I’ve been on a roll getting things done in the garage….Remember that garage sale where I bought a ton of furniture pieces? Well this is yet another piece that I bought there. Before I bought it I did a lot of debating…a LOT! It was marked at $75. That’s more than I typically spend on a piece to re-do and sell. A lot more. I liked it…I liked it a lot but then the internal debate started…would someone else love it. UGH! Who knows? I don’t want to be out $75.
Then another guy came to the garage sale. He had his wife on the phone and was talking about the furniture. He was driving a trailer and was picking some furniture pieces. I quick grabbed the lady who was operating the sale and said- “I want all of these things (and then pointed them out)…will you shoot me a deal?” I could visibly see that the guy was angry as some of the pieces he was talking to his wife about were the pieces that I had taken. I didn’t know what he wanted…  This the garage sale life. He got a couple dressers I wanted so I think we were even.
The lady ended up giving me what was equal to $5 off the piece so I paid $70 for it.
As you might have noticed from the picture above you can see that were was some damage to this piece. Here’s a close up picture of the top. UGH.
I showed Hubby and he wasn’t thrilled with my purchase. He wasn’t mad. He definitely didn’t think it would be a money maker. When buying it is my real goal was to try to learn from it and at least get out of it what I put into it. But after his lack luster thoughts on the piece, I had all the motivation I needed to fix it right and actually turn a profit.
Hubby wasn’t much help on suggestions on renewing the top so I just did what instinct called for….sanding. I sanded and sanded and sanded. I used different sand paper weights and sanded until my arm vibrated. I sanded for almost two hours. Those water marks were deep.
I ended up giving up on completely removing the worst mark but it had GREATLY improved. The dark marks were gone. I didn’t think it needed to be perfect as it is a vintage piece. If it was too nice on the top then the bottom might start to look bad. There’s a fine balance and I thought I had found it….now what to do about staining the top? Do I varnish it? Hmmm.
I asked Hubby if he had any light stain around. We don’t do light typically so we had none. He said, “I do have that scratch (Old English Scratch Cover-light wood version) stuff you like in a light version”….Hmmm. That was my only option so I decided to give it a try….
Here is how the cabinet looks now….
Much better. MUCH! I’m so happy with the work I did to bring it back to life.
Here’s a picture of the top. You can faintly see the water stain in the middle of the top. Now it looks used but not abused like it did before. I got three water stains, black stains and a square stain to all disappear.
I’m really please with how it turned out. The Old English Scratch Cover was awesome. It added the color back but didn’t add a thick coat of varnish. The piece didn’t really have varnish on it so this was just what it needed.
The story of this piece continues. Kalissa and I were in the garage and she got a message from a gal in our community who was looking for a piece and was inquiring if Kalissa had anything. Kalissa didn’t but then I wondered if this piece would work for her. I told Kalissa to send her a couple photos. She did and an hour or so later….my piece had sold.
Can you imagine how happy I was to tell Hubby I sold it for $120? I was. I love a little friendly competition with him!! He had told me earlier that I’d be lucky if I could get $80 for it. Score for me…but mostly score for the little cabinet. It needed a new home and new life.
Very nice that your work on it paid off so quickly.
Jo, I love that little cabinet and it turned out great with all that sanding and some love it goes onto live another day with a new owner. Nice job!
That was a beautiful piece of furniture and you were right to fix it! A vintage table runner laid on top would be perfect and $120 was a steal!
I love that piece! Just what I’m looking for to go under a triple window in my sunroom to store and display cross-stitch items. So great you made such a good profit on it!
I have a buffet like that in my dining room! Not exact but close. I love mine.
Really pretty piece…That lady got a real steal at $120…….It would be fun to see it in her home and what she did with it wouldn’t it??????
Congratulations Jo!!!! Go with your gut and it usually doesn’t betray you! The piece looks awesome!!!! I’m glad it all worked out!!!!
Great job on the improvements Jo! And I agree with another comment here, $120 was a steal!
Oxalic acid can sometimes remove water stains on wood. I used it once on a piece I refinished for 4-H. Have to wear a mask when sanding after using it, but otherwise pretty safe.
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You did a lovely job of restoring such a sweet piece of furniture. It looks great. I am always so sad to see wood furniture abused, considering all the laminated furniture on the market today. So happy that you made a profit and it has gone on to be used and loved again by another happy owner!
Love when we have some competition with our hubbys. But love it more when we win!
Yes, I would have bought that piece, too, if I could afford it. You did a wonderful job, and it is beautiful. I’m so happy it went to a good home.