Refinishing a Wooden Dresser with Matte Black Milk Paint
Step-by-step guide made from Black Sheep House's YouTube video.
Refinish a stained wooden dresser in a smooth matte black finish without using a paint sprayer. The process covers scuff sanding, degreasing, applying water-based black milk paint with a brush and dry foam roller to eliminate brushstrokes, and wiping on a matte clear topcoat using an unmounted foam roller tube.
- Difficulty: beginner
Safety
- Work in a well-ventilated area when sanding, cleaning, and applying paints and polyurethanes.
- Wear a dust mask while scuff sanding to avoid inhaling fine wood and finish dust.
Must know before you build
- Mix a tiny amount of black paint into clear topcoat to prevent haze on dark finishes.
- Avoid mineral spirits before water-based paint; it repels water-based finishes.
- Do not overwork water-based polyurethane; it whips air bubbles into the fast-drying finish.
- Allow paint coats to fully dry before tack cloth or topcoat to prevent pulling up paint.
- Use a dry high-density foam roller immediately after brushing to eliminate brushstrokes.
- Wipe on the matte clear topcoat using an unmounted foam roller tube for best results.
Tools
- Shop vacuum (vacuum cleaner with brush nozzle attachment)
- Paint can opener (metal key-style can opener and 5-in-1 painter's tool) (optional)
- Paint stir stick (wooden stir paddle)
- Synthetic paintbrush (stubby synthetic bristle paintbrush, Zibra, 2 in)
- High-density foam roller (mini high-density foam paint roller, 4 in to 6 in)
- Detail paintbrush (small flat synthetic artist brush) (optional)
Materials
- Wooden dresser (1, wood dresser)
- Sanding sponge (1, flexible sanding sponge, 220 grit)
- All-purpose cleaner (concentrated all-purpose cleaner, Simple Green, 1 gal)
- Paper towels (disposable paper towels)
- Water-based milk paint (1 can, water-based acrylic milk paint, General Finishes, Lamp Black, 1 quart (946 mL))
- Paper plates (disposable coated paper plates)
- Tack cloth (1, sticky dust-removal cloth)
- Water-based clear topcoat (1 can, water-based polyurethane / polycrylic, Varathane, Matte finish, 1 quart (946 mL))
- Metallic interior paint (water-based satin metallic interior paint, Modern Masters, Antique Bronze, 6 oz)
- Drawer pulls (12, cabinet bar pulls and bail pulls)
Step by step
Step 1: Scuff Sand and Clean the Dresser
Scuff sand the wooden dresser with a 220-grit sanding sponge, vacuum away the dust, and wipe all surfaces clean with all-purpose cleaner and paper towels.
- Scuff sand the wood finish. Remove all drawer hardware and lightly scuff sand the drawer fronts and dresser frame along the wood grain using a 220-grit flexible sanding sponge.
- Tip: Use a flexible sanding sponge so it conforms easily to the contoured edges of the drawer fronts.
- Common mistake: Skipping the scuff sand on glossy factory finishes, which prevents water-based milk paint from adhering properly.
- Vacuum away sanding dust. Vacuum all sanding dust off the drawer fronts, molded trim, and crevices using a shop vacuum with a brush attachment.
- Degrease with all-purpose cleaner. Pour Simple Green all-purpose cleaner onto a paper towel and thoroughly wipe down the entire dresser to remove oils, grime, and residual dust.
- Tip: Scrub thoroughly around the hardware mounting holes where hand oils and furniture polish build up over time.
- Common mistake: Using mineral spirits before water-based paint without letting it fully evaporate or rinsing, which can cause fish-eyes or poor adhesion.
Step 2: Apply First Coat of Black Milk Paint
Stir the black milk paint, brush the first coat onto the drawer fronts and side panels, and immediately roll over the wet paint with a dry high-density foam roller to remove brushstrokes.
- Open, stir, and pour the milk paint. Pry open the can of General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint, stir thoroughly with a wooden stick to mix settled pigments, and pour a working amount onto a coated paper plate.
- Tip: Pour a small amount of paint onto a disposable paper plate rather than working directly out of the can to keep the main supply clean and prevent premature drying.
- Brush and dry-roll the drawer fronts. Pull the drawer out slightly, brush a coat of black milk paint across the drawer front and profiled edges using a 2-inch synthetic brush, and immediately roll over the wet paint with a dry high-density foam roller to smooth out brushstrokes.
- Tip: Do not dip the foam roller into the paint; apply the paint with your brush first and use the dry roller strictly to smooth out the finish.
- Tip: Hold the bottom edge of the partially open drawer steady with one hand while rolling horizontally and vertically over the face and edges.
- Common mistake: Expecting full opacity on the first coat — the first thin layer will look sheer and streaky until the second coat is applied.
- Brush and dry-roll the side panels. Brush a coat of black milk paint onto the flat side panel of the dresser in vertical strokes, then roll vertically over the wet surface with the high-density foam roller.
Step 3: Wipe with Tack Cloth and Apply Second Coat of Paint
Wipe the dried first coat with a tack cloth, paint the narrow recessed frame edges with a small detail brush, and brush and roll a second coat of black milk paint over the dresser.
- Wipe the dried first coat with a tack cloth. Once the first coat of paint is completely dry, wipe down the entire dresser with a sticky tack cloth to grab any settled dust particles, then stir and pour fresh paint onto a plate.
- Tip: A single $1 tack cloth can be refolded and reused 10 or more times to remove dust between coats.
- Paint recessed frame ledges with a detail brush. Use a small flat artist brush to paint the narrow horizontal dividers and vertical inner frame edges between the partially open drawers.
- Tip: Store the removed drawer hardware and screws inside the drawers while working so they don't get misplaced.
- Brush and roll the second coat on drawers and sides. Brush the second coat of Lamp Black Milk Paint onto the drawer fronts and dresser side panels, following immediately behind with the high-density foam roller to create an even, opaque black finish.
- Tip: Stop after just one coat of General Finishes Lamp Black Milk Paint if you prefer a sheer, black-stained wood grain look with half the effort.
Step 4: Apply Matte Clear Topcoat with Foam Roller Tube
Wipe the painted surfaces with a tack cloth, dip an unmounted high-density foam roller tube into water-based matte topcoat, drag it across the drawers in long strokes, and dab the corners to prevent drips.
- Stir and pour the matte clear topcoat. Stir the can of Varathane water-based matte polyurethane gently with a wooden stir stick and pour a puddle onto a clean coated paper plate.
- Dip the unmounted foam roller tube and drag across the drawer. Hold an unmounted 4-to-6-inch high-density foam roller refill in your hand, dip one side into the matte topcoat on the plate, and drag it horizontally across the drawer front in smooth, continuous passes.
- Tip: Drag the topcoat horizontally across the drawer fronts and vertically along the side panels to follow the direction of the panels.
- Wipe the profiled edges and dab corners to remove drips. Wipe the next drawer with a tack cloth, drag the foam roller tube across the face and around the outer profiled edges, and lightly dab the corners with the foam tube to pick up any pooled topcoat before it drips.
- Tip: Dab rather than drag around the corners and outer edges of the drawer fronts to absorb pooled clear coat and prevent drips.
- Common mistake: Dragging a loaded applicator across the end corners of a drawer, which scrapes off excess liquid and leaves heavy runs along the edges.