The $50 Furniture Flip That Taught Me Everything

I bought this $50 dresser and nightstand set from Facebook Marketplace, and this furniture flip taught me everything I needed to know about refinishing furniture--and maybe even myself.

This turned into one of my favorite furniture makeovers — but not because it went smoothly. The wood was offensively orange, the sanding felt endless, I had no plan, and I’d never stained wood before in my life. What could go wrong?

In this video, I walk you through the full beginner-friendly makeover of a 1949 streamline moderne dresser and nightstand set, with all the tips, mistakes, and stubborn trial and error along the way. This was the furniture set that taught me the most about how to refinish furniture, but also about perseverance and falling in love with what was underneath.

If you’ve ever fallen down a Google rabbit hole trying to identify wood, wrestled with stain, or wondered whether you’ve totally ruined a project, I hope this helps you feel a little less alone. And I'd love to hear about it! So leave a comment and we can commiserate. :)

I'd also love to hear about projects you've done that might have taught you something bigger. I swear there are life lessons in DIY and painting furniture, and I love talking about it. And if you're just here for the before and after furniture glow-up, I’ve got you covered there too!

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I hope you'll subscribe for more! I’ve got furniture flips, DIY projects, and even an extreme 3 rooms in 5 days room makeover series coming up, so stay tuned!

Supplies I used:
Bondo Wood Filler: https://amzn.to/3UxrEG9
Gator Microsander: https://amzn.to/40w8d46
Zibra brush: https://amzn.to/45oCPX5
Frogtape: https://amzn.to/3Uqwm8F
Delicate Frogtape: https://amzn.to/4mdoxiJ
BIN Shellac Primer: https://amzn.to/3GZL9Ee
Odie's Oil: https://amzn.to/45c6hk0
Scotch Brite Pads: https://amzn.to/46JBhZS

The links in my video descriptions might contain affiliate links--this doesn't affect the price you pay at all, but it means I might earn a small commission for any items purchased through these links. For which I thank you very much. :)

Trying to identify what kind of wood you're working with? Start here:
https://www.wood-database.com/wood-ar...
https://kraycustomrefinish.com/identi...

Video Chapters
00:00 – Intro
00:12 – Facebook Marketplace Find
00:39 – Researching Streamline Moderne
01:56 – Offensively Orange
02:34 – Cleaning
03:09 – Sanding: A Love-Hate Story
05:47 – Playing Wood Detective
06:23 – Staining Stumbles
08:03 – Priming: Better Safe Than Sorry
10:10 – Color Mixologist
11:08 – Painting (aka the Commitment Phase)
12:15 – The Problem Appears
13:00 – Fixing It (With Minimal Panic)
13:46 – Sealing the Wood
14:15 – Before + After Glow-Up
15:13 – What’s Next + How to Support the Makeover Mayhem

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