A Wider Circle Furniture Progress

So I started working on the two furniture pieces that I am making over and donating back to A Wider Circle, and I thought you might be interested in my progress.

The Cabinet:
Before doing any painting I removed all of the hardware and the back panel of the cabinet. To remove the back panel I gently tapped on it from the inside with a a hammer until the nails popped enough to pry them out with the hammer.

I wiped everything down with method cleaner and a rag followed by a deglosser to remove any remaining grease, wax, grime etc. The top of the cabinet had a small crack in it, which I filled with wood filler then sanded smooth.

This stuff is great. Make sure you have gloves on hand before using. 

I set all of the pieces (shelves, doors, back panel) on soup cans to get them off the ground (this keeps paint from pooling along edges when painting). I used a foam roller to apply two coats of primer to every surface.

I allowed the primer to dry overnight before painting. So far, I've painted the base of the cabinet, the back panel, and the shelves a Benjamin Moore color called Deep Space.

Next up, I'll paint and attach the legs, and paint the doors. I plan to use a bright color on the doors.

The Bench:
It also got a good cleaning - method and deglosser. Its been spray painted (although it needs one more coat) and currently looks like this. I'll top it off with a cute cushion.

Tip: I like to flip pieces like this upside down for the first coat of spray paint. Its the easiest way to get into those hard to reach places.

I think both are coming along well. They have been really fun to work on! I hope to share the final products later this week.