Vintage School Desk Make-Over

Instructions

1. Remove old top from desk. Sand off as much rust as you can off the base of the desk with a palm sander or sand paper. Wipe base down with a soft, clean damp cloth. Spray the base of the metal desk with Forged Hammered Antique Pewter Spray Paint.

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2. To keep the project simple, instead of cutting and gluing boards together... I picked up a large piece of Solid Aspen that was ready to go and just the right length. Cut the board into two sizes. One 18" x 24" to replace the desk top and another 15" x 24" for creating a shelf for the area below the desk. 

3. Round the corners of each of the cut wood. If you don't have any of those fancy corner templates, use the edge of the spray paint can as a template to mark the rounded corners. Using a power sander to remove the excess wood. (a coping saw and sanding block would work also) I used a router for a smoother finished edge around the boards.

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4. Prepare the wood for staining by lightly sanding the surface. Sand in the direction of the grain. Remove all the sanding dust with a clean damp rag. (Make sure to read directions on the can.) Apply stain on the wood with brush or clean lint free rag. Allow the stain to penetrate the wood for 3-5 minutes before wiping excess stain off. Allow time for the wood to dry.

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5. Apply a coat of polyurethane over the surface of the wood. After the polyurethane dries, smooth the surface with a fine steel wool. Wipe surface and apply a second coat of polyurethane. Smooth surface again with the fine steel wool.

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6. After all the pieces were dry...Screw the top back onto the base and added the shelf to the bottom bar.

7. Add a couple of flat rectangle baskets in the desk opening for storage.

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