Vintage Cocktail Cabinet
- Danielle
- Jun 30
- 6 min read
*This post may contain affiliate links.
Vintage Cocktail Cabinet Upcycle to a timeless classic piece
When a piece of furniture has stunning patterns within the grain they really are timeless. Even after 10+years painting furniture, I never get bored of an exposed wood finish with incredible grain.
Getting a beautiful burl grain to shine again is something I repeatedly get asked about, so hopefully this upcycling guide will answer those DIY questions.
Exposed Grain Pieces
A lot of my upcycle projects get sold, shared or gifted, but this one I had a truly hard time parting with, and to be completely honest I now really regret letting it go.
Its also one I still get asked about and if its still available, its the down side of upcycling, each piece really is unique, but it does mean I can pass on the knowledge and if you find something similar or perfect for that awkward spot in your home, you can create a similar piece for your own home.
I can completely understand why people are intimated and put off upcycling when it feels like a huge undertaking. But when we break it down into manageable bitesize steps, any project and look you want to achieve with your upcycle can be a reality.
Top Tip – The longest step is stripping back and old finish, whether this is paint, varnish or wax, not rushing in with the paint can be really hard. But take your time, get your prep right and you’ll have a beautiful finish that lasts.
Old varnish can massively deteriorate over time, that's why, even if I only plan to varnish a piece again, I strip everything back to the wood. Let the wood breathe again before refinishing it with an even coat of varnish, this can really make some of the stunning grain patterns in vintage furniture pop and make them a true statement piece for your home.
Furniture
Finding the right piece of furniture for a project is vital.
Be aware if you're working on something with an intricate grain, the likelihood is you're working on a veneer, the easiest way to check this is to check the inside, underside and edges of the wood, see if the grain continues as it should.
Facebook marketplace, gumtree, ebay, are great places for picking up vintage furniture, its also worth checking out local auctions. When you've found your piece give it a good once over, check for any damage, wood worm or anything else that may need your attention.
If you go to collect a piece of furniture and its not what you expect, it had damage or wood worm, or just isn't as described, walk away. The perfect piece will find you.
Painting Furniture
I added some paint accents to this piece. The frame work wasn't made from the same wood, as is often the case. It was made from a cheaper, lighter wood. You can always look to stain any mis matching wood to give it a more uniform look, i decided a little paint work would ultimately make the grain "pop" that little bit more.
Prepping for paint is really important, we've all seen the "no prep needed" paints. Its true, you can paint anything with no prep, but that doesn't mean it will last.
When I paint a piece of furniture I'm painting it to last. I clean my furniture with a sugar soap to remove any dirt, grease and grime, it also helps break down any furniture polish, these can all act as a barrier between the wood and your paint and stop the paint adhering (*sticking) properly. I then sand. I sand with a 120grit and work up to a 180grit, this opens the wood enough for the paint to get a good grip but is also smooth enough for a buttery smooth finish.
I use furniture paint that has built in primers, I only ever prime when i am working on woods that may bleed tannins into the paint and cause patches of stains in my paint work.
Refinishing
To get the best looking wood you need to ensure your piece is completely stripped of its old finish. This will give you an even base when you start applying your new finish.
I prep my pieces in a few different ways, I generally strip back the original finish with a paint and varnish stripper, you can also use a carbide scraper to help lift an old finish, or you can sand it back.
Tips and Tricks
I'm not sure its a trick but definitely the best tip is patience, sometimes you need to step away and stop faffing to see how something dries. Or even just to give yourself a break, some of these pieces can be really testing.
- I use these cheap brushes for applying the paint and varnish stripper
- I use this paint and varnish stripper
- I use this Tape for masking Tape designs
- I used this Hardwax Oil
- Test the paint stripper after 15 minutes, don’t be afraid to leave it a little longer, but be careful not to let it dry
Vintage Wood | Cocktail Cabinet | Tallboy
Vintage Class furniture with a rich wood finish
Prep Time: 1 Day
Refinish Time: 6 Hours
Drying time: 6 Hours
Author: Rediscovered by Danielle
What You’ll Need
Gloves
Cheap brushes
Scraper
White Spirit
Wire Wool
Soft Soap
Sponge
Metal Leaf Lacquer
Furniture Paint
Top Coat
Brush
Hardware
Instructions
Prep
1. Wearing gloves, Paint on a generous coat of paint stripper with an old brush. Leave until you can see the current finish lifting, the paint can sometimes look likes its wrinkling, this can work really quickly even as you are brushing it on.
Test a section with scraper if unsure. Usually starts to work within 15 minutes, you can leave it longer but don’t let it dry out. If it does dry out, don't panic, just apply a new coat over the top, this will reactivate the original coat.
2. Use a scraper to scrape away the paint stripper and the paint below making sure to dispose of the product.
3. Using wire wool and white spirit gently rub the piece with the grain to lift any sticky residue
4. Wash the piece with warm soapy water and a soft sponge
5. Leave to dry
Painting
6. Using FrogTape mark out any areas you want to apply gold leaf to. I always recommend measuring any designs out, but also taking a step back to check them, not all vintage pieces are as square as they may appear.
7. Run a damp cloth along the edge of your FrogTape to activate the edges.
8. Open your furniture paint and use a stirrer to mix the paint, making sure you scrape the bottom of the tin.
9. Using a paint brush apply your chosen furniture paint to your piece. if you are using a lighter colour you may wish to prime the piece first with a stain blocking primer.
10. Work in small sections brushing with the grain, furniture paint goes a long way, work it out. Your are better to have 2 or 3 thin coats of paint than one thick coat.
11. For the last coat of paint, mix in some of your top coat to a 50:50 ratio. This will act as an extra layer of protection for your piece.
12. Peel your FrogTape while the last coat of paint is still wet.
Allow to dry
Gold Leaf
Apply your FrogTape for the Gold Leaf design, again measure and check by eye.
15. Using an artist paint brush apply your metal leaf size to the areas you wish to gold leaf, leave for 20minutes or as advised on the label
16. using a soft bristle brush lift and apply your gold leaf to the areas. Don't rush your metal leaf size will stay "open" (tacky) for up to 24hours.
17. Using the soft brush, gently wipe away any excess gold leaf.
18. With a soft artist brush apply two coats of your metal leaf lacquer
19. Peel your FrogTape will the lacquer is still wet.
20. Allow to dry
Wood Refinishing
21. The wood on your piece should have a lighter appearance with the old varnish removed. I use Osmo 3032 to refinish wood, if you wipe the wood with a white spirit, this is a good indicator of how Osmo 3032 will look on the wood when dry
22. Again, make sure you thoroughly mix your tin of Osmo before using it. Working on a panel at a time, apply your product with a brush or sponge to the wood working it with the grain.
23. Allow to dry. I recommend two coats of Osmo 3032 for the best longest lasting finish
24. Attach / Reattach Hardware.
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