Hello, lovelies! The bookcase I’m sharing today was the perfect candidate to show how to remove Annie Sloan wax. It’s also time for another round of Trashy Treasures with three of my favorite treasure maker friends!
Here is today’s bookcase before I redid it:
The only actual before photo I have is from this photo I shared in my How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets the Right Way tutorial back in 2014:
Ha ha! I was knee deep in a kitchen war zone while I was painting the kitchen cabinets and had no business taking time out to go pick that up from an online yard sale. (That red truck shows you how little Brennan was!)
I had wanted it for my booth to use as extra display space for smaller items, and I just couldn’t pass it up for $30. I opted to paint it blue.
Here it is in my antique mall booth about ten years ago:
I like that it has a drawer at the bottom where I can store extra price tags, cleaning wipes, light bulbs, etc.
Then when I became a Dixie Belle Retailer about six years ago, I painted it in Fluff and used it for display. I’ll spare you my dinky paint display photos, but once I upped my game in the display shelving department, I used it once again for smalls:
As I was running out of space in my booth, I ended up bringing it home where it has been taking up space in the garage.
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Proper prep is key!
There was only one tiny problem when I repainted it.
I had sealed the blue paint with Annie Sloan’s wax which is oil-based.
When I went to repaint it, I did not remove the old wax first. Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking it would be an issue back then!
**Dixie Belle’s Best Dang Wax is water-based and does NOT need to be removed before repainting hallelujah!**
I spray painted the edges in a brown spray paint so that when I sanded to distress some, the brown would show through instead of blue. It did okay for a while, but it eventually started scratching off and chipping away in tiny pieces here and there…
Remove the top layer of paint
I honestly wanted to just donate this bookcase to the thrift store since I knew that to be able to sell it or use it, I would have to remove that top layer of paint.
Now that I have a larger space, I have room for it in my booth, and so the time has come!
I started by sanding to remove the top layer…
It was coming off SO easily that I ended up being able to literally scrape it away…
Here it is once I had that newer paint layer removed:
But, I still needed to remove the old wax!
How to Remove Annie Sloan Wax
To remove the Annie Sloan wax, I enlisted the help of some odorless mineral spirits (totally NOT odorless!).
I used an applicator pad to work it into the surface to get the wax off:
I was very liberal with it. I also did this at the entrance to my garage with the door up since it is still quite stinky.
I had mixed up some White Lightning (1 TBSP into a half gallon of warm water) to rinse my sponge into and then used a scrub brush to remove any remaining wax and wash away the mineral spirits…
You can see how murky the water is…that must be the wax!
I wiped this bookcase down once more with clean water and it was ready to go for round two!
Bonding BOSS for the knots
I decided to apply Bonding BOSS since a bunch of the knots had come through the paint last time:
I’ve always wanted to test it on knots. I waited 24 hours and then painted it in bright white Cotton using my favorite Mini Angle brush:
I believe it took three coats for complete coverage.
Sand
Once I was done painting, to more easily smooth out these long surfaces, I opted to use my mini Ryobi Cat Sander. ( I have the cordless one that uses the Ryobi batteries, but there is a corded version also HERE.) And I used 220 grit sandpaper:
Now a little something for the back!
I knew I wanted to do more than just give y’all a cleaner version of what we started with, so I started looking through my decoupage papers and transfers in search of something to embellish it with.
However, since this is going to once again be a display piece for my booth, I needed it to remain somewhat neutral.
I have these white signs with the dark gray lettering in my booth currently:
So to go along with those, I pulled this pretty Wedding Lace transfer from Dixie Belle’s Belles and Whistles line:
This is the perfect pattern for the back to keep this display piece cohesive with the rest of my booth:
It took two transfers to completely cover the back.
Before sealing, I wanted to very subtly faux distress the edges. I had to go faux since it was blue underneath. To do that I used the cheat distressing method using a block of wood that I added a handle to:
I dipped the edge in a little Gravel Road, blotted off any excess onto a cloth and then ran it along the edges here and there.
Seal
To seal, I applied Satin Clear Coat on the back to protect the transfer:
Avoid applying Gator Hide to transfers as they can cause transfers to lift. Always apply Clear Coat first if you plan to use Gator Hide.
I did opt for Gator Hide for the rest since this piece may take some abuse. I applied that with the blue sponge also:
Let’s see how this Booth Bookcase looks now!
So sweet, right??
I staged it for a bathroom, but it will fit right in in my booth!
And do you spy what I added to the top there?
I was debating between the Enlightened Etchings Mould and the Thorton Medallion Mould, so I made one of each using Amazing Casting Resin to try them out:
The Enlightened Etchings won out:
I attached it with E6000 glue.
And you can see I used the cheat distressing method on this piece and the Soho Mould pieces I used for the drawers at the bottom as well:
There were very boring cup pulls on the bottom drawer previously:
I ended up ditching them for something I liked better…
I am in love with that Wedding Lace transfer on the back!
A peek at the ever so subtle distressing…
I am so thrilled that this piece is finally out of the garage, and I’m glad I didn’t resort to dumping this problem child on someone else!
My friends have even more trashy transformations for you today!
1. Prodigal Pieces
2. Salvaged Inspirations
3. Artsy Chicks Rule
And I’ll be sharing this piece in my newly expanded booth on Thursday!
UPDATE: See my “I have the whole room now” tour HERE!
I hope to see you then!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
EMAIL * INSTAGRAM * FACEBOOK * PINTEREST
Get FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50. No code needed at checkout! Orders under $50 always enjoy $8 flat rate shipping! Most orders ship same or next business day!
Larissa ~ Prodigal Pieces says
That was loads of work, but worth it. Beautiful.
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! So glad it’s done lol! XOXO
Mary Kaiser says
Oh she is so beautiful again! I can’t wait to see it in your booth! I LOVE how this turned out!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! I almost wish I had room in the bathroom for it…it looked so cute with all the bathroom things! Hope your week is off to a great start! XOXO
Kathy W says
Oh, Christy, it’s BEYOND gorgeous!! So much work for you but, I am sure, you feel it was well worth it now. Everyone is going to want to buy it!!!! You inspire me to not “give up” on pieces I have that “I think are too hard and time-consuming” for this diy beginner. Thank you for your inspiration EVERY Tuesday and Thursday!! You’re THE BEST!!
Kathy W
oxox
Christy says
Thank you so much, Kathy!! I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to not have it staring me down every time I open the garage door lol. I appreciate you! XOXO
Jackie C says
Gorgeous!
Christy says
Thank you, Jackie! XOXO
Cyndi says
That is stunning! It was a ton of work, but, boy, was it worth it!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Cyndi! Totally worth it for sure! XOXO
Denise - Salvaged Inspirations says
This turned out absolutely gorgeous Christy! I love the wedding lace transfer, it’s one of my faves! Pinned and have a super week my friend! XOXO
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! I have been waiting to use this transfer on something and finally found the right piece! Enjoy your week too! XOXO
Amanda says
Wow! All your hard work on this piece was worth it! I love the back and the new knobs! So pretty. Look forward to seeing your booth with the additional space!!
Christy says
Thank you, Amanda! I am so glad I finally tackled this piece! See you Thursday! XOXO
Beth says
Wow! You did a fabulous job! I love that you have such great vision when you look at a piece. One question—where did you get the amazing new drawer pulls that you put at the bottom? Love, love, love them!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Beth! For the pulls, I cast the backplates out of the Soho fusion mould, and the knobs were two vintage knobs I saved from an older piece. They worked so well together! XOXO
Susankpease says
I love it! The lace paper is perfect! Love the moldings as well as they really up the “wow” factor! Perfecto!
Christy says
I’m so glad you like it, Susan, thank you! The moulds really add some pretty detail! XOXO
Michele M. says
It is stunning. Don’t be at all surprised if folks ask about you selling it!!
Well done, Christy. That transfer is one of the prettiest I have seen. ♥
Christy says
Thank you so much, Michele! I did put a not for sale tag on it because I’m pretty sure you would be right about that lol. I have been wanting to use that transfer on something since we got it in a while back, but I never found the right piece! Glad I finally did! XOXO.
Alex says
That bookshelf turned out so beautiful! I also have one that I’ve been considering donating, but now I’m thinking it might just need a new coat of paint. I never realized that you could sand after you finish painting for a smoother surface, so that was super helpful! I’m going to continue with the inspiration you’ve given me and finally finish some of the projects I’ve started the last few months. Thanks so much for sharing!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Alex! Chalk paint has a texture to it, so it really benefits from even the slightest sanding after. It will give you a buttery smooth surface. I’m so glad you’re inspired to tackle some projects! Enjoy! XOXO
Melissa says
Gorgeous!!!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Melissa! XOXO
LISA HUNTER says
Gorgeous!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Lisa! XOXO
Nancy @ Artsy Chicks Rule says
I remember that house! 🙂 I love how you have remade this one! Just beautiful!! xoxo
Christy says
I know, right? It was such a hot mess at that point lol. Thank you so much, my friend! XOXO
Susan M says
It looks so beautiful now! Please let us know how it holds up over time; whether the treatment you gave it got all the wax off or if it ends up still being an issue. This is a good lesson, bc you never know if you pick up a painted piece to re-do, whether they hv used wax on it previously, or not. I appreciate you explaining the difference between Annie Sloan wax and Dixie Bell wax!
I have not tried wax yet; but I recall you saying, in the past, that you could paint over it. And it never occurred to me that there are two kinds: oil based and water-based waxes.
Thx for the lesson! ????
Christy says
You’re so welcome, Susan, and thank you! When I first started, that wax was about the only thing available to seal chalk paint. Most liquid sealers would yellow over white paint. Then I found Dixie Belle and their satin clear coat… It was the only sealer I had used that didn’t yellow over white paint. It’s still my go-to sealer today! The fact that I was able to use my electric sander to smooth the paint after painting without it coming off tells me that it is adhered well, so I do expect it to hold up well. Of course I will update you guys if for some reason it doesn’t. It’s a little bit of work to get that old wax off, but then you can start fresh! XOXO
Rose Lefebvre says
I LOVE THIS PIECE! IF I LIVED THERE I WOULD MAKE IT MINE!
Christy says
Aww i’m so glad you like this one, Rose! Thank you, my friend! XOXO
Cecilia says
I love it! The transfer is perfect on the back. I’m glad you had that problem; I have a side table that I did long ago and put Annie Sloan wax on. I didn’t do a good job and need to redo it. But I’ve been putting it off because of the wax. Ha, now I don’t have an excuse. ????
Looking forward to seeing the bookcase in your booth.
????Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! It’s no fun redoing something a second time, right?? Glad I could give you a nudge to get yours done ha ha! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
Wow a lot of work but so worth it! I never heard of the cheat distressing method, that’s brilliant lol. Ok so I misread and thought you replaced the pretty hardware with the basic pulls and was like oh but those other ones went so nice with the mould and the transfers lol. Do I be honest and say something? No, that’s negative and rude haha!! Then I realized you changed out the pulls for the pretty ones. This made me laugh. Perfect transfer choice. Came out so pretty!
Christy says
Thank you, Debra! I was so glad to have that piece out of the garage. The cheat distress method has come in handy a few times! And ha ha…that is SO funny about the handles. Yes, the cup pulls just weren’t doing it for this piece! XOXO
Cheryl B Acampora says
Wow! What a lot of work for you! She turned out so beautiful. I will make a special trip to your booth just to see her! You knocked another one out of the park!!!
Christy says
Aww thank you, Cheryl! I wasn’t looking forward to this one, but I am so happy to have it redone and functional again. Yes, please come by for a visit! XOXO
Heather Taylor says
Gorgeous as ever and girl, look at those perfectly folded towels! LOL
Christy says
Ha ha thank you, Heather! XOXO
p says
Isn’t it wonderful to finally have that Dreaded project completed !
(we all have a couple of them)
I also am so glad you clarified the difference w/ oil vs water based wax. I had no idea. Looks like a tough job – but it looks Amazing now.
That transfer looks perfect !! I didn’t think it would come out so well.
Someone will surely try to buy it. Love the moulds. I’d love to dabble with them one of these days…
Another inspiring project. Thanks.
Christy says
YES!! I have been staring at that bookcase taking up space in our garage for so long lol. Thank you so much! The moulds are so fun to play with! XOXO