Space Invaders treasure hunter Lucas Callaghan has increased the value of a vintage chest of drawers he found hidden in clutter.
By giving the dresser a renovation worthy of the rare timber it was made from, Lucas completely transformed the piece of furniture.
The drawers were in the backyard of Steve and Maria's home, which was getting the decluttering and renovation treatment on Space Invaders.
Stream episodes of Space Invaders for free on 9Now.
But before the clutter was taken to a warehouse for sorting, Lucas looked through the items to see if anything had hidden value.
The drawers caught his eye so he decided to bring it back to its former glory.
"This was the thing that was in the back of your garden area in the rain, and it's probably the most valuable piece you own," he said.
"This is actually Kauri pine, which is [found in] northern Queensland, Papua New Guinea, there is some in New Zealand — it's very valuable."
Lucas started the restoration by removing the drawer handles before stripping the stain from the wood.
"Maria's drawers are around a hundred years old but they've been repaired since, and unfortunately a stain has been added which disguises the valuable timber they've been made from. And they've replaced the handles with some that are quite simply from the wrong era," he explained.
READ MORE: Treasure hunter Lucas Callaghan finds $32,000 worth of heirlooms in family's clutter
To better suit the time period Lucas purchased brass drawer handle covers to cover up the marks left by the previous handles.
To remove the stain on the wood he used paint stripper. He prefers this to sanding, which he thinks is messy and doesn't give as fine a finish as scraping.
After using a paint brush to thickly apply the stripper, Lucas and Maria scraped the stain off and used steel wool for the last remaining bits.
READ MORE: Jenna Densten shows how to restore an old table using oven cleaner
Then Lucas applied beeswax for "a nice shine and a great rich colour".
Once restored the rare timber the drawers were made from could easily be seen and appreciated.
Lucas had a friend give his expert opinion on the piece now that it is looking its best.
READ MORE: How Space Invaders creates lasting change for the families it helps on the show
"He reckons now that we've fixed them up they're worth about $1,800," he told Steve and Maria.
"Ohhhhhhhhh," Maria responded.
"Are you serious?" Steve added.
Despite the monetary value, the drawers are going back inside where they belong where Maria can appreciate the beautiful piece.
Stream episodes of Space Invaders for free on 9Now.
Auto news: 2022 Maserati SUV lineup due by the end of the year - drive.com.au
Online Coupons and Best Deals
Watch the brand new series The Girl From Plainville now on Stan.
Latest news, reviews and cars for sale