How to Paint Furniture

After so many mistakes that I have done myself, I decided to write about what has worked for me in the past when refurbishing furniture. As some of you know, my son’s furniture, with exception of the bed, has been refurbished by me. It was my old furniture. The dark wood furniture from my master bedroom.

So today, I’m sharing my guide to painting furniture.

Start by prepping the area

Make sure you pick a place where the sun doesn’t hit directly and isn’t too hot. Cover the areas so you don’t paint everything else.

Sand

You might want to skip this part. But after a couple of mistakes I have learned not to do so. Some paints might claim that you don’t need to sand them, but over time I have learned this is a must. Sanding is going to help for a superior adhesion.

Clean the mess

Once you are done sanding them, you will find a lot of residues so make sure that you clean everything with a cloth.

Primer

Priming is not required for some surfaces. But for a superior coverage, I believe you should do so because dark woods tend to bleed through (very noticeable when using lighter colors). Priming will help with a smoother finish and for the paint to adhere. Please, follow the instructions on the can of paint of your choosing.

Paint

Use a mini foam roller to apply for the bigger parts and a brush for smaller parts. If there are any mistakes sand them a little bit, clean the area and paint it. Make sure to read the instructions because some cans have specific instructions. Recoat if necessary by waiting some time between coats. If you are distressing, this is your time to do it. Wait until the paint is dry to do so and lightly sand areas, clean and be ready for the next step.

Protection

Last step, use a mini roller and brush to apply a thin coat of Polycrylic Protective Finish (water-based). This will increase the durability of the paint.

Here are some of the pictures of the furniture that I refurbished.

Before photos

After photos

Here are the links for some of the stuff that I bought. I use Rust-oleum, but for cabinets you might want to change the paint (Click on it for the website).

Foam roller,

Polycrylic Protective Finish,

Rust-oleum chalked paint.