This Coastal Blue Milk Painted maple server was a commissioned piece I refinished for my sister-in-law.
She chose General Finishes Coastal Blue Milk Paint accented with Pitch Black Glaze. It came such a long way from its original dated maple finish thanks to quality paint products from General Finishes!
Prepping the Server
Before I set to work refinishing this gorgeous (and heavy) maple server, I spent time prep cleaning and sanding it. Whenever you are embarking on a furniture makeover project, you should always prep!
Here are the steps I followed:
Taking the extra time to do these simple steps provides you with a clean foundation that can accept a new finish.
I also removed the doors from their hinges, and stored them in plastic baggies that were labeled and numbered. Experience has taught me that whenever you remove doors, you should use the same hinges to re-hang them. If you mix up the hinges, the doors may not sit right in their cavities and can cause issues when you’re putting the piece back together.
Painting in Coastal Blue Milk Paint by General Finishes
My sister-in-law opted for General Finishes Coastal Blue Milk Paint.
This shade is a lovely navy, and I have used it on a lot of pieces in the past.
It took 3 coats of Milk Paint to cover this piece completely, which surprised me. Usually it only takes me 2 coats to get full coverage.
The body painted just find but the doors proved to be a bit tricky. In hindsight, I should have sprayed them, but I don’t have a spray booth set up anymore in my workshop. Perhaps that’s something I’ll work towards in the future.
After 3 coats, I applied a layer of High Performance Topcoat in Satin, and then glazed the piece in Pitch Black Glaze Effects.
You can watch this Facebook Live broadcast to learn my method for applying General Finishes Glaze Effects. It’s a product that requires a bit of practice at first, but adds a lot of depth and character in the end!
Here is another tutorial video you may find helpful to learn to glaze.
After the server was glazed, I applied 2 more coats of High Performance Topcoat in Satin to the piece. Because this is a server, and will get used often, I wanted lots of protection for my sister-in-law!
Adding New Hardware
The original hardware that came with the server was Chippendale style. It gave a very dated look to the piece, so together, we chose updated cup pulls from D.Lawless Hardware.
They added a much-needed update to the piece, and I spray painted the hinges and original cabinet knobs to match.
A Coastal Blue Server Glazed With Pitch Black Glaze Effects
This maple server came quite a long way from dated to dreamy!
If you’d like to create this look at home, here are the products you’ll need (links have been provided for items that I stock):
- Coastal Blue Milk Paint
- Pitch Black Glaze Effects
- High Performance Topcoat
- Extender
- Denatured Alcohol
- 400 Grit Sandpaper
- Oil Rubbed Bronze Spray Paint
- Cup Pulls (or your choice of hardware)
- Green Scotch Brite Pad
