How To Paint Furniture
Whether you’re interested in painting a chair, a table or any other wood piece, the steps are pretty much the same. For example, take this table that we built and subsequently painted along with the accompanying white chairs (which used to be a golden blond wood tone):
Gussying things up with a fresh coat of white paint took them from thrift store (where we got the table base) to Pottery Barn (which sells a similar table for 500 beans) in just a few hours.
But enough of the eye candy. On with the tutorial…
Step 1- Evaluate the surface of the piece that you’d like to paint. If it’s a sleek glossy surface (like varnished wood) you’ll want to gently sand the entire piece with 100 grit sandpaper). If it’s more of a dry chalky texture (like unfinished wood or flat paint) you can forgo the sandpaper and skip right to step two.
Step 2- Break out the oil-based primer to ensure that the paint sticks and no stains come through and ruin your finish. Give the entire piece a good once over with a roller or paint brush. This coat of primer doesn’t have to be perfectly even in tone, in fact it will probably look thinner in some areas but as long as the entire piece is covered it’s ready for step three.
Step 3- Use a fresh roller or a paint brush to apply two coats of latex paint (semi-gloss or flat, the finish is up to you). Many people mistakenly think that latex paint isn’t supposed to be applied over oil-based primer, but the result is always fabulous and stain/bubble free. The real painting no-no is applying latex paint over oil-based paint, which is a guaranteed bubble-fest and should be avoided at all costs. And a word about rollers vs. brushes: according to experts, foam rollers- especially if used too quickly- may rile up the paint and lead to bubbles while paint brushes are the most bubble free application method known to man, even over regular high quality wool or polyester rollers. We painted the table above with a paint brush, not a roller. No matter what you use, be sure to wait until the first coat of paint is thoroughly dry before applying a second coat (each coat should be applied super lightly and evenly – aim for the thickness of an eggshell or a leaf of paper) which will dramatically cut down on any visible brush strokes or roller marks for a smooth, gorgeous finish. Three or even four super thin coats are far better than one or two thick and drippy ones.
Step 4- This step is optional, but we strongly recommend brushing on two thin coats of water-based poly for wipe-able protection that really goes the extra mile (and a glossy sheen that looks oh-so-luxe). The only brand that we’ve ever used with unmatched success is Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic Protective Finish in “Clear Gloss” so that’s our recommendation. Of course we added the poly to our white table above, and we even poly’d the chairs since they need to be just as easy to wipe down due to their proximity to food whenever we dine in the sunroom. Thin is definitely the operative word, and again you’ll want to be sure to let the first coat thoroughly dry before going in for the second.
Step 5- Wait at least a full 48 hours to place objects on your newly painted piece to avoid dents or divots in your finish. This might take some willpower because you’re dying to sit on/eat on your brand new piece, but it’s worth the wait. Promise.
Easy, right? There’s really no reason to live with wood furniture that’s not the exact tone or shade that you’d like. So from painting an old side table a handsome glossy black or a scratched up wooden chair a cheerful red tone, it’s definitely a project you can confidently take on in an afternoon. Go forth and paint something!
*Oh and it bears noting that if your furniture item is anything other than solid wood or veneered wood (laminate, melamine, etc) you should definitely visit your local hardware store and ask the paint pro there what they recommend for that surface. There are some great oil-based primers and enamel paints out there, so it might be possible to get a semi-durable finish (although none as long-lasting as solid wood and veneered wood paint jobs). The key is really roughing up the surface so it’s less glossy and then priming and painting with the best stuff they have (usually oil or enamel based). Oh and don’t forget to let everything dry for a while so things can cure up and get super durable for the long haul. Good luck!
Psssst- In the market for a handy dandy cabinet painting tutorial? Look no further.
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Comments
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HI.. I’ve read most of your 15 pages of posts and just had an easy question…you are always reminding everyone to use “thin” coats of paint…do you mean to actually thin the paint with a bit of water or do you mean just be careful and apply it super thin… thanks!!
Sorry…forgot to add one other question…..how long do you wait to add the polyacrylic after painting….hours?? days??? THANKS!
No need to thin anything with water, just apply it super thinly to the piece (about the thickness of a piece of paper or an eggshell). You’d be amazed how people glop things on (which never ends well). As for how long to wait to apply the polycrylic, we would suggest at least 6 hours and you could just put it on the next day to be safe. Then wait for each coat to fully dry before applying the next coat. That way it won’t stay sticky forever and your pieces will cure and harden really nicely for a long lasting finish. Good luck!
xo,
s
OK, so I sanded to rough up the surface then started with my oil-based primer. That was my first problem… it went on thick and gloopy and was very hard to work with. So I spent a couple of hours the next day sanding the primer down to where I thought it looked… ok (not great, but decent). Then I started with the first coat of latex paint. That went on streaky and full of brush marks.
Should I re-sand and start all over? Should I sand lightly and do a second coat of latex? Should I use a can of spray paint (limiting my color choices)? Should I buy a paint sprayer, I would think that that would eliminate the streaking issue.
If it was my brush, do you use a new brush each time for each stage of the process (primer, paint, gloss)?
The table and chairs looks awful, and I’m ready to toss them and buy something new. They look so bad, I don’t even think I could sell tthem on craigs list right now.
:-(
Hey Margaret,
Slow and steady wins the race! We would recommend taking your time and starting over if you have the energy (by sanding everything down as much as possible). The primer lays the foundation for the paint, so if that’s gloppy and gross the final product will turn out that way too. The key is to apply it very thinly and evenly (just one coat). It will look patchy and not very even but as long as there’s a thin (and smooth) coat on the piece you’re good to go. You could apply spray primer (like Kilz oil-based stuff) but people without a lot of spray painting experience tend to have issues with drips and uneven coverage. For you we would recommend applying the single coat of oil-based primer with a small foam roller (one for smooth surfaces without any nap- it should feel like a soft piece of foam rubber- they sell them at Home Depot/Lowe’s). Then use a second foam roller to apply your thin and even coats of latex paint. Store the roller in a sealed plastic bag between coats so it doesn’t get all gunked up. You might need a high quality 2″ brush to get into the corners of things so pick that up as well (we actually recommend that you buy two, one for primer and one for paint). And use a semi-gloss latex paint without any poly since the poly is an extra credit step and it sounds like it might give you more problems than it’s worth since you’re having issues with coverage. Good luck!
xo,
s
I read about an additive to paint called Floetrol that is supposed to make paint go on less streaky. Any experience with that?
Nope, we’ve never used it but we have had excellent results (along with a lot of other commenters) from the tutorial that we outlined above (which doesn’t include any additives). Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
xo,
s
Nope, we’ve done many pieces by hand. Just get some low grit sandpaper and follow that sanding with some higher grit stuff to smooth things out and give you a nice finish. Good luck!
xo,
s
Hi guys! I LOVE your site. I have to admit that I’m sort of a home improvement/craft newbie, but I’m certainly trying (and impressing my husband with my initial efforts, so I won’t complain TOO much) :) Anyway, we’ve got a great built-in cabinet from the 40s in one of our bathrooms that has apparently been painted every color in the book before we lived there (Pepto Bismol pink, Green Bay Packer green, etc. etc.). The previous owners had done an off-white color but I wanted to luxe up the look of the room so I chose a deep steel blue.
Over the weekend, I first lightly sanded everything and removed the drawers and hardware and — OOPS — started painting immediately. I’ll admit it – I got impatient. I didn’t use a roller (small brush instead) and while the finished product looks pretty good from afar (new hardware, new drawer liners), up close it’s sort of a mess. I’m noticing tons of brush strokes and parts have already been peeling.
I know I probably hurried too much, but I’m wondering whether you think I should (1) resand everything, this time with an electric sander and/or (2) use a primer, then two coats of paint with a roller followed by my poly?
(Also, any tips on how to get paint specks off tile? Doh!)
Thank you in advance! :)
Yup, the steps in this tutorial are defintely what we’d recommend for the best result, so just sand things down as well as possible and restart. Good luck!
xo,
s
Hi Youngsters! Two things:
(1) Picked up Olympic’s no VOC paint (in a semi-glass white for all my furniture re-painintg needs!)at Lowes, wondering if you’ve heard any good things about it? (I know you recommend Freshaire but didn’t have much luck finding any green stores near me).
(2) Just wanted to pass along a tip for getting that uber-sticky Rustoleum spray-paint off the skin: olive oil + a no-scratch Scotch-Brite pad or washcloth. Works like a charm (also worked well to remove a few arrant spray paint streaks that got on the mirror surface when I painted the frame- BONUS!)
Thanks for all you do guys! You are my DIY superheros!
Michelle
Hey Michelle,
We love Olympic’s No-VOC paint! We even used it in our bathroom for the big makeover. And thanks for the spray paint removing tip! Natural and amazing!
xo,
s
Hello! I absolutely love your site, so amazingly helpful. I wonder is I could seek your advise on a chest of drawers I painted red – the paint is a primer and paint in one. I decided to stick these stickers that are all the rage for walls. and then I applied a semi-gloss sealer. It looks great from a distance but when you get near it does show the stickers and looks tacky. I want to remove them and they seem to just peel off, but underneath of course the sealer wasn’t applied. do I have to sand everything and redo the chest of drawers, or can I apply another coat of sealer? if I were to redo the whole cabinet will it be ruined? I’m afraid of making a big mistake as this is the first time I’m doing this. Many thanks!
Hmm, we can’t guarantee anything, but our best bet would be that you can remove the stickers and then lightly sand everything (with high grit paper like 150+) and then reapply just the sealer. Hopefully the paint will still look ok and the layer of sealer on top will make things look more even and finished. Good luck!
xo,
s
I love your site! It provides much-needed inspiration as my husband and I do a major renovation to our new home.
Question, I have a wood table and chairs that I’d like to paint white with a antiqued white finish. How would you change your directions above to get this look? Also, do I need to sand and prime or can I just prime it?
Thanks!
Susan
We would recommend googling around for an antiquing tutorial. We have seen many of them so it will hopefully be easy enough to find. As for sanding and priming, if your piece is extra glossy, definitely sand first. If the wood feels absorbent and isn’t too shiny, you’re probably safe going right to the priming step. Good luck!
xo,
s
recently painted solid oak sideboard table and 8 chairs, it was previously varnished so we used nitromores to strip the varnish then sanded we then applied undercoat and 2 top coats both water based since I wanted a matt finish rahter than a glossy finish, we have started to varnish using a water based diamond glaze which is turning yellow, what can we do to stop yellowing?
Many polyurethanes, polycrilics, and glazes create a yellow cast, which is why we suggest the polycrilic that we do in this post by name (it’s the only one we’ve known not to yellow). Our only suggestion to you (since you don’t want a slight sheen, like that poly will provide) is to buy a number of matte glazes and other water based poly varieties and test them on other pieces of wood to see which ones don’t yellow. It’s tedious but for that matte finish it might be the only way. Good luck!
xo,
s
HI.. hope this isn’t a repeat question question…I’m sure you both are busy with your projects and oh soooo cute baby! I followed all your instructions on painting a solid oak table top….The paint turned out perfect..but I’m not crazy with the poly acrylic finish…can I sand that off and repaint another coat of the same color, and brand of paint…just a higher different sheen without repriming…let me know the best way….don’t want to do shortcuts…..it’s only time and sandpaper….thanks Kris
Hi there,
I just painted my metal bed with several coats of paint with primer in it. It looks nice, but it I think I got flat paint and not glossy…does that matter? Also, I decided to use the same paint on some other wood (already painted) furniture (dresser and bookcase) and am wondering if that was a wise choice. Will it be ok and not chip? And if there’s anything hot on it (curling iron) or wet (water glasses) will that mess up the paint?
Thanks for you input and I really appreciate your info on your site.
Be well
Glossy paint will hold up longer and be more wipeable so we definitely recommend it! As for wood furniture (even if it’s already painted) like a bookcase we would recommend the steps outlined in this post. Oil based primer and semi gloss or glossy paint (with poly as a bonus) is the best method we have found by far. No amount of poly or gloss will protect painted furniture from a hot curling iron, but it’s definitely waterproof and durable/wipeable for decades if it’s applied well (just refer to this post). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
First, thank you so much for this site!
I am trying to paint a 14′ by 14″ counter board of rattiatta pine. It has been painted 5 times and now being sanded for the 5th time. The first 2 times it was defective paint. The next 3 times it was bubbles making the dry paint rough textured. I used 1/4″ nap and 3/8″ nap rollers and a black foam roller and all produced a board full of bubbles as I was applying the paint.
What am I doing wrong?! The last 3 times I used Olympic Premium Interior Latex paint. Once this last sanding is complete I’m thinking of priming the board then painting. Should I put a conditioner on it first; or is it too late for that?
I appreciate any and all information/help.
Thanks so much,
j :)
It’s just an educated guess, but we think the rollers might be riling up the paint and causing bubble, so in your case we would recommend applying very very very thin and even coats with a quality 2″ angled paint brush (we like Purdy brushes from Lowe’s/Home Depot). Of course as this tutorial recommends, oil-based primer is always a necessary first step, so we’ll assume that you’re putting on one thin and even coats of that first (after sanding). Then when we say thin we mean eggshell thin when it comes to the paint application, so you don’t get brush strokes. Three super thin and even coats are a million times better than one thick and goopy one. It also helps to wait about an hour between coats and to wait a day after priming. Also reserve judgement for a bit because the thin coat of primer will go on and look a bit rough (primer always looks that way, it’s supposed to so don’t fret). Then even as paint goes on it can show brush strokes, but if it’s thin and even enough they will dissipate but the time it dries, so that would be our recommendation. Good luck!
xo,
s
Hi this seems like a good guide to follow one question, if ur furniture is white do u need the primer?
Yup, always use the primer no matter what you’re starting with. It helps the new paint stick!
xo,
s
hi,
so i just finished painting my dresser and chest drawers but i used eggshell paint, and didn’t sand it…it was quite glossy however will this be a problem? Should i re-sand everything and buy a glossier paint? Uf i leave it how it is right now, how durable do you think it will be?
Thanks so much, I’m really confused!!
Hey Kiran,
If you used the oil-based primer that we recommended it might be ok (durable for a while, and only scratched if you apply a lot of pressure). If you didn’t sand or use oil-based primer and went straight to eggshell paint we definitely recommend letting it fully dry, sanding it down, oil-base priming it, and applying latex paint just like we recommend in this tutorial. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
I bought a chair at a second hand store that is painted white. When I got it home I saw a spot where the paint was peeling and I removed it revealing what I think is a wood surface below. I would like to repaint the chair black. Is it necessary for me to remove/strip the white paint off first? And if so what product do I use for that? Or can I just sand, prime, and paint the chair?
thank you. I look forward to your response as I am anxious to work on this chair.
Hey Michelle,
Yup, you’ll want to remove that paint as much as possible so you don’t waste time painting over it only to have it all come peeling off (paint is only as durable as its foundation). We don’t like chemical strippers so we recommend sanding by hand (use low grit paper like 50 and then move up to higher grit paper like 200 to get as much paint off as possible). Then you can move on to the oil-based primer from there. Good luck!
xo,
s
I just pained an already painted dresser white (he dresser was picked up at an antique store and is from the 60s). It was an antique yellow color originally. I used 80 grit sandpaper and primer. I then painted one coat of indoor satin finish white paint. It looked really patchy in the light so I gave it another coat, which didn’t help. What did I do wrong?
If the primer was water-based and not oil-based that could totally be the issue. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
The primer is kilz water based and the paint says 100% acrylic, which is water based, right? I thought you could use a water based primer and water based paint…?
Thanks so much for the help :)
That water-based primer is probably the problem! Actually you can’t paint latex or water-based paint over oil-based PAINT, but when it comes to the primer, the industry standard is to use the oil-based stuff (which can be followed by any type of paint (oil-based or water based) and is a lot more durable, stainproof, and quck curing. We’d recommend sanding everything down and applying one thin and even coat of oil-based primer followed by a few thin and even coats of paint. Good luck!
xo,
s
HELLO to my favorite DIY couple!
i have a burning question. What is the best way to remove paint? I have a headboard that I got for FREE (YAY) but it has paint on it. I tried using an electric sander but it seems like the paint is too thick. What do you think?
We always do our best to sand it off (have never had to resort to a chemical stripper) but if sanding doesn’t seem to be working we’d suggest heading to your local home improvement store to see if they can recommend a product to help lift off the paint. Just make sure it won’t ruin any new finish you’ll be applying (chemical reactions can ruin a refinishing job!). Good luck!
xo,
s
Hi – I have furniture that I’m in the process of repainting. I have already applied Killz Latex based primer. It’s given it a good chalky texture. Is this okay? or should I buy oil-based primer and reapply over the latex primer? I’m painting it indoors and wanted to avoid the oil-based primer smell.
Hey Kit,
If you read back through these comments, many people have had huge issues with water based primer and we definitely recommend only the oil-based stuff so our suggestion would be to sand down what you applied (not all the way down, just a bit to thin it out) and apply oil-based primer. Good luck!
xo,
s
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Yup, we would sand as thoroughly as possible before adding the primer so it grips the wood and not the brittle old paint. Hope it helps!
xo,
s