DIY Driftwood Stain Desk Makeover

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Our house isn’t very big. Our second bedroom, which I was using as an office, turned into a nursery when our baby came along. I then had a small desk in the living room but never used it because it just felt crowded and not very inviting. So when I got a desktop computer for Christmas from my husband, I had to create a desk space I would love to sit at. I’ve never had a desktop before now so I was used to just plopping on the couch with my laptop, which is not the ideal workspace. So I went online and searched for a cute little vintage writing desk on Facebook marketplace. I found nothing. So I took to Amazon.

The perfect sized desk with enough storage space for what I needed came into my view and I immediately purchased it. The only thing wrong with it was the color, bright orange. Thankfully, it’s a solid wood desk and I was able to turn it into something beautiful that I’m proud to show off. Here is the link to it.

I tried a number of ways on how to get the orange stain off without having to do a lot of work. Sanding was easiest and quickest way when it came down to it, but with specific tools. Then came the DIY driftwood stain.

How To Refinish A Desk

Supplies

• Desk
• Electric sander
• Oscillating Multi-Tool (not needed but makes it A LOT easier)
• Sandpaper in 80 grit, 120 grit, and 400 grit
• Microfiber towel
• Protective eyewear and mask

Do It

If you bought the same desk as me, sand everything before assembling the desk. It’s easier to sand the legs before they are on the desk so you can easily rotate them. Do make sure you have all of the parts first because the first desk I ordered was missing a leg and I had to send the whole thing back and order a new desk.

1. Start with the 80 grit sandpaper to remove the stain.
2. Use the 120 grit to smooth out the wood and get rid of any leftover stain that wasn’t removed with the 80 grit.
3. To finish the desk and leave it with really smooth top, use the 400. 

I tried 60 grit and it was just too rough and I tried 240 and it was just unnecessary. 80, 120, and 400 are the magic numbers. Sanding took me about 6-8 hours in total. I used a cat sander and it helped to get into the corners. I also used an Oscillating Multi-Tool and WOW it worked great. My cat sander couldn’t get into the sides of the desk but the multi-tool fit perfect!

Above is a photo of the desk right after sanding. I didn’t take a before photo but it was the same bright orange as in the desk’s listing on Amazon. Plus, there is a little snippet above this photo that shows what the color looked like.

DIY Driftwood Stain

1. Wipe down your desk with a microfiber towel to remove all the leftover dust from sanding.
2. Use a rag to apply a coat of the Minwax Color Wash in White Wash
3. The second layer is the Rust-Oleum Transformations Decorative Glaze in Java Brown 
4. Apply a top coat to seal your desk. I used Amy Howard Matte Sealer, as I do with most projects because it doesn’t yellow and it’s smooth to the touch once dry.

Here is the color combo I used. I actually saw someone else use this stain combination of the Minwax Color Wash in White Wash and Rust-Oleum Decorative Glaze in Java Brown. I just can’t remember where I saw it! Whoever you are, thank you!

Important! Whenever you are staining, you need to dispose of your stain rags correctly. If you don’t, they can become a fire hazard and can even start a fire! I didn’t know this before I was researching for this project and came across an article on it. You absolutely must lay your rags out flat to dry and then after about two days when they are stiff and dry, can you dispose of them. Please research how to dispose of them correctly before doing any kind of staining project!

The finished product! Just beautiful, isn’t it? It’s the perfect weathered wood stain job and I love how smooth the wood turned out to be.

Links: Mac Desktop | Mousepad | Doodlebob pencil holder

This is my current desk setup, with Doodlebob and all!

All of these photos are unedited to try and show the true color, minus the one edited photo below this. It’s hard to capture the exact color through photos but it’s a soft driftwood with a natural warm, worn feel. I can’t get over how soft it is too! All of that sanding and the finishing touch of the matte sealer really make me enjoy sitting at this desk because of the smooth texture it gave the wood.

I didn’t really care about nicks and scratches left by the sander because I wanted a weathered look so I sanded sort of carelessly. It worked because the stain pulled out the few nicks and notches and gave it character. I look forward to putting this in my kids’ room one day as their writing desk. I love pieces of furniture you can collect and keep forever, then pass down. Another piece of furniture I plan to keep for eternity is the dresser in my daughter’s room that I refinished. 

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