How to Refurbish a Vintage Record Player Cabinet

When I saw this vintage record player cabinet for $20 on Facebook Marketplace, I knew I had to have it!

And I don’t own a single record, ha!

I’ve been tossing around the idea of flipping furniture for profit for years, but I just haven’t worked up the nerve to do it. I have plenty of experience with projects in my own house (The Furniture Flips That Make Our Rental Houses Feel Like Home).

For $20, I thought this would be a good time to try. Plus, records have made a comeback recently, and hopefully, someone in our local area is looking for a way to store theirs!

Supplies:

• a vintage record player cabinet
• old rags
• screwdriver
• orbital sander
• sanding nets
• wood putty
• putty knife
• paint
• paint roller
• paint brush
• legs
• handles

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Step 1: Clean & Take Apart

Since our record player cabinet was covered in dust and cobwebs, I started by giving everything a good wipe-down.

Then I took off the hardware and doors to make everything easier to access.

I tossed the old handles and cleaned the hinges with soap and water so that I could reuse them.

Step 2: Sanding

This is perhaps the most tedious and time-consuming step, but arguably it may be the most important.

Starting with 120 grit, I sanded the top pieces of the cabinet down to the bare wood, finishing with 220 grit to make sure everything was nice and smooth.

This was the first time I used sanding nets instead of the regular sanding discs that we normally buy. They were a little more expensive, but they last a LOT longer and work just as well, if not better.

Next, I sanded the rest of the cabinet with 120 grit, just enough to scuff it up so that the paint would stick.

After everything was sanded, I blew the dust off with a leaf blower and gave the record player cabinet another good wipe-down.

Step 3: Repair Wood Veneer

There were a few damaged areas near the bottom of the cabinet where the wood veneer had been peeled away.

Since I knew I was painting over it, I filled it in with wood putty. I haven’t worked with putty very much in the past, but it was pretty easy. I spread it as evenly as possible over the damaged areas and then sanded it smooth after it dried.

There was one area on the corner that took 2 layers of wood putty before it was even with the old veneer. Thankfully, it dries fast and I could finish both coats/layers in a day.

Step 4: Paint & Stain

For the first time ever, I didn’t use a primer before painting.

Instead, I used Behr Premium Plus Ultra Stain-Blocking Paint & Primer In One from Home Depot. The color is Trailing Vine.

I used a mini paint roller for the whole project and a brush to get in the corners.

After 2 coats and a few touch-ups, the finish was nearly flawless. I couldn’t have been happier with how it turned out.

I felt like we needed to break up the green some, so we stained the top of the cabinet with Minwax Wood Finish in the color Aged Barrel.

Step 5: Put Back Together & Add New Hardware

It was finally time to put the record player cabinet back together!

After sliding the dividers back into their slots, we re-attached the top and the doors.

Then we added the new gold handles and legs. I have seen these used by several of the furniture flippers I follow on Instagram and they were perfect for this piece.

Adding legs made a huge difference in this piece. In my opinion, getting the cabinet up off the ground makes it look more expensive. And the simple gold handles make it look more modern than the outdated metal ones that were on it before.

Step 6: Take Pictures and Post for Sale

Since this is the first piece we are attempting to flip, we staged the record player cabinet and took pictures.

Then I posted it for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $250.

Now, fingers crossed that it actually sells! I’ll update this post if/when someone buys it and I’ll let you know the profit.

So far, the expenses are:

• record player cabinet – $20
• paint – $17
• legs – $20
• handles – $7
• Total – $64

**Update** After 10-ish days on Facebook Marketplace, the record player cabinet sold for $200. That left us with a profit of $136. It’s not a huge profit, but I’m happy with it, especially for a first time flip.

I wish more furniture flippers were open about their expenses and profits. So, I’m going to try to be as transparent as possible.

Wish us luck that it sells fast!