Two-tone bookcase

This post is long overdue, in fact it has taken me exactly one month to complete the project and post about it-so pathetic!  Remember my post about all the projects I've got in the garage?  If not, you can check it out here.  I can now cross the bookcase off the list.  The end tables, coffee table, and lamps still remain though. 

Here she is all painted and pretty.

Supplies needed:

• Paint (I used a satin finish)
• Paint conditioner (I used Floetrol, which was found at my local hardware store)
• Paint tray
• Foam roller and brushes
• Not pictured is the water-based poly and the wood filler

Here she is before I gave her a little love.  Not a terrible piece, but had some great potential.  I got her off craigslist at a bargain of $50.  A solid wood bookcase for $50 or less is a deal any day in my book.



She had a cabin type vibe going on and since that's not what I was looking for, I had to transform her.  The nail holes were left exposed, which worked for the cabin theme.

I used some wood filler (okay, okay...it's actually spackle.  My container of wood filler was all dried up and since I didn't want to make another trip to the hardware store, I used what we had.  The container did say it would be used on wood) to fill the holes.

I removed the bottom cabinet thing.  I kept going back and forth and decided it was just to cabin-y for me.  I did keep it, in case I changed my mind.

Then, I sanded this puppy down.

Usually I would slap on a coat of primer, but since I took so much time sanding everything down I didn't feel it was necessary (shhh...don't tell the primer police!).  I should also mention that I wiped everything down really well prior to applying any paint. 

I wanted the finish to be really smooth, so I went with foam rollers.  The paint conditioner was so awesome it is my new favorite product.  It helps slow down the drying time of the paint, so you can go back and fix and smooth out areas-it's so great!  I allowed for 24 hours of drying time in between coats.  I applied two coats of gray and then taped, so I could paint the back a different color.

After I was done with the paint, I applied a coat of water-based poly to seal everything up (if you are applying poly on top of paint, make sure to use a water-based formula.  If you do use an oil based formula, it will yellow over time).  I figured a bookcase would see a little wear and tear, so I wanted an extra layer of protection.

One of the reasons I bought this piece, was because of the wainscoting backing on the bookcase. 

If you remember my post about my dilemma with my paint choice (if not, click here) I kept going back and forth with this color.  The walls that the contractor installed have a wainscoting finish.  I painted the bookcase in a fashion that mimics the newly finished walls.  I think it helps grab the wall color and bring it to another area of the room.

One last picture of her in all her glory.

Do you have any projects you can cross off your list?

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