The bathroom makeover has begun. My daughter came over Sunday to show me how to use General Finishes Gel Stain to create a darker finish on the vanity.. Here is what we started with. A really builder basic bathroom. I did a cosmetic makeover 2 years ago with paint, new shower curtain, light and mirror. Added some new accessories and it really is a better bathroom. You can see how I removed the medecine cabinet and all the details of the makeover here. At the time I didn’t repaint all the walls, so they need a little refreshing right about now. If I am going to paint, then why not change things up a bit.
I showed you my inspiration board and how I want to change things up in this post.
With that in mind, first things first, the vanity needs to have a darker stain, so that is our goal.
The doors and hinge hardware have been taken off and all the wood has been sanded. I put some tape around the inside of the cabinet to protect it since it will not be stained.
I also taped around the walls and floor to protect them. I will lay down paper also to protect more of the floor.
Since it is 110 degrees outside, I can’t do the staining in the garage, so I am using the dining room table. I covered it with a sheet, then with a double layer of drop cloth. The cabinet doors have been sanded and they are resting on some blocks to hold them up off the dropcloth. Now the fun begins. It will take several thin coats of stain, so I think this will be the “chic” look of my dining room for a while.
With all the prep work done, I can watch my daughter and learn how to do this. We had so much fun today, did my heart good. I love spending time with my children.
She will fuss at me when she sees this, but I just had to show you her pretty smile.
The instructions say it will be really streaky after the first coat, so don’t freak, my daughter said this is so true. The 2nd and 3rd coats make a huge difference.
This was the back of the cabinet doors after the first coat.
This is the front of the doors after the first coat.
Big difference with the second coat. You can still see streaks, but I am being really careful to put really thin coats on, so it will definitely take 2 or 3 more.
The cabinet is way darker too – – and a lot less streaks also.
I need to let this dry at least 24 to 36 hours, then I can do another coat, so I will show you the finished cabinet some time next week. I am going to love it.
Have you used gel stain before and how did you like it?
I am joining the following parties:
Addison Meadows Lane, Craftberry Bush , Posed Perfection ,
Katherines Corner , The Vintage Farmhouse , A Delightsome Life ,
Love of Family & Home , Between Naps On The Porch ,
From My Front Porch To Yours , The 36th Avenue , Imparting Grace ,
My Romantic Home , French Country Cottage ,The Thrifty Groove ,
The Charm Of Home , Chic A Shoestring Decorating,
FindingFabulous , Rooted In Thyme , Jennifer Rizzo ,
Redoux Interiors
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