Refinishing Tips/Advice help please

What would you use for the repairs?

 

Wood putty. This is what I generally use:

 

I can't say I'd like that particular blue, but it would fit in here on Cape Cod where blue and white are de rigueur for second homes.

 

This is where I am at with the night stand. I decided to go with the plaster chalk paint so that it could kinda match my other white nightstand. Any suggestions for anything? Do I need another coat? I was gonna put the Minwax Polycrylic clear gloss protective finish and then a clear wax.

 

It is gonna be my husbands nightstand and he is very messy, doesn’t pay attention to furniture so I want this to be super protected.

 

You decided to paint the oak? Can't tell if need another coat from the pics. Any wood color showing through? If happy with what you have, go ahead and top-coat. Generally just top-coat the top but no harm in doing the whole thing. Probably don't need the wax if using the poly.

 

Looks great so far! What a wonderful project you chose to do now.

I was feeling pretty good about putting saddle soap on the leather top of my vintage desk, but you’re at a completely different level. Keep the photos coming!

 

Yes, I did! I got the painting itch! Now i walk around my house looking for things to paint lol
No, I don’t think any wood coloring is showing through. Will I still be able to clean/wipe this down normally like when I am cleaning the room?

 

Thank you! It’s keeping me sane during the quarantine.
What does putting saddle soap on top of a leather vintage desk do?

 

The Nat'l Park Service has a broad range of conservation topics on their website. Here is the link to leather care and conservation. https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/09-01.pdf

 

Any ideas on what I should do with the handles?

 

I have a 1964-era desk with a leather top. The leather is in excellent condition, and I want to keep it that way by cleaning/conditioning it with saddle soap every few months. It keeps the leather supple. The leather is also a darker color, and has darker dots so that it appears to be a leopard pattern. A relative has a leather top desk, and the leather is in terrible condition because it has never been taken care of. My desk is also located next to a south-facing window, so it gets sun (filtered though a roller shade) all day. I also gently clean the wood with Bona furniture cleaner.

 

If you don’t want to reuse or keep them for another project, maybe a nearby vintage hardware or architectural salvage shop will take them.

 

What can I do about this spot. A nail is sticking out so I covered it with kwikwood and sanded and this is what I’m still left with

 

You really need to pull the nail.

 

really? And then what?

 

Do I just dig out the nail? And then what?

 

There should never be a nail in the top of furniture. You need to pull the nail and make the repair properly. This means examining from underneath and re-gluing and/or using screws to attach the top from the bottom. Once repaired properly, fill in the hole on top and sand smooth.

 

Jcap, if you're unsure the best way to do that, there are lots of videos on YouTube to guide you through it. If the nail is on the back of the piece, ( I can't tell from your photo) just sink it with a nail set , fill the hole with wood putty and sand. Only the wall will see it, unless you don't have walls? (you never know, with the HGTV Minimalists Trend! )

 

Thank you. The nail is on the top of the piece :/