Painting a Cargo Dresser

[DrumNFeather]

This has got to be a softball for you handy-types. I have an old cargo dresser that I'm thinking about painting.

The questions:

Do I need to sand it?

Do I need to prime it?

Let's start there.

[creekster]

This has got to be a softball for you handy-types. I have an old cargo dresser that I'm thinking about painting.

The questions:

Do I need to sand it?

Do I need to prime it?

Let's start there.

what is the curretn finsih?

[Donuthole]

This has got to be a softball for you handy-types. I have an old cargo dresser that I'm thinking about painting.

The questions:

Do I need to sand it?

Do I need to prime it?

Let's start there.

I tend to think just about any painting project turns out better if you sand and prime. They do make primer-paint-in-one now (Behr at Home Depot, for example), FYI.

[creekster]

I tend to think just about any painting project turns out better if you sand and prime. They do make primer-paint-in-one now (Behr at Home Depot, for example), FYI.

AGreed, but you might want do to more depending on the finish. You might just rough up the surface. If it is already painted and the paint is in good condition there is no real reason to prime. or you might want to strip or sand compeltely, etc. In my mind it depends on what is there now.

[DrumNFeather]

what is the curretn finsih?

It doesn't really have one. It's that cargo from the 80s, so at the very most it has some kind of stain on it, if anything.

[Donuthole]

It doesn't really have one. It's that cargo from the 80s, so at the very most it has some kind of stain on it, if anything.

I painted a dresser with, as you describe it "some kind of stain on it, if anything" a handful of years ago when my wife was pregnant with our first. I sanded with a semi-fine grit (200-250ish) and then primed it with a foamie brush and a single coat of KILLZ primer. Then I painted a single cream coat, again with the foamie, and finished it with 2 coats of flat, brown spray paint (being careful not to over spray so as to cause runs). To finish it, I sanded the edges and raised portions of the drawers, corners, edges, trim, etc. to reveal the cream underneath.

It came out looking great, and we receive compliments on it from just about anyone who sees it. All in all, I think it took me a Friday evening (sand and prime) and the better part of a Saturday (paint, wait, paint, wait, paint wait, final sand--with lots of college football during the "wait" parts) to complete.

Careful, though. If you do too good of a job, you may end up painting a crib, changing station, and toddler's bed to match.

[DrumNFeather]

I painted a dresser with, as you describe it "some kind of stain on it, if anything" a handful of years ago when my wife was pregnant with our first. I sanded with a semi-fine grit (200-250ish) and then primed it with a foamie brush and a single coat of KILLZ primer. Then I painted a single cream coat, again with the foamie, and finished it with 2 coats of flat, brown spray paint (being careful not to over spray so as to cause runs). To finish it, I sanded the edges and raised portions of the drawers, corners, edges, trim, etc. to reveal the cream underneath.

It came out looking great, and we receive compliments on it from just about anyone who sees it. All in all, I think it took me a Friday evening (sand and prime) and the better part of a Saturday (paint, wait, paint, wait, paint wait, final sand--with lots of college football during the "wait" parts) to complete.

Careful, though. If you do too good of a job, you may end up painting a crib, changing station, and toddler's bed to match.

Haha. Well, this would be a simple white, but I hear you! Thanks for the advice!

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I hope you wear cargo pants while you paint it.

[Babs]

I hope you wear cargo pants while you paint it.

exactly. see, I didn't know what a cargo dresser was (I thought it was someone partying like it's 1999 by dressing in cargos), but I didn't want to ask, so I googled it. Google returned this thread. I'm so confused.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

exactly. see, I didn't know what a cargo dresser was (I thought it was someone partying like it's 1999 by dressing in cargos), but I didn't want to ask, so I googled it. Google returned this thread. I'm so confused.

Wait are cargo pants not in fashion anymore? (This is a serious question not a joke btw)

[Babs]

Wait are cargo pants not in fashion anymore? (This is a serious question not a joke btw)

I don't know. IF ONLY TRIPLET WERE HERE!

Nevermind, we can just ask donut instead. Triplet schmriplet.

[falafel]

I don't know. IF ONLY TRIPLET WERE HERE!

Nevermind, we can just ask donut instead. Triplet schmriplet.

So donut is in contact with triplet... Not that interesting, actually.

[Donuthole]

Cargo pants are definitely not in style for anyone over the age of 12 (military uniforms excepted). They probably even remained fashionably acceptable for a few years longer than they should have due to the fact that cargo shorts were so popular. But we're a full 15 years removed from their heyday (i owned a pair from A&F in 1998, pre mission). Mos def not something anyone should be rocking anymore.

My favorite cargo-pants faux pas story the guy in my ward during my first year of law school. He had a pair of black cargo slacks he bought in Germany while on his mission. He would wear them to church every week with his black wingtip Doc Martens (sometimes with a sportcoat and tie). Yikes!

[falafel]

Cargo pants are definitely not in style for anyone over the age of 12 (military uniforms excepted). They probably even remained fashionably acceptable for a few years longer than they should have due to the fact that cargo shorts were so popular. But we're a full 15 years removed from their heyday (i owned a pair from A&F in 1998, pre mission). Mos def not something anyone should be rocking anymore.

Tell that to every store in the mall. Cargo shorts still have the largest market share when it comes to shorts. Cargo shorts were such a huge hit, they have replaced normal shorts as the baseline short option.

[Donuthole]

Tell that to every store in the mall. Cargo shorts still have the largest market share when it comes to shorts. Cargo shorts were such a huge hit, they have replaced normal shorts as the baseline short option.

Yes, and pleats still have the largest market share when it comes to suit pants. But that doesn't make them any less unfashionable now, does it?