When a vintage piece has a broken spindle leg, it can feel like the end of the road — but with the right approach and the right products, it’s completely fixable. In today’s guest post, Denise from Salvaged Inspirations walks through how she repaired a damaged spindle and brought new life back to a classic dresser. From prepping the surface with Dixie Belle cleaners to rebuilding and refinishing with our easy-to-use paints and finishes, she proves that even tricky repairs are doable for any DIYer. If you’ve been hesitant to tackle a structural issue on a favorite find, this project is a perfect example of how Dixie Belle can help you bring it back to beautiful.
(The following is an excerpt from Salvaged Inspirations. Read the full article here).
DON’T TOSS THAT BROKEN PIECE OF FURNITURE BECAUSE THIS QUICK SPINDLE REPAIR WILL HAVE YOUR FURNITURE STANDING TALL AGAIN
Below is the vintage five-drawer tallboy in the Mission thrift store.
Someone had loved this piece enough to refinish it. On Facebook, I see people getting upset about finishes that have been DIY’d – but maybe didn’t turn out professionally. The funny thing is we’ve ALL been there, right?! If we don’t try, we never learn. So I have the opposite view when I read those comments. I LOVE seeing someone’s creative handiwork to the best of their ability. In my mind, it shows the previous owner loved the piece enough to put some time and effort into it because they wanted to hold onto it for a while longer.
The biggest issue was the spindle that was broken in half. This needed fixing because its the foundation that holds up the weight of this dresser. The foot is cosmetic, but lets fix that too!
SUPPLIES
Vintage Tallboy Dresser – SALVAGED
White Lightning Cleaner
Auto Sponge
Sanding Sponge
Paint Brush
Umber SILK All-In-One Mineral Paint
Big Mam’s Butta Topcoat
TOOLS
Heat Gun
Plastic Putty Knife
Dewalt Cordless Drill & Impact Driver Set (17% OFF as of writing)
PREP & CLEAN & REPAIR
I started by removing the vintage hardware using my Dewalt Impact Driver Set. There is a backplate that also needed prying off with my mini Pry Bar Tool. It comes in a set of 3 and has really come in handy for easy removal of nails and trim.
Once I had the loops and backplates removed, I cleaned the inside and outside of all the drawers with this heavy-duty furniture cleaner. I also made sure to number the back of each drawer because vintage dressers can be finicky when trying to put them back in a different order. Then I went on to clean the inside and outside of the body.
STAINING – GOLDEN ASH NO PAIN GEL STAIN
Ever since my sister Andrea and I restored my Dad’s garden bench, this Golden Ash has been one of my very favorite gel stain tones. It’s not too light and not too dark – just a gorgeous warm mid-tone which I thought would showcase the wood grain on this dresser beautifully. I applied one coat using a lint-free rag on the drawers.
For the larger areas, I opted for an applicator sponge to stain the top and sides. I actually prefer using a simple rag because I FEEL exactly how and where the gel stain is applied. This is an oil-based product, so I always make sure to have good ventilation (I open all my windows and set up a fan) and I wear a mask as well.
And because I love the before and after so much, here’s a sneak peek at the before and after stained drawers! This stain is bringing this dresser back to life!
THE UMBER DISAPPEARING ACT
To finish off the spindle repairs and the rest of this dresser frame, I painted them out in Umber. It’s a gorgeous brown that pairs really well with the Golden Ash Gel Stain. This dresser took two coats of Umber for full coverage.
I also used my slap-it-on paint technique to paint the spindles with NO brushmarks and make that repair I made disappear!
The foot repair got two coats of the Umber All In One Silk Mineral Paint as well. If this paint did not have the primer included, I would have primed before painting.
NOURISH AND PROTECT
As my topcoat, I used Big Mama’s Butta. This nourished the wood beautifully, and it can also be used on the painted surfaces and inside the drawers. Once it cures, its water-resistant as well. The best part is if you worry about streaks, brush marks, or orange peeling (if spraying) your topcoat this is a no-fail topcoat. You can’t mess this up! I apply it with a large brush in any direction and then wipe off the excess in any direction – and it still looks great. I also dropped my brush on floor and got some dust bunnies it in – yes they got onto the furniture and I picked them right out – easy. Seriously, I’m not sure what you’d have to do to muck up this finish – it’s foolproof.
THE BIG REVEAL…
Here’s the finished look, so beautiful, don’t you think?! I love these old vintage pieces!
The Golden Ash stain really brought out the beauty of this wood grain.
Here’s another look at this French Provincial Side Table before and after. I hope it’s inspired you and given you some ideas for your upcoming furniture painting projects.
Thanks to a smart repair strategy and the support of Dixie Belle products, this dresser is sturdy, refreshed, and ready for years of use. Whether you’re fixing a broken spindle, refreshing a thrifted piece, or trying something completely new, our Chalk Mineral Paint, Silk All-In-One Mineral Paint, and Belles & Whistles accessories make every step more approachable — and more fun. We hope Denise’s project inspires you to take on your own “almost-lost” pieces and turn them into something worth showing off. Happy painting, and don’t forget to share your next Dixie Belle makeover with us! To learn more about No Pain Gel Stain, check out our blog, How to Refresh Furniture with No Pain Gel Stain.
