I'm looking for some suggestions on how I can get rid of these ugly built in dresser pulls and add some hardware. Would I be able to cut them off somehow and fill in the holes with wood filler? Here is a picture that is similar to my dresser: [url]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YMH-IY2PSLs/TfOchROwuWI/AAAAAAAAARg/3-f_JTgTRuk/s320/9DraweDanish_02.jpg[/url]

Hi, I'm planning a project to give the kitchen a facelift. My parents have been living here for 20 years and never did anything to improve the kitchen. The house was built in the 50s and it's very likely that the kitchen cabinets are as old as the house. It would be ideal to just demo the whole thing and get brand new everything but unfortunately, I can't afford that. I'm just tired of seeing the kitchen the way that is but I want to improve it somehow so I'm just going to work with what I have. [U]The plan[/U]: Refinish the cabinets and replace all the hardware. Wall cabinets will be painted white and base cabinets will be painted a dark navy. [U]What I'm working with[/U]: These cabinets are old and have multiple layers of paint on them. I'm a beginning DIYer so I don't know what exactly is on them of what type of wood they are made of. Attached is a picture of a base cabinet drawer that was chewed on by one of our old dogs. You can see the different layers of paint and the exposed wood. Any idea what type? Other damage isn't as bad as the chewed corners. They consist of scratches and dings. The inside of the cabinets are unfinished. They're just lined with contact paper. I would love to paint the insides too but I'm guessing that would be too much work. I'll likely be doing all the work myself. Also attached are pictures of the hinges (left image is with door closed). Pretty much all the hinges have been painted over. Some cabinets have latches as well. Those are also painted over. Different types of latches were used. Some use magnets and the others...I don't know what you call them. On the door is a metal piece that then goes in between something else attached to the inside of the cabinet. Jeez, I'm such a newbie. Every cabinet uses a 3 inch pull. [U]What I need help with[/U]: What I know that I have to do is sand, prime, and paint all the cabinets but I'm unsure about the details. -How do I repair the chewed corners? Does wood filler go on before sanding? -How do I know how much to sand? When will I know when to stop? What sandpaper grit should I use? Can I use an orbital sander? The edges of the doors are rounded(?); can I use the sander on them or do I use a sanding sponge? -Should I use shellac to prime? -I want durable cabinets but I don't want a glossy sheen. What sheen will provide me with the least sheen but with durability? -After the paint is on, does something else go on? Like something to make them more durable? -What do you call the type of cabinet doors that I have? They aren't flat on the backside. They kinda go into the cabinet. Does the door type even matter? -What type of hinges do I have? Do I have to use the same type of hinges? I like the non-magnetic latches best. Can those only be used in certain cabinets (I ask because only some cabinets have them)? -What is the best way to make sure that the correct door is returned to the correct cabinet? If I label them, I'll later have to take the labels off to sand/paint them. -When working on a project like this what are some of the major don'ts—the mistakes most people make? I went online and made a list of everything that I will need for this project and came up with $250. Affordable is the key word here. [B]Thank you for reading![/B]