DIY - Ikea Moppe Chest Drawer

I was so into customing this Ikea drawer thing that I just didn't sew and finish the jeans. Woopsy, well I'll try to finish them soonishly and have few photos from them on the A-line Minifee girls since the jeans are for that size! Anyway, I was really into wanting to make this Ikea Moppe for my own and since I did take a look of a lot of DIY projects from Ikea furniture and especially photos from their plywood stuff. I had seen many interesting designs and thought that for me the best - and easiest would first to paint the drawer with dark oak varnish which we already had, so I wouldn't have to buy a new can. I painted one of the table and chairs sets I made with dad with the same varnish, so I knew which kind of finish it would give. And I liked it!


This is where I began from. There's three drawers on top row, two in the middle and one big in the bottom.





I thought we didn't have a wooden blocks around so I wrapped tape around cardboard roll thing and...


.. wrapped the sanding paper around it. I used grade 150 sandpaper for it and sanded the sharp edges and some of the sides. Plywood doesn't really need that much sanding as the surface is quite good already so I quickly went trough the flat areas and used more time for the sharp ones.


I had about 5cm wide brush, it just did fit in the can opening. xD And then I had a super good idea! Since it would be difficult to paint the drawers holding them all the time I put them the open side down so they go over the glass jars and I don't have to try avoid getting the paint over my hands. I've since bought rubber gloves so I won't paint so much on my hands. I still do, but ...


I painted the first layer, no need to paint from the inside or bottom of the drawers.


I painted only sideways, no up-down or circles, that would've looked messy, and I was careful not to add too much paint so it wouldn't make those lines down.


Yay, it looks nice!


I put the drawers to dry on our balcony table and covered the table with big paper, I let it dry over night.


We didn't have a good wood working sandpaper that would've been finer than 150, so I used water sanding paper of 400 (my dad would've asked me why I didn't go to store and buy any, I didn't have that sort of store close by and I couldn't wait!).


I wiped the dust off with damp cloth and let that dry again...


Aaand painted the final coating. I can see it's not perfect but it was as good as I could make it. I tried to paint all sides as neatly as I could, mainly becouse I saw most people turning the drawers the back side front so they can screw in some sort of drawer pulls or knobs and I want to try that too! My sister offered to order some nice ones with label place on them from Amazon UK, since most of them don't deliver to Finland, she will get them at her home (Northern Ireland) with no problem! :D I'm so happy, and she linked me some Pusheen plushies too so I might have wanted one of those too... LOL.


Here's the finished piece! :D I'm quite proud of myself and the handwork! I already began to sand and paint the second drawer I have, it will be the same colour - dark oak like this first one, it is a bit smaller than this one and I'm going to fill both of these with dolly stuff! I have more ideas for these things, but I might need some matte silver paint, crackling laquer and white paint to cover it all and maybe some chrystal knobs too...! So many ideas, so little time! :D