"How to" Upcycle an Old Desk | Ovation Plus Gray Paint Review

So you’re in search of Sherwin Williams passive grey/gray reviews? You’ve brought your beautiful self to the right place. In fact, we believe we’ve found one of the best grey paints for bedroom furniture.

But first, lets chat a little about furniture flipping.

First off, I’m NEW to this. So who am I to teach? Right? WRONG. I’m here so we can learn together. Don’t you hate when professionals make videos look so easy. Then, after viewing you feel confident and try it out for yourself. But instead of a smooth finish yours is lumpy and sticky or your gloss isn’t glossy. They hardly ever show their mistakes so we can know what NOT to DO. It’s like magic. They flip an ugly piece and master it while ours look novice as heck.

It sorta reminds me of those "I asked for this but got this" posts.

We promise not to do that. Transparency is a goal at Solely Reviews. We’re going to talk about how long it takes for Sherwin Williams Ovation Plus paint to dry. We will discuss is Ovation Plus a good paint. We will show you a coordinating color with passive grey.

Let’s dig into this review

WHERE to FIND CHEAP FURNITURE to FLIP?

We found our desk for FREE on Facebook Marketplace. It was just as easy as finding a piece of furniture set near curb on garbage day. To our surprise, when we arrived at the pick-up location, it was a warehouse full of furniture an old printing company needed to get rid of. Some items were for sell (at cheap prices) while others were FREE99. We picked a desk that needed little to no repairs and loaded it in the van.

So start your search with Facebook/Meta Marketplace. Then you can try other sites like Offer-Up, Craig’s List or any second hand store such as Goodwill or Salvation of Army.

When I started my research, the first thing I needed to find was a furniture flip teacher. Every student needs a teacher. I was so happy to find Tara Lou Designs.

There was a great deal to learn on her site, especially how to rid bad smells from used furniture.

Read more from Tara here

We didn’t have access to all the products she mentioned in this well informed article, so we improvised. Here’s a list of items we used to remove the smell of old age from our vanity desk.

• Bleach

• Water

• Baking Soda

• Krud Kutter

• Dixie Belle Big Mama Butta in Orange Grove scent.

It was time to prep the desk for painting

We won’t dive into great detail about the process because we’ve included a full video of the flip in this post. However, we do want to review HGTV Ovation Plus Satin finish.

SEXY… that’s the singular word we’ve chosen for the look and finish. The Passive gray/grey has a hint of color that plays tricks with the eye. In some lighting it gives the illusion of a simple white. Yet, there is a kiss of gray that pecks at you when sunlight is direct. We decided to pair it with rose gold hardware. The union between the passive gray color and rose gold was a hit.

What is the Drying Time for Ovation Plus?

We let the first coat dry for three hours before applying the second coat. Then we allowed the second coat to cure for 72 hours before adding a faux marble finish and epoxy top coat. People have asked, how long does it take for Sherwin Williams Ovation paint to dry? According to the packaging, "it dries to the touch in 1 hour. Allow 2-4 hours dry time before recoating, depending on temperature and humidity."

Tip: Direct from paint packaging

“Clean Mildew from the surface. Mildew is a fungus that looks like dirt, but won’t wash off. Mildew must be removed before painting or it will grow through any new coat of paint. To remove mildew or suspected mildew, scrub surface before painting with a commercial mildew remover or solution of 1-part liquid chlorine bleach to 3 parts water. Rinse thoroughly. Avoid contact with skin and eyes. Protect skin and eyes by wearing rubber gloves and eye goggles when working with bleach solution.”

Since we refurbished this unit for use as a make-up vanity, the epoxy finish was the best option for easy wiping/cleaning. Ovation Plus paint is Zero VOC and a paint + primer combo. Still be smart and use adequate ventilation while applying. If you want to know about Sherwin Williams resilience, it passed a scratch test. So far, there are no visible chips or dents in the fresh paint job. The desk been in use for a week. In fact, I’m typing this blog at the desk right now.

Sherwin Williams warranty states if used properly and you’re unhappy with results they will work with you. Please follow the instructions carefully but know if you aren’t satisfied they back their product with a limited lifetime warranty. Sherwin Williams claims to be:

100% Acrylic

Applies evenly for uniform application

Confidently hides previous colors

Excellent scrub and stain resistance

Antimicrobial – provides a mold and mildew resistant finish

We can’t speak for magnetic gray, or agreeable gray or even evening shadow but we are here to say there was nothing passive about the color “Passive Gray” by Sherwin Williams. Although the company does not advertise Ovation Plus paint for furniture usage , it works as such. It didn’t just work, it was the best option for our intended usage.