The Water-Logged China Cabinet

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Here's the back story on this piece... The storage unit we rented was in an old factory and they were cleaning-out.  When we arrived with the movers (same company) I spotted the china cabinet that had been left out in the rain for a loooong time.  It was warped, split, peeling, and had no glass.  Since I'm an idiot...ahem, love a challenge, I offered to buy it.  The owner told me to take it - no charge.  He also gave me the maple table for free.  If you missed that makeover, click HERE.  Since I had no room for the china cabinet, it sat there until we moved into the new Cottage.  

The china cabinet made it as far as the back porch and as soon as we were 'settled' aka: had a functional kitchen and bathroom, I got to work.

The original plan was to reglue the veneer and try to add stain to blend in what was missing.  That plan was tossed aside as soon as I realized the extent of the water damage.  Take a closer look:

The more sanding I did, the more veneer came off. It was so sad...  Time for a new plan...get rid of the veneer.  

I started with the drawer and veneer was flying EVERYWHERE!  Once it was down to bare wood (which didn't take very long) I saw the lovely green hue...hello, poplar!  The drawer would be painted.  

I continued with the two panels on either side of the door.  Once again, the veneer was flying and then I discovered another issue.  There was a layer of veneer under the veneer that also was loose. You can't see it in the picture, but, trust me, it was lifting right off.  

I consulted with my assistant (aka my husband), who agreed with me,  it all had to come off.  There was just no way to re-glue all that veneer successfully.  Off it came! 

He's always so happy to help! 

I did save the decorative moldings at the top by prying them off very carefully with a putty knife.  

Let's just say, there was a lot of ruined veneer:

And more poplar wood:

After sanding everything smooth, I got to work on the solid-wood parts:  the door frame, the corners, those legs...I used Furniture Refinisher & Tung Oil from Homer Formby with no expectations.  This wood had very little finish left on it, but I was pleasantly surprised with the results. This is not a paid endorsement and Formby doesn't even know I used their product, but it is something I will be using again!

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Certainly not perfect, but, oh so much better than before.  

The top and sides got 2 coats of black chalk paint to cover the damage (the top was warped & split and had to be screwed back together).  I also painted the inside and the drawer.  Everything got a little distressing with sandpaper.  A new piece of glass was cut for the door and then it was time to tackle those front side panels.  

Since the green poplar was shining through, I gave them 2 coats of white paint and bought some fabric.

I cut the fabric a little larger than the panels and used Mod Podge to apply it.  

Once the entire piece of fabric was secure and dry, I trimmed it with an exacto knife and applied one more coat over the top.

Last, but not least, I had to clean the knob and drawer pulls.  They were pretty dirty:

Even in the sun, they looked grimy!

A little metal polish and some elbow grease turned them into this:

Can you stand a couple of more close-up?

This project was a 'labor of love'. Half way through, with things splitting, chipping and peeling, my husband looked at me and asked if I wanted to ditch this one and find a better china cabinet to rehab.  "Absolutely not!" was my answer, with no hesitation.  This cabinet needed me, since most people probably would have thrown it in the fire.  
At the risk of sounding crazy, I think pieces of furniture 'speak to you' when you find them and as you work on them; and even though this one turned out completely different from the original plan, I think it has beauty, and more importantly, character! 
Thank you for stopping by and reading this 'lengthy' post. What pieces have you rescued from the fire?  I'd love to hear about them. 
Have a wonderful week!

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