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Do you have an old desk you want to spruce up? In this post, I’m sharing a fun DIY desk makeover and the easy way of how to paint a desk.
I love going to yard sales and the number one thing I’m always looking for is solid wood furniture.
You know, the old furniture that was actually made really well?
I can usually find some great deals on furniture at yard sales, and recently I found this great desk for $30. That’s actually a little more than I would have like to have paid, but I really loved the style, shape, and sturdiness of the desk, so I had to have it.
Before:
I knew it could be a beautiful piece with a little work, and I love how it turned out!
I’ll show you what I used to paint to the desk and how I gave it a new look!
After:
DIY Desk Makeover – How to Paint a Desk
Here are the materials and supplies I used for this DIY desk makeover.
Materials:
Rust-Oleum Chalked Paint in Linen White (If you follow me on Instagram, you saw me try to use the Serenity Blue color – didn’t love it)
Minwax Dark Walnut Stain (my favorite stain of all!)
Helmsman sealer in Clear Satin
Chip paint brushes (I love these for staining)
Regular paint brush – 2″ size (I use the Dollar Tree or Harbor Freight paint brushes most of the time. They are cheap, so I don’t have to worry if I don’t clean them out great!)
Rust-Oleum Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint (to paint the old hardware)
Painter’s tape
Note: I try to reuse the original hardware if I can, and love to use oil rubbed bronze spray paint. It’s hard sometimes to find new hardware that’s the exact fit. If you don’t love the original hardware of your piece, or want to update, my favorite place to find hardware is Hobby Lobby. And it’s on sale for 50% off every other week!
My DIY Desk Makeover – From Dirty & Plain to Clean & Crisp
First, I removed the hardware and sanded the whole desk down so it was smooth. Then, I vacuumed out all the dust and wiped everything clean.
Once everything was sanded and clean, it’s time to paint and stain!
To start painting, I taped off the top with painter’s tape and painted the bottom with the chalked paint, using a regular 2″ paint brush.
Once that first coat was dry, I sanded over the chalked paint with extra fine 220 grit sandpaper and wiped it clean.
Then, I applied a 2nd coat of the white chalked paint and let that dry.
One more sand with the 220 grit sandpaper and one more coat of chalked paint.
Now, I was done with the bottom part.
I removed the painter’s tape and used new tape to tape off the bottom, so I could stain the top.
For the top section, I applied a coat of dark walnut stain with the chip brush and let that dry. This desk really soaked up the stain, so once that was dry, I applied a 2nd coat of stain.
After the stain was dry, I used the sealer to apply a coat of sealer to the stained top. Once the sealer was dry, I used the 220 grit sandpaper to lightly sand the sealer.
One more coat of sealer and let that dry.
To give the hardware an update, I cleaned each piece and used the oil rubbed bronze spray paint.
Once the hardware was dry, I used the original screws to put the pulls back on.
And it’s done!
I love the way this DIY desk makeover turned out! The desk is super sturdy – I just love how the made furniture “back in the day”!
The chalked paint creates a super clean and smooth finish, and the sealed top is smooth and protected.
I am working on a small office space to work from home, so this desk is the perfect start to that! Now, I need to decorate and organize all the drawers!
Do you have an old desk or piece of furniture to update? Try a DIY desk makeover like I did, and make your house a home full of personality, character, and love!
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