Nursery Crib & Dresser refinishing project

After a few weeks of winter-end break and lull, I took on a nursery crib and dresser re-finishing project for a client. I would never had imagined the daunting task ahead of this one… Since the the crib and dresser were for a nursery, I had to invest many hours of research in order to find and select a baby-safe, non-toxic and no VOC type of paint. Thank God for the internet! I can’t remember how many reviews I’ve read and time I’ve spent looking through paint brand & manufacturer’s MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets).

I did find this Lullaby Paint which is an award-winning Baby-safe paint but unfortunately this brand was not readily available in Canada. Shipping time and costs from the states were out of this world and baby-girl was due soon… did not have time to wait so after more reading, I went with CeCe Caldwell’s Paints. CeCe’s paint has NO: VOC’s, acrylic co-polymers, solvents, formaldehyde, ethylene glycol. The minerals are clay, gibbsite & chalk in a water based solution. The containers are environment conscious made from recycled materials.

Mommy wanted an off-white colour so the Vintage White was just perfect! Again, this paint was not widely available in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) but I did find a place that carries CeCe’s at the Pickering Antique Market, and it’s called The Rooster’s Waltz. I never got to meet the booth owner even after 3 trips!!! from Orangeville but if you have time, the Market is quite the place to visit if you’re into vintage and antique stuff.

Anyways, getting off track…

I’m so happy with the way this project turned out. Although originally beautiful in it’s dark espresso colour, the simultaneously chic and classy distressed off-white colour will surely add some style, charm and innocence to Mark and Sandra’s nursery for their new little girl.
 Nursery - During

After 4 coats or paint I gently distressed both crib and dresser which showed the dark espresso through beautifully. For protection, I waxed the pieces usingThe CeCe Caldwell’s Wax – Ingredients:  Beeswax, Clarified Linseed Oil, Orange Peel Oil (D-Limonene), Caranuba Wax, Essential Oils, and Lead-free Dryers. Have to love the fact that every ingredients in this line are natural. I guess babies will chew and gum everything. I can see it being a concern as I did see tiny little teeth marks in the crib.

To finish the piece, I special-ordered some glass knobs and it instantly added some charm to a dresser fit for a princess. What do you think?!

Nursery Dresser - After1Nursery Dresser - After3 Nursery Dresser - After2Crib
Before and After

Nursery Dresser - Before and After

If you have a project in mind, please feel free to contact me and I will glad to chat about it with you!

 


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6 responses to “Nursery Crib & Dresser refinishing project”

  1. Aften Lane Avatar

    Hey there! Love the chalk painted furniture. I am looking to do something similar to my little one’s crib and dresser but I am a little concerned about the durability of the wax/chalk paint over time. How did yours hold up? Any chipping or “eating away” on the crib? Thank you!

    1. NavyR Avatar
      NavyR

      Hi There, Sorry I didn’t get to this post earlier. If you wax the pieces properly, the paint shouldn’t chip form underneath. Also make sure the paint and wax you choose is zero VOC so it doesn’t harm the little one. That’s why I chose the CeCe Caldwell line. As for the crib, the reason it needed to be refinished was because the lady’s first kid had eaten away at the rail during his teething phase… lol. Also why you need to consider a natural paint and wax. Good Luck with your project!

  2. Adriana Avatar
    Adriana

    Hi. Did you sand the furniture before painting? I see videos where people are not sanding before painting.

    1. NavyR Avatar
      NavyR

      Hi Adriana, I only sand pieces lightly when the texture is too smooth and where I think the paint wouldn’t stick. Maybe do a test area first to see.

  3. Alexandra Avatar
    Alexandra

    Hi there, I am also looking to do something similar with mine. Would you mind telling me how much paint did you ise on both the crib and dresser?

    Thanks
    Alex

    1. NavyR Avatar
      NavyR

      Hi Alex. Sorry for the late reply… been super busy with my full time job. lol… To answer your question, I used almost 4 quarts for these pieces.

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