Buffet Before and After

 As promised: the before and after photos of my infamous buffet project.

When I first saw it at Goodwill this past October, I initially walked out and left it. Then about an hour later, when I still could not get it out of my head, I called my mom, who happened to be in town, and asked her to go pay for it and I picked it up the next day and paid her back.

You just don't see these anymore. This is the first one I'd seen up close; other than that I'd only seen them in magazines.

I bought it to re-do and sell; but later, it got designated as the candy buffet for my sister's wedding. It wasn't till after Christmas that I got started on the prep work.

(We turned it over so the legs were easier to sand. The project took over my dining room, because it was too cold to work outside.)

The tools I can't do without: clamps, razor blade, scrapers, mini screw driver, tooth picks for getting in little places, a paper mask so I don't inhale all that nasty dust, Elmer's glue and wood filler, gorilla glue, sanding blocks (I love these!) and my new electric sander for large areas of sanding. Also, my shop vac, and a steam iron.....

 At first I tried to glue the loose veneer back down. It wasn't working real good, so I decided to just rip it all off. I had seen somewhere on line that you can remove veneer with a steam iron, so I decided to give it a try. I wetted a towel and placed it over the work area for about 5 minutes, then I went at slowly applying the steam iron over the area, which loosens the glue and then you can rip it off. Tougher spots needed more time with the iron, and I had to scrape it inch by inch. But by golly, I got it all off. And then I took the next layer off, as well. I will not dink around with gluing veneer down ever again.

 The doors, before (left) and after sanding (right). The whole buffet had been covered in a really crappy coat of crappy brown paint. Eww.

 This was the "let's try to glue it back down" phase.

 The cats absolutely loved it.

 Finally, I had the sanding complete and we got a warm is day (in the 60s) so we could paint it. Good thing we did because that was the last nice day we had to do it outdoors before my sister got married.
Kevin used the paint sprayer, of course. I swear by that thing. However, I did have to touch up the legs quite a bit because of weird dripping patterns because of the way we had it laying down on it's back. We used Glidden "Parchment White" in flat. Once it was dry I distressed it on the corners and edges, which you can't really see here. I also put all new glass knobs on it, bought at Hobby Lobby.

                                                As a candy buffet at my sister's reception.

I was going to glaze it, but I haven't done it yet. I had bought a glaze and it was too dark. I haven't even done any polycrylic or anything on it yet. I am still contemplating a glaze.

I am really happy about how it turned out. I kind of wish I was able to keep it, because I will likely never find another one like it. But it is just too large for my house, and besides, I already have an antique oak dining set so this doesn't fit in my decor. So, it is (reluctantly) for sale.

I've put ads out on Craigslist for it, but if it doesn't sell on there, I will send it to someone's antique shop and consign it. I simply cannot store this monster in my office/den/studio forever. :)