Pine Dresser Makeover and How to Fill Old Hardware Holes

Hi Friends,

Holy moly look at all those knobs!  Yeah, that’s what I was thinking when I saw this dresser a couple of months ago at the Goodwill. Despite all the knobs, which I changed and I’ll tell you how, this dresser had a lot going for it.   Today, I’m sharing how I gave this dated 1990’s pine dresser a makeover and the method I use to fill old hardware holes.

Before

Here’s what I loved about this piece (and why I bought it):

• Size – it’s the perfect versatile height and width that can be used in so many different ways:  dresser, media stand, dining room buffet, nursery changing table. entryway storage, etc.
• Great storage – the 4 deep drawers, 3 smaller drawers and a middle cabinet area provide tons of storage options.  All of the drawers were clean and slide well.
• Solid wood – even the drawer interiors are gorgeous bead board pine (in perfect condition, too).
• Cottage style – the molding on the drawer faces and door trim give this dresser a classic cottage look.

Here’s what I didn’t love (and knew I could change):

• The finish – the knotty pine finish seems dated to me.  Also, the top was worn and pretty scratched up.
• The knobs – there were just too many knobs and they make the dresser look busy.

After

Lately, I have been drawn to soft watery blues, grays and all shades of white.  I suppose it’s all the dreaming of warmer weather, water and that beach cottage I hope to have some day.  Sigh.  This piece would have looked great in any of those colors, but I ultimately settled on a soft and calm blue gray green. The drawer detailing and the bun feet give this dresser a cottage feel, so I used those features as a jumping off point for my makeover.

***This post contains affiliate links to products I use.  For my complete disclosure policy, please see my disclosure page.***

Materials Used

B-I-N Shellac Base Primer & Sealer
3M Block Sanding Sponge 220-Grit
Rust Oleum Ready Patch Spackling Compound
General Finishes Persian Blue Milk Paint
General Finishes Milk Paint Snow White
General Finishes High Performance Topcoat in Flat

Elmer’s Stainable Wood Filler

Steps

1. Prepping for Paint

This piece is made of pine and so it naturally has lots of knots and imperfections in the wood.  I filled in the the large scratches and dings on top with wood filler, but the natural imperfections and knots in the wood remain, and well, it’s wood and I don’t want to hide that. I then sanded it using my orbital sander using 220 grit sandpaper, paying extra attention to scratches, etc on the top. I vacuumed and cleaned it inside and out. I gave it two coats of primer, sanding to a smooth finish with my sanding sponge.  BIN is my favorite primer, and it also has a sealer which is important since the pine knots can bleed through the paint.

2. Fill Old Hardware Holes

Because I wanted to decrease the number of knobs on each drawer to just one in the center, that meant I had to fill the old holes and drill new ones. Of course, that adds time and work, but I felt like it would make a big difference in the look of this piece and I had to do it.  15 knobs on this guy was just too much, and two knobs per drawer are not needed for the drawers to properly function. After experimenting with several different methods and products, this is how I currently fill old hardware holes for the best results:

1. Fill all the old holes with wood filler, let dry and sand.
2. Because wood filler can (and does) shrink as it dries, apply a second coat of wood filler, if needed, let dry and sand again.
3. Apply a coat of primer and let dry. Applying a coat of primer at this point allows you to better visualize any uneven spots or pits where additional filler might be needed.
4. Using a putty knife, apply a thin coat of Ready Patch Spackling Compound over the old holes. I find that wood filler alone leaves a bit of texture and just does not ever cover the old holes as smoothly or completely as I would like.  Ready Patch has a much finer texture than wood filler and goes on like butter.  It sands out to create a nice smooth finish, filling in any uneven texture or small pits left by the wood filler.    Thanks to my friend Christina at Phoenix Restoration for telling me about Ready Patch.  She uses it to prep her pieces to get a perfectly smooth finish for her impeccable glossy finishes.   I use it as a final step in filling and smoothing hardware holes.
5.  After the Ready Patch is dry, sand again using 220 grit sandpaper.
6.  Apply a second coat of primer and sand smooth with sanding sponge.
7. Measure and drill new holes.
8. Add new hardware.

3. Painting

If you follow me, you know I use General Finishes paint.  Alot.   If you are new here, well, I LOVE this paint, use it frequently and can’t say enough good things about it.  For this piece, I wanted a very soft, watery blue.  I mixed up the perfect color using approximately 1 part Persian Blue and 1 part Snow White.  Persian Blue on its own is a nice blue gray with green undertones.  Adding the Snow White kept those tones, but just lightened them a bit.   I applied 3 coats, sanding in between for a smooth finish.

4. Sealing

To seal this piece, I applied two coats of General Finishes High Performance topcoat in flat.

I added the new white knobs, which create a subtle contrast to the soft blue. I found them a while back at HomeGoods and had them in my stash. I think they look great on this dresser.

I left the drawer interiors and middle cabinet area in the original pine finish.  I avoid painting drawer interiors since it can interfere with the drawers’ ability to open and close smoothly.  Also, I like the contrast of the painted blue and wood.

Some clippings from my garden for a pop of green and a few beach-inspired accessories.

I have yet to find a real vintage buoy, but I did find this reproduction at HomeGoods last year.  I painted the bottom white to add some contrast.

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Happy Easter and Happy Passover to you!

Disclosure:  I have received product used in this post from General Finishes.  As always, my opinions are 100% my own.  For my full disclosure policy, please see my disclosure page.

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