Home Giving a 1942 Vanity Table a New Life

🛍️💰 Found this vanity on a local barter and trade site for $50! 👀 I've been on the hunt for a vanity for a while, and I snagged this one to give it a makeover and turn it into something I adore and use. 💄💅

My plan was to transform it into something I would love and use. My first task was to remove the veneer.

I attempted to use heat to release the veneer, but I discovered that picking and peeling it off using straight edge razors and various putty knives was the most efficient method. It was a tedious and unpleasant task, as I had to pick tiny pieces at a time in some areas. Nonetheless, I managed to remove most of the veneer and got down to the bare bones.

Next, I sanded the vanity meticulously, paying attention to every crack and crevice. To get the wood as fresh-looking as possible

, I sanded it even more. My advice to anyone attempting this is to sand, sand, and sand some more. When you think you've sanded enough, go back and sand some more.

I then carefully stained the piece using a grain-defining stain, which produced a variation in color that I was happy with, given the variation in the types of wood. I followed the same process with the topper that holds the mirror. While working on the piece, I found a stamp on the mirrors that said "Galax Va.," with the middle part being unreadable, and "1942." I presume this dates the piece to 1942.

After staining, I applied four coats of premium satin finish polyurethane and used a little Brasso to clean the handles. The final product exceeded my expectations, and I'm thrilled with the outcome. It took over 100 hours of hard work, but the before-and-after comparison speaks for itself.