Occasionally, you may get a piece of furniture that the top is just not salvageable and must be replaced. For this vanity, that was exactly the case and of course when replacing the wood, you want to go with a cost effective way to do so!
You'll need to start by removing the existing top. Typically, there will be screws under the top that you can take out to help, then a prybar and hammer to loosen the glued pieces of the top. Be mindful of the sides of the piece as you pry the top off.
For the top replacement on this vanity, I went with cedar pickets cut to size of the existing piece. The hardware store will typically cut them for you if you don't have a way to cut them yourself. The cedar fence posts are relatively cheap, ranging from $1-4 each, depending on where you get your supplies. Once I had my fence posts, I needed to sand them down smooth...these posts will be very rough. (Don't forget the underside where your buyer's legs will go)
Start with a high grit sandpaper and work your way down to fine grit with a handheld orbital sander.
Don't worry about having some holes or dips in the wood, when using these cedar posts. It's more than likely going to be hard to get rid of. Just be sure to use sides without knots on the top part that will be showing. (Don't forget to smooth the sides)
Once you've done this, figure out the placement on your piece and measure out your screws to secure to the frame of the piece on the top. Careful of the alignment from both sides. You can always use a small artist brush and paint to paint your nail heads if you choose to do so, depending on the style and look you're going for.
Dixie Belle offers 6 colors of No Pain Gel stain. I chose Pickling White for this piece to better match the color and style of the body of the piece. You'll stir the oil gel well and apply with an applicator pad in sections...rubbing it in well into the grain of the wood, in circular motions. Work in small sections. The longer you leave the stain on, the deeper the color you'll get.
You'll need to wipe off the excess when you are finished.
You can apply a second coat if you want a deeper color. Once you've got the stain where you like it, let it dry. I usually let mine dry for about 48 hours. Top with 2 (or 3 for this one) coats of Gator Hide and you're all done! Don't worry about small gaps between the wood planks...that only adds to the barn wood feel!!
To recap:
Products for Installing a Barn Wood top:
-Cedar Fence Posts cut to size (hardware store)
-Orbital Sander with 3-4 grits of sand paper
-No Pain Gel Stain in the color of your choice
-Gator Hide
GET ALL THE PRODUCTS to recreate this look on your own piece👇🏻: https://dixiebellepaint.com/no-pain-gel-stain-oil-based-1/?aff=366
Watch the video on HOW TO CREATE THE LOOK of the body here: https://youtu.be/OvOjixoxX6k
**The Dixie Belle Product link is an affiliate link and I do
earn a small commission when you use it**
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