How To Paint Furniture Like A Pro

Guest post by Laura Harvey, from Reloved Vintage.

Painted furniture is big. It’s everywhere. Almost every shop, TV show, restaurant or café seems to feature a piece of furniture that has been painted. It’s nothing new, of course, people have been painting furniture for hundreds of years, both for preservation and presentation. Today, there are a huge number of products on the market specifically for painting wooden furniture. Some are good, some not so, but perhaps the most important tool is the painter’s own technique. Patience is a virtue, they say. In terms of furniture painting, it’s also a necessity. Most pieces of furniture we deal with at Reloved Vintage require a full sanding, a coat or two of primer, at least three coats of paint, and then at least two coats of varnish.

Our preferred paint is eggshell. There are other ways to paint a piece of furniture – you can use a chalk paint, which needs less pre-paint prep – but if you’re after a smooth finish, you’ll need to spend time after painting to sand and smooth out any brushstrokes or bobbles. We’d suggest using chalk paint if you’re after a distressed, rough, rustic look, but not as a time-saving measure on a piece that needs a clean finish.

Let’s get started! First, remove all handles, hinges or any other parts that will get in the way – keep them somewhere safe! If you’re painting an old piece of furniture, it’s likely to have been waxed or varnished many times during its life. Our preferred paint – eggshell -  will not adhere to treated areas, so you’ll have to get rid of them by sanding. For large, flat areas, a belt sander is your quickest option, but be careful not to strip too much off and leave an uneven surface. You can also use a smaller, detail sander, or just good old fashioned sandpaper.

Once you have stripped it all back to bare wood, and wiped/vacuumed all the surfaces clean, you’ll need to mask off any areas you don’t want to paint. Use a painter’s tape (we like FrogTape) to cover areas such as the insides of door or drawers, or the edges of glass panels. This will prevent scruffiness and ensure clean, sharp lines.

Now you’re ready to prime. Primer acts as a bond between the wood and the paint, making your finished piece more durable and less likely to chip – use the primer recommended by the makers of the paint you’re using. Primer can be applied, thinly, with a brush or roller. If you get a good even coating, you’re ready to go. If not, another coat won’t hurt. Just wait until the first coat is dry.

To get the best possible finish on your furniture, you need to apply the paint in very thin coats. Don’t try to slap it all on, or you’ll end up with drips, brush marks and scruffy edges. Remember – patience. Use a brush or roller to evenly coat your entire piece. Apply the paint in the same direction to avoid brush marks. Once your first coat is dry, do it all over again. And again.

When you’re happy with your finish, you need to protect it. We use a clear matt varnish to provide tough protection without affecting the colour or finish of the paint. Apply this just as you did the paint. The more coats the better the protection – though two is usually enough for pieces which won’t be under excessive strain. You can choose to distress your finished piece if you like, by using sandpaper or a bluntish blade to remove paint from areas likely to get the most wear (corners, edges, handles). This will give it a more lived-in look, as well as disguising any knocks and bumps the piece will take over the years.

Stand back and admire your handiwork, and be happy you've given an unwanted piece a new lease of life!

Laura Harvey is the founder of Reloved Vintage, painted furniture specialists.

You can find out more at Reloved Vintage, follow them on Twitter: @RelovedVintage, or like them at Facebook.