Have you ever found a piece of furniture that would look great in your home if only it were a darker wood? It's in good conition, no need to strip and refinish, it just needs to be darker?
When we decided to switch to a flatscreen t.v. I knew I wanted an old buffet as my t.v. stand. I found this beauty on Craigslist for $20! I didn't like the yellowish green finish. YUK!
And here she is after using American Finishes gel stain:
What a dramatic difference!
Here is an oak barrister bookcase that I found on Craigslist for $10. It was in my parent's hometown so I called my Dad and asked him to run over and pay for it so the seller would hold it until I got there.
It was missing the bottom piece of glass but that was easily replaced with a quick trip to Lowe's. We just glued it in place~easy peasy!
And after:
We even used it on our ugly, 1980's bathroom cabinets! Here is a picture comparing the finishes. The door on the left is the after; the one on the right is the before. Sorry about the glare! I didn't know I would be blogging at the time I took the pics or I would have done a better job!
The American Finishes Gel Stain comes in several different colors. I used the Java.
First I cleaned each piece really well. Next, I simply applied the gel stain with an old rag. I wiped off the excess and let it dry. After a second coat, I brushed on the General Finishes Gel Topcoat with a sponge brush and I was finished!
I hope this post is helpful and saves you some time and money!
**Linking to DebbieDo's Newbie Party**
**Linking to Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch**
**Linking to Take-a-Look Tuesday at Sugar Bee Crafts**
