Painting wood furniture is not as difficult as you might imagine, and this can give old pieces new life and a completely new style. However, as simple as it might be, painting wood furniture does involve some details and some techniques that many homeowners often overlook. When they do, the pieces they paint look shoddy or the paint job is obviously amateurish. To avoid this happening, note the following simple tips.
1. Use a sprayer
A sprayer should always be used for wood furniture so that you avoid brush marks and marks left behind by rollers. Because wood furniture often has grooves and crevices around corners and around small pieces that are attached to one another, using a sprayer will let you get into these small spaces where a brush cannot reach without splattering. Using a roller can also mean having layers of paint that are too thick for smaller pieces of furniture. Invest in a good paint sprayer or see about renting one from the hardware store for individual jobs.
2. Use the right sandpaper and leave a gritty finish
You need to use sandpaper on wood furniture before painting it in order to remove any traces of old paint and to prepare the surface. One common mistake that homeowners make when sanding is that they use a fine grit sandpaper for a smooth finish. Paint will not typically adhere to a smooth finish, so you need to leave a slight bit of grit behind when sanding. This shouldn't mean scratching up the furniture, but it should feel slightly bumpy against your skin when you run your hand over the piece. If the furniture is very smooth after sanding, the paint can literally peel away in one layer after applied, so be sure you leave the piece just slightly gritty after sanding.
3. Paint from the top down & let dry
It's good to always start painting furniture from the top down, so that any drips can be smoothed over as you reach them with the sprayer. If you start from the bottom, the paint may drip over what you've already painted and the drip may dry and be visible.
You also need to ensure that you allow each coat to dry thoroughly before adding another. This will keep the paint from getting too thick. If necessary, leave the furniture piece for several days in between adding another coat, just to be sure it's thoroughly dry.
Share5 August 2015
While I was still married my house was a mish mash of both of our tastes in furnishing. Now that we have seperated I am finally getting a chance to decorate my house the way I wanted it. I have a couch that is truly comfortable and looks good, rather than the smelly old couch that used to live in our lounge room. It's so much more relaxing to walk into my house and enjoy looking around. I'm reading furniture catelogues like I used to read novels and researching like crazy. Join me on my redecorating adventure by reading along!