Studio Furnishings

Remember that old oak teacher's desk refinishing project I thought was the lynchpin to whipping my studio into shape? Well, it seems proper storage units were the lynchpin. Having those in the room has motivated me to tackle the desks. Yep. Plural. I picked up the desk pictured above at ReStore for something like $25. I think it is from a hotel; there were several of the same. Most importantly, it is super sturdy. It should be able to serve as a sewing table and take the beating from Phyllis. 

But first, the project before the project. I needed to clear my workspace which meant dealing with this table pedestal from the As-Is discount at Ikea and the free tabletop I scored from craigslist.

The hardware taped to one of the table arms included 4 split lock washers, an allen wrench, and 8 Phillips head screws to attach the arms to the underside of the table. Huh? The allen wrench doesn't fit the screws and there aren't enough washers for all the screws. I tracked down a photo of a similar looking Ikea table pedestal to the British Ikea website. I was able to download instructions that illustrated the washers were supposed to go with the bolts that attach both the feet and the arms to the post. Easy enough to remedy. Then a little drilling of pilot holes and twisting of screws and the table is built. But, dang it, this thing is HEAVY. So, leave it where it is and carry on.

Scrubbing out the drawers from both desks with soapy, vinegary water. The teacher's desk drawers sported a bunch of gold glitter, numerous bits of paper, blobs of glue, clear tape, what might have been a raisin, and a very sticky hard candy. Not to mention dirt. I'm toying with lining the drawers with colorful, fun paper or old book pages. Or maybe I'll leave the signs of use and history alone.

Ever wonder where all the punched out holes from your 3-hole punch go? Into the depths of desk drawers to worry away at the cobwebs.

Lots of tape to be removed. It pulled up strips of sealant.

Despite how beat up the top surface of the teacher's desk is, I am pleased the sanding is working magic. And the veneer appears to be rather thick. My fears of sanding too deeply and going right through the oak are unfounded. Phew.