What we started with.
This vintage desk had definitely seen some rough use over the years. I seem to have lost the photos, but here’s the gist; Many layers of chipped and sloppily applied rough, dingy, white latex paint covered the surface and the interior was randomly sticky with various substances. It’s last use had been as a teenagers’s vanity so nail polish leaks, lotion explosions, melted gum…those of you with tweens or teens know what I’m talking about!
The Plan…
I thought it would be great to strip the top down to bare wood, stain it and paint the body a deep, rich color accented with bright new hardware. Well, sanding revealed the top was laminate…do I hear a collective groan?
Now what?
At least now I had a better understanding about why the top seemed to have been coated with multiple layers of chalky, course primer; I suppose nothing else would stick. Luckily, I was trying out Fusion Mineral Paint – which claims to stick to practically anything – even laminate! Well this looked like a great opportunity to try it out.
I lightly sanded the body of the desk and started painting with Coal Black while I more thoroughly sanded the top so I could apply Ultra Grip per directions for painting laminate surfaces. The new hardware was a bit wider than the original, so new holes were drilled and old ones filled.
A couple of coats of deep, rich Coal Black and this desk took on a whole new look. Considering I was painting black over bright white, I was impressed by how thoroughly Fusion covered the surface. I lightly distressed the edges after the first coat and then painted over those areas with the second coat so the final look would suggest a hint of distress without being overt.
Painting the drawer interiors was also a must – I used some leftover ashy grey latex for that task. I think the deep, rich Coal Black color, the smooth finish, and the new hardware brings this piece into a classically modern place and will lead to an energetic new life as a gorgeous centerpiece.
I would welcome getting down to work at this desk!
