Project 24: Refinishing the Dresser and Night Stand (part 2)

(This is a continuation of a project started here).

Let's recap: I started refinishing the dresser and the night stand last week and got the first 3 steps done.
1 - Disassemble and Wash the Furniture
2 - Sand Everything with Medium Sand Paper
3 - Prime it

This past weekend I was able to get the next 4 steps finished.

Step 4 - Sand Everything with Fine Sand Paper

Here are the supplies I used:

The purpose of this round of sanding is to smooth everything out. In step 2 the purpose was to get rid of the old finish. Step two requires a lot of muscle to get the old finish off. On this step though, you need to be careful not to sand too hard, or you'll sand right through your primer.
See what I mean? (see the yellow peeking through at the top of this picture?)

Just going lightly over and over your surface with the sand paper works best. Better to go over the same spot very lightly five times than push down too hard and go through your primer. Even the lightest of touches will produce quite a lot of dust.

And this isn't paint dust, it's primer dust. Do you know what that means? It means it will STICK to you like glue. It took many many hand washings to get all this off.

I could have worn gloves, but I find it easiest to know if the surface is smooth enough by feeling it with my bare hands.  When you're finished sanding, clean up all the dust. I used the combo of shop vac followed by damp paper towel. You probably want to do this right away. If the primer dust blows all over the place you could end up with a permanently primed garage.

Step 5 - Paint the Furniture

Now comes the fun part... or at least the part that feels like progress. It's time to paint the furniture! I'm using the same paint I used for the trim in my living room. You may be surprised by my choice of paint, but I want this sucker to be durable. Hi-gloss latex enamel is the only way I know to keep this furniture bright white long term. Here are all my supplies. If you are using a roller, remember to buy the roller heads meant for flat surfaces. If you buy one that creates a texture then you're just creating more sanding work.

I kind of wish I was painting this another color just so it would be easier to tell the difference between primer and paint in these pictures. I know it doesn't look like much, but in person it looks way different. The paint is SO much shinier and smoother.

 Let it dry for 24 hours before continuing on to the next step.

Step 6 - Sand Everything with Fine Sand Paper
Wait, what? Yes, I said sand it again. This time though you just need to go over spots that are rough. If the surface is smooth, leave it that way. But if you have a lot of brush strokes in an area, then you'll want to sand it down. Pay particular attention to the inside corners of any drawers. If paint builds up here then it will make the drawers stick.

Step 7 - Paint the Furniture
Time for round two! Just like last time, paint everything as smoothly as possible. Don't rush and glob the paint on, it will just mean more to sand.

This is where I had to stop. It takes me about 2 hours to do a round of sanding/cleaning/painting and then of course I have to wait for it to cure for 24 hours before the next round. This project takes a lot of my time, but I'm excited to see how it will turn out! Just 4 more steps to go!

This project is concluded here.