DIY Nursery Part 3: Refurbished Bassinet

This post is Part 3 of a series on my DIY nursery.  Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 4

The beauty of treasured heirlooms is their ability to bring families together and inspire conversations about our shared history.  When my mother found out I was pregnant, one of the first things she did was pull out the bassinet that my sister and I, my mother, and my mother's siblings all slept in as babies.  The piece is beautiful in it's simplicity and is in remarkably good shape for being over 60 years old.  That said, it's age merits a little TLC before we use it for our upcoming baby.

Step 1: Remove the legs
Why would we remove the legs from an antique heirloom?  Well, they're a little wobbly and would benefit from some new rivets and bolts.  Plus, painting them and the basket itself will be much easier if they're removed and then replaced once the paint is dry.  I also think Carl wanted a good excuse to play with the Dremel and his riveter.

Step 2: Replace the bottom

Carl also carefully lifted out the cardboard bottom of the bassinet.  Given it's only cardboard, I'm amazed it hasn't disintegrated yet, especially given the water stains and years in the attic.  A new 1/4" plywood bottom will provide extra support for baby and help the bassinet last a few more generations.

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Step 3: Sand the peeling paint

Carl had planned to use the orbital sander to quickly remove the peeling (hopefully not lead!) paint from the inside of the bassinet.  The peeling paint was our biggest concern about the bassinet when it was given to us, so we knew it had to be remedied.  After realizing the inside of the bassinet was also very old cardboard, Carl decided to hand sand the interior instead of risking damage from power tools.  He grabbed some 150 grit sandpaper and put on a respirator just in case it was lead-based paint to clean up the cracking, peeling paint seen here:

Step 4: Spray paint

As much as we would have loved to use anything other than spray paint, the bassinet's wicker exterior made it necessary.  We researched latex-based spray paints, and while there was a low-VOC option available from Krylon several years ago, it appears they no longer make it.  We also read articles that said Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore stores would put latex paint in an aerosol can for you for a ~$10 fee, however, none of our local stores had the equipment to do so or knew where to have this done.  So we're left with spray paint as our only option unless we buy, rent, or borrow a paint sprayer.  That's expensive and still usually requires mixing the paint with VOC-laden paint thinner so it doesn't gum up the gun.  Plus, my dad tried using a paint sprayer once.  Let's just say it didn't go well and I didn't want to repeat that experience.  To minimize VOC exposure for me and baby, I left this project in Carl's capable hands.

After waiting three weekends for a compatible weather day (90 degrees and humid in June, really Minnesota?), Carl got to work.  We opted to use the Rust-oleum Universal Paint and Primer in One in a plain white satin.

Carl got grumpy because he really wasn't happy with the trigger on this can, but I think he was able to do a good job.  It definitely didn't leave a perfectly smooth finish like I expect out of a good spray paint, so we did sand the inside lightly between coats to take the bumps off.  Here's what the outside looks like after two coats:

Still a little yellowed and has some uneven spots, especially along the bottom.  The cracks on the inside were also still showing through, although thankfully no longer peeling, after two coats. Carl will be putting a few more coats on after work each night this week, then starting on the leg rehab.  Soon it'll be looking good as new!