Two-Tone Midcentury
Apothecary Dresser
try saying that 3x fast
Julia Xiong | September 30, 2020
These are the Ikea RAST dressers, typically $40. I got 2 of these dressers for $60 total on Facebook Marketplace.
These are tiny dressers that would be perfect to hold my craft supplies.
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Tools I Used:
- Electric Sander (sandpaper, obviously)
- Putty Knife (or an unused plastic card)
- Power Drill
-Screwdriver
-Handsaw (optional)
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Materials Used:
- White Spray Paint
- Wood Putty
- 2 (2x4x8) Pine Lumber
-16 one-inch flathead screws
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Hardware Used:
Step 1: De-assemble
< 20 mins
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screwdriver
First, I removed all the hardware (handles and drawer stoppers on the inside) and put them in baggies so I can keep track of them later.
These cup handles were SO CLOSE to what I wanted. I would've just had to buy a can of Antiqued Brass Spray Paint. *SIGH* But I felt like these cup handles were too big for these tiny dressers. So I decided to buy the ones I originally wanted.
Step 2: Sand
1-2 days
electric sander
mask
protective glasses
damp cloth
Ah, the joy of sanding...
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Ideally, I wanted to completely sand off the entire dresser and stain it chestnut for that nice apothecary-witchy look.
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The drawers were so opaque, I had assumed it was painted a dark brown. Oh silly me. Whoever renovated these dressers most likely used a gel wood stain and added multiple layers until it was completely opaque. *insert white guy blinking gif* (That's not really what wood stain is for.)
After the first day of sanding for 2 hours, my drawers looked like this and I quickly gave up my dream of a chestnut apothecary dresser.
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I roughly sanded the frames and decided to paint them white instead.
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(If you live in a place that allows you to leave out furniture overnight, I highly recommend using a paint/stain stripper prior to sanding.)
Step 3: Add Support Braces
1-1.5 hrs
power drill
1/4" drill bit
(16) 1.5" screws
cardstock/pencil
2 (2x4x4) pine lumber
masking tape
hack saw (optional)
electric sander (optional)
measuring tape
*If you can, screw in pilot holes for furniture legs at this step. This will be in Step 5. My legs arrived late, so I did this out of order.
A similar mock up of my template for pilot holes.
I wanted to add furniture legs so I had to add a support brace to the base of the frame. Here's how I did it:
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Fitting the base boards to the frame
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For this dresser, 2 (2'x4'x4') pine lumber worked just fine. Get your local hardware store to cut these in half for a total of 4 (2') braces for 2 dressers.
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Flip your dresser frame upside down so the base is facing up.
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Make sure the pine boards fit snuggly between the frame. (I had to use a handsaw and sander to make some adjustments).
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Adding Pilot Holes
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Trace the short side of one pine board onto cardstock. Mark 2 even holes on the cardstock and cut out the template and holes. Use this as your guide for your pilot holes.
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Mark pilot holes on each end of the pine boards (8 total). As well as the insides of the dresser frames (8 total).
Drill Pilot Holes
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Drill your pilot holes in the pine boards and frame separately. *TIP: Measure 1" from the end of your drill bit and tape this section off with masking tape. This way you'll know how far you need to drill.
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Screw Base Board to the Dresser Frame
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Tip your dresser frame to the side. (From the top) Screw in the frame to the pine board. Flip the dresser frame to the other side and add your screws to that side. Repeat on second dresser.
using a hack saw to adjust my base boards
sanding down my base boards
Step 4: Paint the Frame
3 - 4 hrs
sand paper or electric sander
damp cloth
white spray paint
drop cloth
sample can of paint/roller/tray (optional)
wood putty/putty knife (optional)
After a quick sanding, wipe the dressers down with a damp cloth to collect any sawdust.
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I had some dents and scratches on the top of the dresser, so I added some wood putty and smoothed it over.
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Since I had 2 cans of white spray paint, I decided to use that to prime the dressers. I did go to the store to buy more.
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In hindsight, here's what I should've done. Sand off majority of the stain from the frame. Primed the frames using the spray paints I had. Then switch to a roller and can of paint for extra thick coverage. After 5 coats of white spray paint, I decided to call it quits despite it still being spotty on the top.
Step 5: Add Furniture Legs
1.5 - 2 hrs
10" furniture legs
I wanted 10" legs so that they would match the height of the buffet table on the other side of the room. I had to order these legs from Amazon.
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Because these are slanted legs, they have to be screwed onto a plate which is then screwed onto the furniture piece. The legs all come with a pre-marked center dot. Here's how I did it:
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Attaching plates to legs
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Set the furniture leg so it's flush to the ground. Make sure to to have it angled the way you want it when it's on the dresser. Add the plate on top of the leg, match the center dot to the plate, mark your pilot holes. Repeat on all legs.
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Drill pilot holes on all legs. Be very careful when doing this. I had to sit on a short stool, hold the dowel with my feet and hand, then drill with the other hand.
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Match up the holes and screw plates onto the legs.
Attaching legs to the dresser
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Carefully flip your dresser frame upside down again. I recommend doing this on a rug so that the paint doesn't scratch.
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Assemble the leg and plate near the side of the brace boards. Leaving a 1 inch gap clearance for the screws attaching the brace to the frame. Make sure legs are angled the way you would like them to sit upright. Mark your pilot holes.
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Drill your pilot holes.
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Screw the leg plates onto the brace boards.
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Carefully flip your dresser frame over. Add any of the felt feet padding if necessary.
pencil
measuring tape
power drill
1/4" drill bit
Step 6: Add Hardware
1 hr
screwdriver
tiny screwdriver
measuring tape
power drill (optional)
antique brass cup pull handles
brass metal label holders
I meticulously covered the previous holes with my new handles, these were my placement markers. The handle screws were so tiny, I didn't need to drill pilot holes, I did use a hammer and nail to get an indent for the screw to sit in.
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Once the new handles were in place, I marked the center point between the handles and brass label holders. I matched up the center points and screwed them in place. These screws were even smaller. I had to use one of those screwdrivers they give you in those eyeglass repair kits.
Bonus: Replacing Guide Rail
30 mins
Amazon guide rail
pencil
cutting pliers
screwdriver
power drill (optional)
I eventually realized that one of the guide rails was missing on the bottom drawer. If empty, it looks fine. When filled, the drawer will sit crooked.
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I found a plastic guide rail that some reviewers claimed worked in the Ikea RAST dresser. Unfortunately, this one is no longer available for purchase. I just searched "Ikea guide rail".
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The guide rail was too long, but had the correct depth and height. Since it was plastic, I was able to trim off the end using wire cutters.
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Unlike the Ikea guide rail, this one had to be screwed in. The actual Ikea guide rails have little notches that sit in the holes of the frame. I placed one of the Ikea guide rails where the missing one was and marked out guidelines. This way I can just match the new rail to this and screw it in place.
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AND VOILA...
Overall, I'm really happy with how they turned out. I wasn't sure how I felt about the legs not matching the wood of the dresser fronts, but I'm over it now. I love the hardware and that I didn't have to end up staining the dresser at all. It's been a while since I've renovated a furniture piece and I'm glad I was able to do it again during quarantine.
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These dressers will also be featured in My Craft Corner blog post.
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I also want to point out that the Ikea RAST dresser is one of the most renovated furniture pieces. The Crazy Craft Lady has a whole blog post dedicated to more idea options.