Refinishing Goodwill Furniture — My Before & After
by Katy on November 14, 2019 · 26 comments
This blog post is sponsored by Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette.
I’m super picky about the stuff that gets to live in my home. It needs to be the utmost of quality, but also cost next to nothing. Not an easy task, which is why almost everything in my house is sourced from Goodwill.
However, sometimes these purchases need elbow grease to bring them up to snuff — especially when it comes to furniture. So when I spied this midcentury Broyhill credenza at the Goodwill Outlet I knew it met my strict criteria.
Classic style? √
Durable quality? √
Under $20? √
I think I shelled out $12.99, but since I bought it in July of 2017 the details are a bit fuzzy.
I immediately got to work, grabbing a jug of stripping gel from the basement, which is the fun part as the task of scraping off gooey paint is bizarrely satisfying.
Seriously. Before:
And after!
At this point you may be scratching your head on the timeline of this project, as I purchased this piece in 2017, and last time I checked we’re living in 2019. This is due to me doing all the easy bits and then sticking it in the basement to work on “later.”
For two years. It then sat in my basement for two years!
Cue the addition of a gifted hand-me-down TV, (thank you Dezsea!) to prompt a fresh need to complete the project, and “finish refinishing credenza” shot to the top of my to-do list.
I removed the remainder of the paint with sand paper and then splurged on a $18.44 jug of Danish oil from my local hardware store.
The instructions said to fully saturate the wood, and so I did. I think I applied three coats of oil, as the teak and walnut surfaces still weren’t as glossy as I wanted.
Is it perfect? No. I probably should have used some wood conditioner so the oil would soak in evenly. But I’m still very pleased with the outcome.
Especially since all our television accessories now tuck in nice and neatly.
One more Goodwill project completed? √
Want to know more about Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette? Check out
MeetGoodwill.org, ShopGoodwill.com and GoodwillJobConnection.org
to learn more about the important services that they provide for our community.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Beautiful
Thank you! It’ s so much of a tidier look than the 2-foot deep TV and open shelving than it replaced.
Wonderful improvement.
My DM (Mom) was a stay-at-home worker while we were growing up & fully immersed herself in a variety of do-it-yourself challenges including refinishing & reupholstering furniture, wallpapering, painting, sewing, canning & scratch cooking, in addition to more typical tasks. These activities take an enormous amount of time, patience & creativity. Kudos on your effort!
Wow, your mom had skillz!
Much as I love to paint furniture, I have to say that this one is way better as unpainted wood!
Also, the oiling step looks super fun.
Stinky, but fun.
Congratulations!
This piece is lovely. Refinishing furniture is hard work, but outcomes such as this make it worth it. I have a project or two in my garage that have been there a very, very long time. This provides inspiration to get them done.
Excellent work, Katy, and congratulations. (I’m not letting the fact that I survived midcentury furniture back in midcentury and am not a fan now get in the way of my admiration.)
Wonderful job! You now have a beautiful piece of furniture.
Wow! It’s gorgeous!
Lovely, Katy! You’ve inspired me to finish a furniture project that’s been “aging” in the basement for a couple years.
Like a fine wine.
You did an unbelievably good job on restoring a badly painted piece of furniture into a beautiful item which looks brand new. The size and shape of the piece of furniture is a perfect fit for your new TV. Amazing!
Thank you. I look forward to this piece outlasting the likes of me.
LOVE it!
Thank you!
I see so many examples of painting over previously stained wood—it’s nice to see the reverse! I really like the natural wood color and am looking forward to it trending again.
Agree. I like wood furniture but not the painted stuff so much. It pains me to see wood painted over. It’s not so bad for furniture since there’s so much out there (as the Frugal Girl once graciously pointed out to a less-than-gracious poster in her blog), but dear ghu, the houses. I watch HGTV sometimes and I about cry whenever I see a flipper painting the beautiful original woodwork on an old home. Windy City Rehab, I’m looking at you!
I’m on the fence when it comes to painting wooden furniture. It’s not all amazing quality items, so sometimes a lick of paint does better the piece. Remember when I painted a campaign dresser whose original finish was “tacky splatter finish and raised grain.”
https://thenonconsumeradvocate.com/before-and-after-my-painted-campaign-dresser/
Am I on trend? YAY!
Wow, great job, Katy. You gave it new life!!
Thank you!
A perfect combination – wide TV and credenza to fit! Looks like an expensive duo. Congratulations on a wonderful outcome on the furniture after the investment of your time and effort!
$40 for the TV and credenza together. Not too shabby!
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