It was advertised as $40 and had been redone and new hardware added. I would have preferred they left it alone and kept the original hardware, but the shape of a kidney shape desk is just sooooo cool! So I had to have it.
Here's my noob problems with it though. The former owner was a bigger noob then I was. She painted black paint over existing white paint. She did not sand, degloss or prime. The black is pealing off like a bad sunburn. The black is also painted over where there is a lot of detailed carvings. How do I get the paint out of those tiny grooves? Also what's your fav products to use to strip paint?
Ugh. Getting paint out of grooves is NOT going to be fun; sorry! My favorite stripper is Citristip--it's orange, and doesn't stink! It's also thick, so it stays where you put it pretty well. A stiff plastic brush (even a toothbrush) will help you work the paint residue out, and then use LOTS of afterwash to clean everything out well!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! It's a beautiful shape; I wouldn't have been able to resist either!
Korrie, thank you so much for the tips! The last owner thought getting the paint off the groves would be to hard so she painted over it. I just wish she would have done some prep work first. The 1st paint job is in great shape, but the black put over it is pealing so bad it just has to come off. I think it might be acrylic paint over oil based with no primer in between.
ReplyDeleteWow...what a really cool piece! Great candidate for an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint makeover!
ReplyDeleteKarla
Wow $40 that's a steal! Getting paint out of grooves takes PATIENCE. If you take your time it will be well worth it. I use full strengh paint stripper put some on a toothbrush and go to town, try using toothpicks to pick out the muck. Or just paint the desk and switch the knobs. I can't wait to see what you do with it.
ReplyDeleteAt the workshop I take my kids to once a week, and where I work on projects also, Mr. Bruce has taught me to use paint stripper and coarse steel wool. It works great! What a beautiful piece! Can't wait to see the finished product!
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