If your old dresser has become boring or outdated, and you want to paint it with a new vibrant color, then this painting a wood dresser red project is for you! Red is a bold and eye catching color, perfect for adding a statement piece to any room.
This is one of the many DIY dresser makeover ideas we do, and we’ll guide you to create the same stunning red dresser for your own home. So let’s get started on transforming your old wood dresser into a bold and beautiful piece of furniture!
Red is that pop of color that can instantly add life to any dull room. Not only does red bring an element of boldness to your furniture, but it also has various shades that can complement any style or theme. From a deep maroon to a bright cherry red, there’s a shade for every taste and home decor.
If you have an old wood dresser you want to update, painting it red would be a great choice! It’s not the first color that comes to mind when painting furniture, but if you want a vibrant and unique piece, red is the way to go.
So follow along on how we painted this particular dresser red, and recreate it with your own piece! You’ll learn how to paint a wood dresser red and see how easy it is to completely transform the look of your furniture.
Supplies Used to Paint a Wood Dresser Red
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Fix Dresser Drawers
The drawers on this all wood dresser needed a lot of attention before we could move forward with our painting project. The bottom drawer was especially problematic due to swelling from humidity. It was really hard to open and close it.
To fix this issue, we first sanded the sides of the drawer with the Dewalt orbital sander and 150 grit Diablo sanding discs. This allowed the drawer to move more freely without rubbing against the dresser.
Once the drawer could open and close without any issues, we smoothed out the wood with 220 grit sandpaper this time. We then applied Annie Sloan Wax with a cheap chip brush to the sides of the drawer and the tracks. This definitely made a noticeable difference in how smoothly the drawer could now glide in and out of the dresser.
Make New Dresser Top
The top of this dresser was also really warped, so we had to work on it too before painting. We got some beautiful walnut wood at an estate sale and used that to create a new dresser top. I cut it down to the right size and sanded it smooth with 220 grit sanding discs.
Stain Dresser Top and Drawers
We were going for a two tone look with this project, with the top and drawers stained while the rest painted red. We sanded the drawers to raw wood, so the stain would adhere better. Then we applied dark walnut wood stain – here’s a more detailed guide on how to stain wood furniture you can follow. You can even use paint for staining – here’s how to stain wood with paint if you want to try it out. If you are using paint as stain here’s how to make paint look like stain!
After staining the new top and drawers, let the stain dry for at least 48 hours to make sure it’s completely set. Since we’re painting the rest of the dresser, we also want to work without having to worry about wet stain.
Prepare Dresser for Red Paint
Next, we got the dresser ready for painting. We took off all the hardware to avoid getting paint on them and to make sure we could paint without any obstacles. We also gave the dresser a good clean with Krud Kutter because dirt and grime can mess up how well the paint sticks and make for an uneven finish.
After cleaning, we lightly sanded the dresser with 220 grit sandpaper to further smooth out any imperfections. This also helps the paint to adhere better. We vacuumed any dust or debris and wiped the dresser down with a tack cloth to make sure it was completely clean before starting to paint.
And to really guarantee a solid base for our red paint, we primed the dresser with clear shellac. It’s one of the best primers for painting furniture, especially since we’re using chalk paint. We applied 2 coats of shellac – we do recommend wearing a mask and working in a well ventilated space because this primer has a strong smell.
Paint Dresser Red
We were so excited to finally paint the dresser red after all the prep work! We used Country Chic Paint’s in Paint the Town. This red paint is a gorgeous crimson, between a rustic barn red and berry red.
We filtered the paint first, then thinned it with water to make sure it would spray smoothly through the sprayer. Follow our guide on how to thin paint for a sprayer if you need help with this step. After the paint was ready, we sprayed 2-3 coats for full coverage using our Fuji paint sprayer.
This paint sprayer is more advanced and expensive – is a Fuji Q4 Paint Sprayer worth it? You can check out the post for our honest review of this Fuji sprayer. Or if you already have this sprayer and need some guidance, here’s how to use the Fuji Q4 Platinum paint sprayer and the Fuji T70 spray gun!
However, if you’re a beginner or on a budget, we also highly recommend the Vonforn sprayer. It’s budget friendly and easy to use, and it’s actually one of the best paint sprayers for chalk paint. Check out our Vonforn paint sprayer review for more about this reliable tool.
Distress Chalk Painted Dresser
After the red painted areas had dried, we did some light distressing to give the dresser a rustic look. Chalk paint already has that chalky finish, which makes distressing super easy.
We lightly sanded the edges and corners of the dresser with 220 grit sandpaper until we got the desired amount of distressing. This grit is fine enough to not leave any visible scratches, but rough enough to remove some of the paint and reveal the wood underneath.
You can learn more tips and tricks on distressing chalk painted furniture with this how to distress chalk paint post here. Remember to not overdo the sanding the first time, because you can always distress more if needed!
Seal Red Painted Dresser
With our dresser painted and distressed, the final step was to seal the red paint for a durable and long lasting finish. We applied 2 coats of Varathane waterbased polyurethane to the entire dresser, including the stained top and drawers.
This not only seals the paint, but it also gives a nice satin finish that is easy to clean and maintain. Here’s how to spray polyurethane if you need a guide on using a sprayer for this step. It makes for a smoother, more professional looking finish compared to using a brush.
After letting the dresser dry for at least 24 hours, we attached the original hardware back onto the drawers. It’s convenient since we didn’t have to worry about finding new hardware and reusing old hardware is also an eco friendly option! But if you want to switch things up, check out how to change hardware on a dresser for what to do.
And here’s a beautiful two tone dresser with a stained top and drawers, and a charming red painted body! We hope this inspires you to go red with your next furniture makeover. If you want a colorful dresser here’s our list of rainbow dresser ideas!
More Before And After Makeovers
Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.
More Painted Furniture makeovers
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