Have you ever painted your furniture? DIY-style?

amother

OP ↓

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 7:34 pm

I'm very tempted to paint some dark furniture in my house to white. I see people online and on instagram have done it successfully but idk which paint to buy and which technique to use.

some say to sand it all down, some say only where the furniture paint has been chipped. some say use chalked paint other say semi glossy. do I get a separate primer or a paint that's also a primer?

so many questions. if the furniture doesn't come out nice I'll probably want to buy a new one and I'd rather not buy now.

Any tips?

DVOM

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 7:46 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Feel free to PM me! I've painted lots of our furniture ☺️

amother

Nasturtium ↓

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 8:24 pm

I did it with spray paint! I used the spray paint that has primer in it. Cleaned the furniture well.

I did a night table and a big size armoire. Went through quite a few cans of paint but I'm very happy with the results.

Worked outdoors or in my garage. Must be specific temperatures, don't remember now but a quick google will tell you.

amother

Wine

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 8:36 pm

My mother would do the opposite.
She would take outdated furniture and strip it down to the wood.
She had a few pieces like this - she too an old rocking chair, stripped it and then painted a lovely early American motif. Another piece was an old piano that was lacquered in black. She stripped it down and found the most lovely wood underneath.
A few pieces got painted.

She always did the work outside because the fumes were so strong.

s c

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 8:57 pm

I recently painted some oak cabinet doors. I sanded and then did a couple of coats of primer and then cabinet paint for top coat. Use a small roller not a brush and do as many coats as needed, sanding lightly between coats till you get a nice even finish. It came out nicely and has lasted well for about a year so far.

amother

RosePink

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 9:32 pm

amother [ Nasturtium ] wrote:

This is such a good idea. Dd wants to paint her wood color bed white. I wonder if white spray paint would work

mizle10

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 9:39 pm

I’ve done it and it came out great!
I sanded it first. Asked the salesmen in homedepot what products they would recommend. I also change the hardware. Completely changed my piece of furniture and it looks amazing 4 years later!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 11:36 pm

mizle10 wrote:

this is what I have in mind.

how much sanding does it need? what type of sanding? there are so many options in Home Depot.

I asked them for rec for a good furniture paint and when I looked on their site the reviews were quite negative.

I guess I'm asking for actual tips, recommendations and instructions

anyone have patience to share that?

amother

Leaf ↓

Sat, Nov 13 2021, 11:53 pm

Our whole house is painted furniture. So long as the wood is clean, two to three coats and you’re good. No primer necessary

I know there are a lot of ads on Instagram right now for special paints to paint over wood, etc., I literally use semi gloss or eggshell latex. (Or if I only have flat I add a coat of Butchers Wax on top)

You can totally do this!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 12:07 am

amother [ Leaf ] wrote:

can you recommend a brand that you used that lasts nicely?

I want to make sure dark stain won't show thru and it won't chip fast thus leaving the dark peeking out.

esuss

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 4:44 am

amother [ Leaf ] wrote:

This is something I want to do as well. Do you sand or strip the paint underneath also first? And if yes how?

amother

↑ Leaf ↓

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 11:19 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

can you recommend a brand that you used that lasts nicely?

I want to make sure dark stain won't show thru and it won't chip fast thus leaving the dark peeking out.

I use plain Benjamin Moore latex paint, eggshell or semi. I make sure to wash the piece really well with something that doesn’t leave residue: windex or Mrs Meyers. I use foam brushes so I can toss them afterward.

I have also been known to paint metal, with a paint of Amazon from The Spruce/Killz.

It’s super easy. It dries fast. It’s really idiot proof, just put down dropcloths!

amother

↑ Leaf ↓

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 11:20 am

esuss wrote:

This is something I want to do as well. Do you sand or strip the paint underneath also first? And if yes how?

I do not sand or strip, I just make sure it’s clean. I just did my daughter’s room in a white, shabby chic. Regular paint from the paint store works wonders.

FranticFrummie

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 11:35 am

amother [ Wine ] wrote:

an old piano that was lacquered in black.

She tackled black lacquer? Surprised

Wow, mad respect! Salut

When looking at prep, take into consideration how much wear and tear the furniture will go through. A chair is going to get a lot more use than a night stand or a headboard. Cabinets get used constantly. Sand the heck out of anything that will get used a lot, and then wipe with a dry cloth.

Also keep in mind how long the finish will last. If you want a quick change, but may change your mind in a few years, then the sturdiness of the paint won't matter as much as if you want something that will keep it's paint for a long time.

I'm a huge fan of lacquer paint for long lasting finishes. I find that water based paints just don't hold up very long, unless you seal them with a clear lacquer coat. Gloss is always the easiest to wipe clean. Matte will grab every little hand print and not let go.

If you want a "cottage shabby chic" look, you can take a candle and lightly rub it on the raised parts of your prepped furniture. Add two coats of paint, and then lightly sand over the raised areas to reveal the darker color underneath, which will make it look old and worn in a charming way. Seal with semi gloss lacquer. Summery floral print is the perfect compliment for seats and cushions.

amother

↑ Nasturtium ↓

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 11:49 am

amother [ RosePink ] wrote:

This is such a good idea. Dd wants to paint her wood color bed white. I wonder if white spray paint would work

Yes, I did it on wood furniture. Best way would be first to sand it down , then paint, but I didn't have patience for that, and it turned out beautiful. It's already 4 years and looks great!

amother

↑ OP ↓

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 5:27 pm

if I dont sand it, does it need a primer? Does the primer help hide the dark color underneath or not necessarily?

I want to go to the store to shop for all the supplies but I get overwhelmed with the aisles full of stuff.

amother

↑ Leaf

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 5:48 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

No have done this dozens of time. You really don’t need to sand it unless you are looking to create museum quality pieces.

Shopping list:
1 quart latex paint in color of your choosing, eggshell
2 foam brushes, small and medium
1 paint stirrer

That all. At home you will need rags, to clean the piece, drop clothes (I use aluminum foil or a cut up IKEA bag), foil to wrap up brushes between coats so you don’t have to wash them.

amother

↑ Nasturtium

Sun, Nov 14 2021, 6:12 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I used a spray paint that has primer in it already. No extra steps. One purchase of many cans of the same paint. The primer in the paint helps the paint stick to the furniture more nicely which is helpful when you don't sand it.

If you will using paint cans with brushes or rollers, you can also do the primer and paint as one step. Ask at the paint store for them to give you the paint with primer mixed in.