Give Your Furniture A Facelift With Paint

Painting old furniture is a great way to get a fresh, new, unified look from mismatched garage sale finds or tired, old hand-me-downs. Here are some helpful tips for making quick work of your next furniture painting project:

Step One- PREP

- Remove all of the hardware from your furniture.

- Wash the entire piece with a soft rag and some type of furniture cleaner to remove any dust and/or wax build up.

- Once it's completely dry, fill in any unwanted dings, gouges and/or hardware holes with wood putty.

- Using 180-grit sandpaper, lightly sand the piece to remove any glossy finish. (You don't have to remove the old finish completely, just lightly rough up the surface to give the new paint something to adhere to.)

Step Two- PAINT

- If you don't want to see brush strokes, use spray paint. Hold the can about a foot away from your furniture and spray back and forth, in a sweeping motion. Let the piece fully dry, and then check to make sure you've got it completely covered. If you need to use a second coat, spray away.

- If you aren't concerned about seeing brush strokes, and plan to use a paint brush, it's best to use a flat-finish paint. Apply two coats of paint, sanding lightly between coats with 220-grit sandpaper.

Step 3- PROTECT

- After allowing plenty of time for the paint to dry, (overnight is best) it's a good idea to protect your newly painted finish. Use a water-based lacquer, polyurethane or a thin coat of clear paste wax for durability. Let dry overnight and then re-attach your hardware and/or doors. You should only use non-yellowing sealers on things that are painted white.