To recap from yesterday’s post, I’m painting Leah’s headboard, that I picked up used off of Kijiji for $15. I’m painting it white to match the IKEA Hemnes white dresser that is also in her bedroom. I’ve never painted a piece of furniture before, so this is completely new for me! Here is what the headboard looked like before I started:
And here is what the headboard looked like after I posted last night after three coats of paint: (Coat #2 was kind of just a light brushing of the curves, so I’m not sure it counts as a full coat):
I managed to do one more coat of paint last night for a total of 4 coats (really 3 full coats). I wasn’t all that happy with the finish of it. You can see that it’s anything but smooth, which isn’t exactly what I’m going for:
So I laid it flat on the floor to prevent gravity from working against me, and did a coat only using a paint brush. (Jason helped with half again so that’s his arm… he really seems to like the paint brushing parts!)
It was starting to look a lot better after the 5th coat (as it should, because that’s a lot of paint!). I’m not sure if it’s normal to have to do so many coats, but that’s how many it has taken me. I could probably keep painting to even out the finish, but I think I’m going to leave it at this for now:
So, that was five coats of paint! And now, what I have been waiting for since I bought this $15 headboard back in December! Here’s a quick reminder of what it looked like before I started:
And now that we’ve fixed it all up and made it look new again, here is what it looks like now:
I love it! I think it goes with Leah’s room perfectly! I still have to make some pillows for Leah’s bed. It’s looking pretty bare, but at least this is a big step forward! I didn’t have a chance to take a picture of it next to the IKEA dresser that I was trying match the paint to, but from across the room, it seems to match perfectly! And something about the white, makes the tutu bedskirt I made pop too!
It wasn’t the most perfect painting job, but I don’t think anyone will inspect it closely enough to notice. I think I have to practice painting a few more things to get it to look exactly how I want it.
It’s a slow process, but I’m getting Leah’s bedroom put together one little project at a time. So this is another project to check off my list! Phew!
Jill says
I love it! So beautiful!!!!!
Debbie @ One Little Project says
Thanks! I’m really really happy with it!! 🙂
mameb says
I think the headboard looks good ….. an even if it had small flaws 2 it by the time u put on all the bedding it looked store brought
Kat says
Great work! These projects are always so much more time and energy than you expect! I have to ask you: Did the cigarette smell completely leave this piece in the end? I have a new to me dresser that has such a great look, but unfortunately reeks of smoke! Wish me luck!
Debbie Chapman says
Thanks!!! I would say it really depends how picky you are about smell. In the end the smell was about 90% gone. But sometimes – only on hot/humid summer days – I’d walk into my daughter’s bedroom and the room would have a faint smell of cigarette smoke. I kept the headboard in the basement for a few years, hoping the smell would go away, but every time I brought it back up, it would still smell on hot days.
So after about 5 years, since it was for a child’s room, I decided to sell the headboard again. If it had been anywhere else in the house I probably would have been okay with it, but I didn’t want to risk it being so close to my daughter’s head for so many hours at night.
Good luck with your project! I hope you manage to get rid of the smell!!!
Donna pulse says
Just moved into a new apt n I smoked in my old one n my furniture in my bedroom is dark maghony n smells like cigarette smoke bad n I’m not smoking in my new apartment so I’m gonna try the baking soda but what should I use to get the shine back? Any suggestions?