vintage school desk refurbish

I’m sitting here at my desk in 2025, updating this old blog post about this vintage school desk makeover. As someone who has been blogging for 15 years with hundreds of posts, updating old articles is something I’m constantly doing. Generally speaking, I don’t include that I’ve updated it in the update. However, this one hits differently. Because as I quickly snapped a few updated pictures this morning I realized how much change this desk has seen. Not just in its life in a school, but in its life in our family. Two homes, three different rooms, seven kids. What a beautiful heirloom piece I hope to hold onto forever.

refresh a vintage school desk

There is just something wonderful about taking an old or vintage piece and giving it a new life. I love finding a piece that has some character and a unique story and history behind it and putting it to use again. I especially love when I can combine a vintage style with modern touches. Some links in this article contain affiliates, all opinions are my own.

| Read: DIY Vintage Soda Pop Crate |

This was definitely the case with this gorgeous vintage school desk that I was able to get a hold of for absolutely free! Can you believe that?! When I saw it I knew it would be just perfect for my son’s room.

simple steps to refresh old furniture

The first step was obviously all the prep work, you know, the “unfun” part. First, I had to sand all the wood down. I could have also used furniture stripper, but the finish was already so worn I figured sanding would be esier.

Then, I cleaned everything with diluted vinegar. Finally, I taped all the wood off so I could spray paint the metal parts. This step probably took the longest. However, once that was all finished I was able to give it three light coats of Rust-Oleum Ultra Cover in Seaside.

After letting the paint dry overnight, I could get started on re-staining the wood table top and seat. I picked Minwax Polyshades Honey in Gloss. The main reason I picked that was because I had it left over from another project. However, the color for the wood was perfect! I love the Polyshades stain because you don’t have to completely sand or strip the wood down before you use it. 

Isn’t the contrast of the bright aqua metal base against the antique, natural wood tone fantastic? I could have sanded all the wood down more, treated it with a wood conditioner before staining it, and tried to erase all the imperfections. However, I think all the scratches and “memories” are what’s so great about it. I love all the scratches and dents that stand out even more now that the stain has settled down into them. 

Don’t you just love breathing new life into something? Have you worked on any projects lately where you’ve shown some love to something old?

Find more fun DIY projects on my Pinterest boards!