We recently tackled our biggest nursery project yet: refinishing a veneered six-drawer dresser and giving it a two-tone finish. This post walks through how we refinished the veneered surfaces so they could be stained, and how we painted the dresser top a glossy white. The same approach works on solid wood pieces as long as the veneer is thick enough to sand.
We found the dresser on Craigslist for $20. It was 54″ long with little legs and clean lines that matched the modern crib in the nursery. We had two requirements: it needed to be deep enough to hold a 17″ changing pad and the veneer needed to be thick enough to sand and stain without cutting through to the substrate. When we inspected it, the veneer measured roughly 1/4″, so we decided it was worth bringing home.
After bringing the dresser home, we set it up on cardboard outdoors to protect surfaces from drips. The original finish was worn and uneven in places, so refinishing made sense. This method will work on solid wood and on veneered furniture that has veneer thick enough to sand. It is not suitable for laminate surfaces, which cannot be stained like real wood.
The first step was a thorough wipe-down with a damp rag, inside and out, to remove dust, cobwebs and loose debris. That reset made sanding and staining much cleaner. While cleaning we found a label inside a drawer confirming it was a mid-century piece from the 1950s or 60s—likely why it was so well constructed.
Next we sanded. We started with 80-grit to strip the remaining finish and followed with 200-grit to smooth the surfaces. Always sand with the grain to avoid circular marks that show after staining. We used an electric sander for large flat areas and hand-sanded crevices and built-in pulls so we wouldn’t damage the veneer.
When sanding was complete we wiped all surfaces again with a damp rag to remove dust and allowed everything to dry fully before staining. For stain supplies we used a 2″ synthetic angled brush, clean rags, and Minwax Wood Finish in Red Mahogany. We chose the color by photographing a reference piece (the crib drawer) and comparing the tone in the stain aisle.
We applied one thin, even coat of stain with the grain, making sure the sanded veneer could absorb the product. If the surface doesn’t absorb stain, it likely needs more sanding to get through the old finish. After applying the stain we let it penetrate for twenty minutes to reach a rich, saturated tone, then gently wiped away excess with a clean dry rag, again moving with the grain.
If you want a deeper or more uniform color, repeat the process: apply another thin coat, let it sit 20–25 minutes, then wipe away excess. For our dresser that single well-penetrated coat achieved the look we wanted.
For the painted top we had already sanded the surface. We applied a thin, even coat of oil-based primer with a small foam roller, taking care not to get primer on the stained areas. Oil-based primer helps prevent stain bleed-through and provides good adhesion for the topcoat; we prefer it for furniture even though it smells and requires more careful cleanup. If you need extra protection against splatter, hold a piece of cardboard under the lip while rolling.
Over the primer we rolled three thin coats of semi-gloss latex paint with a clean foam roller. Thin, even coats reduce air bubbles and brush marks. We allowed ample drying time between coats and cured the painted and stained surfaces in a well-ventilated sunroom for 48 hours.
To protect both the stained base and the painted top we finished with two thin coats of Safecoat Acrylacq, a low-VOC, odor-free water-based topcoat. You can use a standard water-based polyurethane instead, but we chose Safecoat for its low odor and non-toxic profile since the dresser would live in a nursery. Apply very thin coats with a brush, work with the grain, brush out any bubbles, and wait about five hours between coats to avoid tackiness.
After two coats of topcoat we allowed the dresser to cure fully for three days in a ventilated space so the finish would harden and be wipeable. The result is a protected, glossy finish on both stained and painted areas, with zero lingering odor thanks to the low-VOC topcoat.
The two-tone effect ties in beautifully with the crib and gives a modern, almost kitchen-island feel—dark stained body with a glossy white top. The built-in finger-pull hardware keeps the look clean and gives six roomy drawers for clothing, diapers and toys. The finished piece is durable and wipeable, ready for everyday nursery use.
Budget breakdown:
- Dresser: $20 (Craigslist)
- Stain: $7.02 (Minwax Red Mahogany)
- Ten cloth rags: $2
- Cheap synthetic brush: $2.49
- Sandpaper, rollers, primer, paint, poly: mostly on hand
- Total spent on supplies: $31.51
We saved well under our original budget and still achieved a durable, attractive result. If you plan a similar project: confirm veneer thickness before sanding, sand with the grain, use thin even coats for stain and topcoat, and allow full curing time for the best, long-lasting finish.