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 paintbrush. Do not use a foam roller as they’re known to create little bubbles that can sabotage a smooth finish. 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 (again, not foam) or a paintbrush 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. Foam rollers can also lead to bubbles in paint while paintbrushes are the most bubble free application method known to man, even over regular rollers (we painted the table above with a paintbrush, not a roller). Be sure to wait until the first coat of paint is thoroughly dry before applying a second coat, which will dramatically cut down on any visible brush strokes for a smooth, gorgeous finish.
Step 4- This step is optional, but we strongly recommend brushing on two thin coats of water-based polyurethane 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 polyurethaned 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 wanna 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 (laminate, veneered wood, 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 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.
In the market for a handy dandy cabinet painting tutorial? Look no further. And speaking of paint, here’s one of our favorite books when it comes to picking the perfect colors for your entire house. There are so many fun ideas we wish we had more rooms…
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Comments
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It’s certainly worth a try! First we would suggest attempting to sand it down to see if you can get a more smooth top coat. You could also use something like “Bar Coat” which is a thick varnish you pour over the top for a bar-like gloss to “bury” the bubble and create a smooth top once again. We’d suggest asking around at your local home improvement center after trying to sand it down. Good luck!
xo,
s
I have a dining room table that looks like it might be pressed wood. Would latex paint work well on it?
Hey Siobhan,
You definitely want to check with your local home improvement store to see what they recommend. Pressed wood won’t “absorb” primer and paint the same way solid wood will, so you might need something to “etch” the surface to create a nice foundation for primer and paint. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thanks so much for your help. I just had one more question. So I went to HomeDepo yesterday to get more supplies, not sure how we got into it, but the employee that was helping me asked if I used food safe paint for my kitchen table. Didn’t know they made paint like that…. Point… I used your run of the mill everyday paint and am now kinda freaking out that I didn’t use food safe because I have two cute little ones and more on the way…….I haven’t done the poly finish yet. Is that food safe????? Will that make the table food friendly for my babies…………
Ooh good question! We think if you seal it with something non-toxic and food safe (like the Safecoat stuff that we used to seal our vanity) it should make the entire table food safe enough for your little ones to gnaw on the table itself! Here’s a link to the post that mentions Safecoat: http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/01/tackling-the-bathroom-chapter-seven/
Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Just wondering: Do you have a post about when to strip paint off old furniture versus just priming and painting? In particular, I’m thinking of painting some old wood dressers (2 solid wood and 1 that’s either wood or MDF) that were once painted eons ago. Just wondering what the best route might be.
(Wow, I can’t believe how much mileage is on this one post, but I’m so glad you keep answering the posts/questions!)
If paint is flaking, peeling, bumpy or otherwise uneven in any way it should be stripped or at least sanded down (which can usually do the trick without all those harsh chemicals). If it’s smooth and even but you just want to change the color there’s no need to sand as long as the paint isn’t super glossy (but it can’t really hurt if you want extra credit). The oil-based primer will definitely create a great foundation for you (even on previously painted pieces). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Sorry, another question. You mention using oil-based primer. For the low/no-VOC formulas, I’m only coming up with acrylic or water-based primers. Is that OK? What type of paint should be used in conjunction with those? Thanks ever so much!
Stephanie
Definitely choose newer acrylic based primers and avoid water-based ones at all costs (even if the guys at the counter tell you they’re just as good, from experience we have not found this to be true). You can also scroll up to see many people lamenting the “mistake” of using water-based primer so we always go for oil-based over anything else (and leave things outside to air out and dry so our house doesn’t get fumey). But in places like California and New Jersey where they’re phasing out the oil-based stuff, the enamel-based or acrylic-based primers seem to work harder than the water-based varieties. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi!
My husband and I got married in November, and just moved into our first house! We’ll be referencing your blog OFTEN as we take on various projects!
I apologize if you’ve answered this question before, but I’m trying to paint one of my husband’s ‘bachelor’ tables to create a little kitchen table for us. The piece is solid wood but has a yucky varnish on top. I just finished sanding it down and had good success (might give it a second go-round tomorrow). We just painted our kitchen white with the Home Depot brand ‘primer and paint’ in one – 100% latex – satin finish. Should I still go buy some oil based primer, even though there’s primer in the paint we have? I have already purchased the Minwax water-based poly you recommended. Thank you so much! Your blog is amazing.
Alicia
Good question! If you want the added protection and durability (since it’s such a highly used table) you should definitely spring for the oil-based primer as a base (it really does add an amazing foundation under the paint- much more so than built in latex based primer). But we understand if you just want to skip the extra step and use the two-in-one primer/paint that you already have. It’s really your call, so it depends how thorough you want to be. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
OK, so I’m back with another question: Some of the furniture I’m looking to paint is my childhood furniture (probably painted before 1978 when lead paint was phased out) Any tips or advice about repainting furniture that MAY have been originally painted with lead paint? Thanks ever so much!
You definitely should do a simple and easy lead paint test on it (you can grab a lead paint test stick at Home Depot for less than $6). Then if it’s positive you’ll either want to “seal” the lead paint in with something like Safecoat (you can google it to learn more) or remove it with a wet gel stripper (stripping lead paint when it’s wet is the only safe way to remove it- never sand it because it becomes a dust that is airborne and can easily be inhaled!). Maybe it won’t have lead after all, which would be great, but it’s always worth checking since it’s just a simple and easily accessible test. Good luck!
xo,
s
I am priming a dresser and buffet-then painting them white. I used a primer that was for non sanding(I did sand some) anyway-I then painted 2 coats of white and now I can see a little of the brown wood coming through-any suggestions? Do I need to sand it a little and prime again-would it have worked better with an oil base primer? If so-could I use that on top of the white coat and sort of start over. Thanks for any help-your blog is so fun-thanks for having it-you two are histerical! HA!
Hey Kristi,
Yup, unfortunately we recommend the above method explicitly in our step by step tutorial for a reason: it’s always what works best for us! We definitely are big believers in oil-based primer (and have used other primers in the past without much success- brown tones always bleed and stains slowly seep through… then we’re forced to start all over again). For your situation we would recommend sanding everything enough to rough it up and then following our steps outlined above in this very post (including oil-based primer). Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thank you for the advice! I’ll definitely spring for some oil based primer, and will make good use of it with some other pieces that need a little freshening up, too!
If I used the Safecoat, it looks like it’s a final step.
After the sealant, could I safely paint the furniture?
Thanks and sorry for the multiple questions.
Hey Stephanie,
We’re not really sure but perhaps reading the can or asking around at your local home improvement store will shed light on the subject! Good luck!
xo,
s
Ok-thanks for your help-another question-I am using the minwax clear polycrlic over white paint and it seems to be turning yellow-i want the buffet to remain white-could this be caused by the item not having oil base primer under the paint-the paint looked pure white. Sure hope I am not driving you nuts-maybe I will have to sand it down and start over too.
Hmm, it definitely could be. You also might not be putting it on thin enough or waiting for it to fully dry between coats. You want it as thin as the shell of an egg- not globby at all or it’ll definitely turn yellow. We have used that exact polycrilic for many white-paint projects and it has never yellowed for us when we follow the steps outlined in this post. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
WOW-Thanks so much for replying so fast-I will see what happens while it dries-maybe I did put it on to thick. I appreciate sooooo much you helping-makes me smile-I will smile even more if i can get this project finished. HA!
Thanks Sherry, for the info about painting over lead-based paint.
I don’t have a final answer yet, but I’ve been talking with various home improvement stores and here’s the suggestions I’ve received so far, in case it might help others (in increasing order of the method I will most likely try):
1) Paint with primer and paint (don’t sand/prep in any way) and see how the coverage is. In theory, the lead is encapsulated (and therefore, safe).
2) Strip with soy-based paint stripper, then use primer and paint.
3) Try AFM Safecoat Hard Seal to see if it will adhere. If not, try SafeSeal. Then use primer and paint. Don’t sand/prep the sealant prior to topping it with primer/paint.
In any case, as you mentioned, never dry sand lead-based paint at all. Hope this helps someone.
Thanks so much for all the info! It’ll definitely come in handy for others who drop in with lead questions. We had heard about Safecoat and SafeSeal along with soy based strippers (since they’re wet and much safer than sanding) so it’s good to know that you received the same advice! We have also heard the whole prime-and-paint-right over-it-to-safely-encapsulate-the-lead theory but you really have to decide where the furniture will go to determine if that’s the right choice. For example, in a child’s bedroom we think stripping with the soy stuff is much safer in the long run since kids can gnaw right through the new paint and primer and swallow the old paint chips amazingly quickly. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi,
I was wondering if you could give me any additional advice. My husband and I are having a hard time with very visible brush strokes (attempting to refinish a french provincial dresser). Of course we have sanded the piece multiple times now :). We have tried latex paint with a purdy brush, acrylic paint with foam brush, oil based paint with a purdy brush and the result is always the same…lots of brush strokes. What else should we try?
Thanks!
Maybe it’s the paint application since it seems like it’s not the brush or roller. You really want to put on thin and even coats of paint (about as thick as an eggshell) so if you’re glopping anything on much thicker than that then it’s easy for the brush or the roller to “dig in” to what you’re applying and leave a marred finish behind. You also want to be sure that each coat is completely dry (ideally for several hours) before applying the next one so that you’re not creating little strokes in the almost-dry paint from the previous application. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Would love to show u more pics of my finished product..Can I email you, and how..Can I just say thanks…I am lookin to do the second guest bedroom when I return from the “STATES”!!!!!!!!KIM
Hey Kim,
Congrats on your finished product! You can email us by clicking the button on our sidebar that says “Click here to contact the youngsters.” Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Wow, just discovered this site and I like the personal way you provide ideas. I’m trying to decide whether to use paintbrush+latex or spray paint for some furniture, and I noticed that you have used both. Any suggestions for what method you prefer for what type of furniture? I have only spray painted my computer case before for a mirror finish(sanding 2000 grit, clearcoat etc.), with good results, but that was small metal instead of medium-large wood furniture.
We always recommend a brush with oil-based primer followed by two thin and even coats of latex paint when it comes to wood furniture. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
So I put the polycrylic clear gloss recomminded on my newly black painted table. And I am finding it is almost impossible to clean. Any water, milk, wet food (and believe its alot, I have two toddlers eating at this table) leaves a soggy print on the table. Then when I go to clean it up with a wet rag it just leaves an even bigger mess. I have even tried rubbing it down with a dry soft cloth to polish it out. What did I do wrong, I put three layers of the gloss, is that not enough? Would it help to put more? Or is that just the nature of having a black table? Or do you have any other recommendations to make cleaning this table not impossible task? Thank you so much, Tiffany
Hey Tiffany,
Well, a few things could be attributing to the problem but it’s definitely not normal for any piece (black, white or any other color) to have such a hard time with moisture or food once it has been poly’d. First of all, perhaps the poly did not fully cure before you put it into use. If each layer was not applied super thinly, and then given ample time to dry between coats, there could be an issue with the piece not fully hardening so it has more of a wipe-ability issue. You also might have had muggy or humid or moist conditions during the drying process that slowed the cure time so it might just have needed a bit longer before being put into use.
Secondly, it’s rare, but sometimes stores sell expired finishes like poly and paint. This could result in the sub-par results that you’re experiencing. Either way our advice would be to sand the entire piece down again, apply one super thin coat of oil-based primer, wait a full 24 hours and then apply one thin and even coat of latex paint, wait another 12 hours and apply the second coat of black latex paint, and then wait 24 hours to apply each thin and even coat of poly (three paper-thin coats of poly applied a day apart should definitely allow your piece to fully cure between applications). Then just wait another 72 hours before putting it to use (just in case it’s muggy, rainy, humid, etc) to be sure that it fully hardens. You should be able to rub runny eggs, toothpaste, and pasta all over it without any “soggy prints.” Of course you’ll still have to wipe away any food or water messes (which can show up more obviously on a glossy black surface) but they should remain on the surface and not soak into the piece- and after you wipe it down and it dries the table should look flawless again. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Thank you so much for your help and answering my millions of questions thru this process. I am definitly a first timer. Hopefully I will get this the second time around!!!
Just discovered the site yesterday and love it thank you!I am paint a black table off white and following your steps went to lowes and bought the (what I was told was oil based primer) only to find out later was water based…Was about to take it back and the guy swore up and down water was just as good and clean up was better (its a Valspor High Hiding Primer)…After reading again your steps, should I take this back and get the oil based?
Thanks so much!
Lisa
Hi guys, This is my first foray into painting any type of furniture and you are by far the best site I’ve found for clear instructions as well as current comment activity! I have an Ethan Allen bedroom set, triple dresser, king headboard, 2 night stands and I desperately need a new look. I would love to have it a kind of a worn cream color. What should I use to get this affect? It is a medium wood tone right now.
You’re in luck. Here’s a post with all of our favorite paint colors (so you can grab a bunch of cream swatches that we love and bring them home to see what looks right in your space). Once you prime your furniture it doesn’t matter what color wood it is to start with and every paint swatch you choose will be true to life on the furniture since the primer is a great “reset button” base that keeps the wood tone from altering the tone. Hope it helps!
http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/06/email-answer-picking-the-perfect-paint-color/
xo,
s
Hi there,
I just bought a vintage wood dresser off of craigslist, and I’d like to paint it white for a nursery. I’m pregnant and would like to avoid fumes as much as possible so I’m looking for advice on effective, low VOC primers and paints. Do you have any recs?
Many thanks!
Caroline
Definitely check your local yellow pages or google around for an eco-friendly shop in your area. Here in Richmond, Virginia we have a place called EcoLogic where they sell no VOC primer and paint (we recently used the paint in our nursery and love the result). We’ve also heard of sites like Green Depot which sell earth (& baby) friendly items like paint and other home improvement things. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Hi, quick question regarding the Minwax Water-Based Polycrylic Protective Finish. You suggested applying two coats but did not mention anything about sanding in between coats. The Minwax product above says to sand with 220-grit between coats. Do we sand?
The directions on the poly do mention sanding ever so lightly with high grit paper between applications but we have never had to take the time to do that since we apply such thin and even coats (as thin as a piece of paper) so there aren’t any drips or gloppy parts to smooth out with sandpaper. Depending on how your poly applications go on you can make the call whether to sand or not- although it’s definitely not necessary at all if you follow our thin and even instructions outlined in the post above. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
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Love this site!!!! Question on my dresser. I have a bachelor’s chest with matching amoire. It is pine with natural stain and varish. The chest (dresser) has a small bubble on the top where someone (hubby) left a sweaty glass. The top is obviously veneered. I am painting both pieces black (satin finish) but can’t figure out how to hide this bubble. Thought of having a marble or granite overlay done, but costly. Can I remove the bubble without removing the veneered top?