DIY Emerald Green Dresser

The trend of creating unique and colorful furniture has become really popular these days. It’s no wonder many people are opting for green painted furniture to add a pop of color to their homes with this rich and vibrant shade. This DIY emerald green dresser packs a punch with its bold green painted finish and some antiquing glaze.

Find out how to paint your furniture just like this, including how to glaze furniture to give it a cool look.

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See more AFTER photos below these printable instructions!

DIY Emerald Green Dresser

Paint your furniture with a stunning bold color and some antiquing glaze. Here are the steps for this DIY emerald green dresser.

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Materials

• Krud Kutter
• 220 Grit Sandpaper
• Wild Clover Limited Edition Color by Country Chic Paint (Update - Wild Clover is no longer available, but they created a very similar color called Fireworks!)
• Graphite Glaze
• Waterbased Polyurethane
• General Finishes Matte Poly

Instructions

1. Clean the dresser with a degreaser and scuff sand the surface to prep for paint. Clean up all the dust.
2. Apply 2 coats of emerald green chalk paint onto the dresser. Once dry, lightly distress the edges.
3. Now, seal the painted dresser with a few coats of waterbased polyurethane.
4. Brush on the glaze with a cheap brush, then use baby wipes to wipe it right back off.
5. Let the glaze dry completely (about 24-48 hours) then topcoat everything up with matte poly.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Chalk Paint
• 
  Varathane Waterbased Polyurethane
• 
  Matte Poly

Table of Contents

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More Before and After Makeovers

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Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.

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Painting a Side Table

Beyond Paint Review

Isn’t this empire dresser so cool? We bought it from Facebook Marketplace for only $40! It has a little secret too… in between those two tiny drawers on top… there’s a secret drawer!

For painting this dresser, emerald green is a popular choice as it brings in a sense of luxury and elegance. Plus, it looks great in any room whether you’re going for a vintage or modern look.

This color can definitely make any piece of furniture stand out and become a statement piece. You may be worried that emerald green is too bold of a color to use for your dresser, but don’t be! This color is actually quite versatile and can be used as a neutral or as a pop of color, depending on how you style the rest of the room.

Anyway, let’s dive into how to recreate this emerald green painted dresser on your furniture!

Supplies Used For DIY Emerald Green Dresser

• Krud Kutter
• 220 Grit Sandpaper
• *Wild Clover Limited Edition Color by Country Chic Paint (Update – Wild Clover is no longer available, but they created a very similar color called Fireworks!)
• *Liquorice by Country Chic Paint
• *Clear Glaze by Country Chic Paint
• *(Use Graphite Glaze – Black Tinted Glaze – Instead of Clear Glaze and Licorice mixed together)
• Varathane Polyurethane
• Matte Poly

Prepping Dresser for Painting

While cleaning the dresser with Krud Kutter to get it ready for paint (you can read more about exactly how to clean furniture before painting and how to prepare furniture for paint here).

I put the dresser on its back since I had a sneaky suspicion that there was a secret drawer in between the two top drawers.

After inspecting it more I could tell that it was a drawer, I just couldn’t figure out how to open it up! So I called for my husband and asked him to try it out.

While he was moving the drawer as much as he could, I looked at the dresser from a different angle, played around with a spot on the dresser, and all of a sudden the secret drawer started opening! Whoa!!

Now that you know there is a secret drawer, I can’t tell you how to open it, now can I?

But if dressers with secret compartments are your thing, check out this WW2 dresser with a secret compartment in this how to paint over oil based paint post.

After a few happy dances and playing around with our new discovery, I went back to work prepping the dresser.

I scuff-sanded the surface to remove the shine so the paint would stick better. Read more here about why it’s important to scuff sand before painting furniture. Then I removed the dust.

The Best Green Chalk Paint

We used the color Wild Clover for this piece. It’s the best hunter green / emerald green. It’s bold, but not too in your face.

And Country Chic Paint has some of my very favorite chalk paint. It adheres well, it’s thick (so I like to add some water to thin it out for spraying) and Country Chic’s colors are so good! Check out my honest and detailed Country Chic Paint review here.

Here are more of the best green chalk paint for furniture, and for more green chalk painted furniture ideas and inspiration, check out this post. You can also get other ideas for painting your dresser with these painted dresser color ideas!

Spraying Chalk Paint onto a Dresser

Then I added some water to the chalk paint so I could put it in my entry-level, budget-friendly sprayer. Learn more about the best HVLP paint sprayers here.

Learn how to thin paint in a paint sprayer, and how to paint furniture with a sprayer here.

The first time I sprayed, it was overwhelming… but I didn’t have these resources back then! Then I sprayed 2 coats of the chalk paint onto the dresser. This dresser took almost a full pint of paint.

Then I let the chalk paint dry completely.

How to Glaze over Chalk Paint

Need to SEE how to glaze? Check out this video on how to glaze over chalk paint.

After I lightly distressed the edges of the dresser with 220 grit sandpaper, I sprayed on a couple coats of my favorite water-based polyurethane. Here are 6 distressing furniture techniques you can do.

Sealing the chalk paint with water-based polyurethane is crucial before you put glaze over chalk paint. Learn ALL of my tips and tricks on how to spray polyurethane here! But can you put polycrylic over chalk paint? – check out the post to learn more about polycrylic as a topcoat for chalk paint.

What Does Glaze Do To Paint?

I wanted to add a bit more character to this piece, and glaze was the perfect way to create that. Glaze comes in clear, black, brown… and honestly whatever color you want it to be.

It’s a transparent or semi-transparent coat that you put on top of the finish to give it a faux antiqued or washed look. It can also add depth to your piece.

Tinting Glaze with Paint

I started with clear glaze and mixed some black paint into it to tint it to a black glaze. I like having clear glaze on hand instead of glaze that is already tinted black or brown, so then I can choose what color I want it to be.

You can add any color you want to the glaze. And you can use latex paint, or chalk paint. So, I mixed Country Chic’s Liquorice (black) paint with some clear glaze according to the instructions on the back of the glaze container.

How to Apply Glaze Over Paint

Using a cheap brush, I brushed on the glaze, making sure it got into every detail of the dresser, and then I used baby wipes to wipe it right back off. I made sure to leave a bit in the corners and on the edges, but wipe most of it away.

In some spots, I went back with the brush that had very little to no paint on it and lightly brushed some more details on. Learn MORE about how to glaze over chalk paint with this tall blue painted dresser. Here are more tips on how to paint and glaze furniture. And check out this glaze vs wax over chalk paint comparison if you’re considering the two.

I gave the glaze plenty of time to completely dry (about 24-48 hours) and then I topcoated it all up with General Finishes matte poly.

One of my favorite things about green though is that it’s a neutral color. Yes it’s neutral! We use greenery and plants all over our homes to bring our home and decor to life. I think this dresser does that too!

This dresser is now so unique, bold, and sassy! It’s the perfect pop of color, but it’s also elegant and fun! For more green dresser inspiration, here’s our list of green painted dresser ideas!

Liquorice by Country Chic Paint

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Clear Glaze by Country Chic Paint

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Matte Poly

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What are some complementary colors to use with emerald green paint?

When working with emerald green paint, there are many complementary colors that can be used to create a cohesive and visually appealing color scheme.

Some popular options include shades of pink, purple, and gold. These colors are known to complement emerald green and create a vibrant and luxurious look.

For a more subtle pairing, try using neutral shades like white or grey with emerald green. This will allow the green to stand out while still creating a balanced look.

Additionally, using shades of blue such as navy or teal can also provide a complementary color to emerald green.

Don’t be afraid to play around with different color combinations to find the perfect match for your emerald green painted furniture. It’s all about finding what suits your personal style and space best!

Is it necessary to use clear glaze when tinting with paint?

When tinting glaze with paint, it is not necessary to use clear glaze. You can use any type of glaze, whether it is already tinted or not.

However, using clear glaze allows for more versatility as you can choose the exact color and intensity of your glaze by adding your own paint to it.

Some people prefer to use a clear glaze because they can control the amount of tint in their glaze. This allows for more control and precision when creating a specific color or look.

But if you already have a pre-tinted glaze that matches the color you want, then there is no need to use clear glaze.

More Emerald Green Painted Furniture

• Emerald Green Painted Dresser
• DIY Emerald Green Mismatched Nightstands
• Green Painted Modern Dresser
• Emerald Green Painted Furniture
• DIY Emerald Green Bedside Table

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