You know I love a good bench, whether it’s made from a bed (headboard) dresser to bench, or chest of drawers. This reproduction French Provincial dresser was in really bad shape. Before inspecting it thoroughly I did consider just painting it and rehoming it.
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However, after looking closely at it, I decided it was not worth trying to fix. Don’t you agree?
A few of the drawers were broken too.
So, of course I grabbed my jigsaw
to cut the dresser apart.
Easy Peasy when you have the right tools.
I did something a little different on this piece. This is the top portion I cut off. See the detail on the side? I decided to relocate that to the bottom piece that will become a bench.
This board easily slips out of the dresser. I simply cut it off, then slid it in place on the bottom portion.
This is how it took place. I removed the original board, and replaced it with the board that I cut, then added the top piece that is grooved to fit the curve.
Using Gorilla Wood Glue and clamps makes for a secure fit.
For extra support I added some scrap 1x’s in the back. I left the drawer in so that I could make sure these wouldn’t interfere with it. Gorilla wood glue and my Ryobi BRAD NAILER 
hold them in place. NOTE: There is no way to attach the top (seat)
NOT shown: I drilled holes down through the front brace on the left and right in order to attach the top (seat) in the front.
I measured, cut, and drilled pocket holes with my Kreg Jig® K4 
into a 1x4 all the way across the back so I could attach the top (seat). I used Gorilla Wood glue and screws (from the back) to hold this in place. A quick quick clamp
clamp holds it in place as my extra hands. 
LOVE those!
This view is with the bench upside down where I’m trying to install the Stainless Steel Pocket-Hole Screws in a very tight space. I used this small socket wrench.
The next day I went to Home Depot to pick up this Ryobi Right Angled Driver
. It worked like a charm using a shorter Kreg bit!
You can see I used screws to secure the top in the holes I pre-drilled.
Now, it’s time to paint! I had several options I was pondering. Gray and white combo, dark gray, light gray combo, dark turquoise, light turquoise, or maybe turquoise and white! I had a hard time making up my mind, but finally went with turquoise.
After deciding on the turquoise, I tested an extra drawer with some options. I had added white paint to my turquoise (DIY chalk paint) to lighten it. I then tried to add some black to darken it, but it just made it a deeper blue, not a darker turquoise. So I did a black wash over the turquoise to see if that’s the way I wanted to go. After many texts with my friend Stephanie (she’s so patient with me) she asked if I had a brown glaze.
When I do a brown glaze, I typically use burnt umber. This is another test piece (the original front of the dresser)
We even discussed doing white drawers.
NOTE: the left drawer being crooked.
TIP: By adding a small scrap on either side, it helps the drawer rest straight. Originally there were small plastic pieces to do this.
After seeing the brown glaze, I remembered I have this Minwax Special Dark finishing wax. I of course used my Homeright (Autoright) cordless buffer
to apply the wax and buff it.
See? The drawer is now straight! The Minwax Dark wax, tones this color down just enough, but not near as dark as ASCP’s dark wax.
I painted two handles with Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze, and two more with Krylon Gold Dual with Superbond. (love this paint, stay tuned for fun details about my trip to Krylon/Cleveland for the Krylon Spraydown)\
If you look closely, you can see I distressed it lightly. I like both the handles equally well, how about you?
gail
Want to see more Dresser Projects?
Sharing here:
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Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
Glenda
I assume you used a primer. What is you preference for a piece like that?
Gail Wilson
Glenda,
I use my own diy chalky paint primer http://bit.ly/chalkyPAINTprimer for the base coat of all of my projects. It's so handy because the primer can be made with the same color of paint you're using for the topcoat.
gail
Jaimee Deason
When I was scrolling through pinterest, I saw the before photo of this and actually thought it was my photo. I found this exact piece of furniture on the side of the road. I took it home and refashioned it into a console/tv stand. And I even painted it a blue shade and put a new top and stained it. I wish I could show you a photo here, but just in case I'm Jaimee Deason on pinterest.
gail@myrepurposedlife.com
How funny! I'm so happy you stopped by to check out my project. š I checked out yours, and it looks fabulous!
gail
Tara H
How am I just seeing this one.. I now have to go through your site and see what I have missed!!
I love that you just cut it apart! š
Jackie
Hey Gail, This might be a silly question but I use the same wax and I have a really hard time with my buffer because the can opening is so small...I even have a hard time when I get close to the bottom with my "big" hands..Do you have problems with this container..I wish they would change the top....
Amy
So pretty, Gail! I love this bench!! <3
Shirley
Fabulous as always! I just wish I had half the tools as you do. I keep entering contest for new tools but never win. Thanks for sharing. When you are on a fixed income tools are not the first thing you purchase.
God Bless
Brenda Latham
Wow,
Such a resourceful mind you have! Love the color too!
Mindi
I was like a giddy school girl reading this! Great tips! I have to get an angle driver! I love it Gail! Pinned.
Holly
Love it! You did a great job!
Tammy
That's freaking awesome.. at first I thought : wow that looks easy enoungh.....NOT.... there still was alot of steps but you made it look wonderful..!! I SO wished you lived by me to teach me how to do this stuff...!!!
girlfromwva
looks beautiful! great job!
Cassie Thompson
Thanks for the tutorial. I've always loved the look of dressers-turned-benches, but wasn't sure of the process. Your bench turned out beautifully!
Trish
That's a winner for sure!
Catherine
Looks FABulous---great job!
I love cutting up furniture and re-inventing it!
I love the link to the other dresser projects---
Catherine
Marti Steele
LOVE this!!!!
Margaret
So, so pretty! This is such a great repurpose! I like the black handles better myself, but both are pretty!
darrielle tennenbaum
Love it! what great storage!
Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co.
Oh wow Gail, what a cool project! Repurposing at it's best!
stacie
Great job, love it. I am still waxing and buffing pieces by hand. Do you have info on the how's, what's, do's and dont's of using a buffer like the one above?
gail@myrepurposedlife.net
Stacie,
Thanks for asking! I did a post (and a video) you can see it here: https://www.myrepurposedlife.com/2013/10/plastic-radio-cabinet-console-makeover.html
cassie
super cute! i love the fun color and the shape- you did a great job as always!
Diane Cash
Now this is a keeper! In love with this one!!!!
kirby carespodi
It looks great--and now I think I need one of those buffers.