Vanity Makeover

Next it was time for staining. I’m not a big fan of oak, but I’m also not a big fan of spending $800 for a new vanity. The finish was pretty much worn off so I didn’t even have to sand. I just laid down those cheap vinyl picnic tableclothes that you can get at the dollar store because the hardware store only had canvas drop cloths for $30. I used kitchen gloves for staining gloves because they are a lot thicker, & also got those for a dollar. I did have to buy some stain for $9.99. Then it was just a matter of putting the stain on. For this finish, oak looked awful after I rubbed the stain off, so I just didn’t. I’ve seen them do this on decorating shows sometimes, & I’ve even used this method over paint. It’s not ideal, but it works. One word of caution, this needs a lot of drying time, I’d say 5 days to a week before it is put in use. Then for the top coat I sponged on more stain to make it look like burled wood, & less like oak. It is a very subtle finish but it’s beautiful & so far is holding up very well. I know that I broke all the rules of staining, but I’m happy with it. I also painted the doorknobs with a bronze paint.

Before