  You could no longer see where any of the scratches were.  Again, I was pretty satisfied.

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I painted the drawer knobs in the same beige color, knowing they would look great against the different colored drawer fronts.  And once everything dried, I put it all together and…it looked fine.  The problem was, I was going for better than “fine.” And the more I looked at it, the more “blah” it seemed.  It was not at all what I had envisioned and I was completely disappointed.  The drawers were so cute, but the beige did absolutely nothing for them.  

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Instead of a neutral backdrop, the drawers needed something bolder to make them pop.  Then I remembered the deep blue paint my friend had brought over “just in case” I needed it.  Duh!  I held it up next to the drawers, and BAM!  That was exactly what it needed!  So, you guessed it, I repainted the dresser…and did so gladly.

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What a relief!  It now looked terrific!  All that was left to do was apply the clear coat protective finish and call this piece done.  I usually use a clear finish that comes in a spray can or a wax that you rub on with a cloth, but this time I used MinWax Polycrylic Finish.

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I’ve used it before on smaller projects, but it had been a while.  I knew I had to brush it on, which I did.  So much, in fact, that I started noticing little bubbles forming.  

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That’s when I decided to read the directions and learned you have to be careful not to “over brush.”    Thankfully, I was only three drawers in.  But guess who had to go back and completely re-sand and repaint the drawers!?!  ME!  What a mess!

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Thankfully, that was the last of my setbacks and I did learn something:  When all else fails, read directions.  Go figure! 

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All is well that ends well, and this Boys Dresser is more than “well.”  It’s certainly more than “fine” for that matter.  I think it’s fun and full of character!  Now that it’s home, it looks like it’s been there all along!  

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