Avoid discarding that outdated wooden piece of furniture so quickly. Refinishing a wooden chair or table is a simple task that involves removing the old finish and applying a new layer of paint. Follow these steps to learn how to paint wood furniture again.
Materials You’ll Need:
- Drop cloth
- Safety gear
- Nylon bristle brush
- Tack cloth
- Palm sander and pads
- Sandpaper with different grits
- Oil-based paint
- Primer and transparent sealer that can be sprayed on
- Remove Hardware and Drawers
Take off all of the existing hardware, such as pulls, locks and knobs and store the components safely in a plastic bag. Since you’ll want to paint each drawer front separately, you can also remove any drawers.
- Lay a Drop Cloth Down
Arrange your furniture and any drawers in the center of the room by rolling out a tarp or drop cloth, sometimes known as the red carpet of the painting world. This will stop paint drips or splatters from falling to the floor.
- Sand- Smooth
To smooth out the surface, use a palm sander to sand the entire chair. First, use sandpaper with an 80–100 grain to thoroughly sand the chair. To get a smooth surface, then move to finer sandpaper, between 150 and 200 grit (finer grit is found in sandpaper with higher numbers). Always sand in the direction of the wood’s grain.
- Clean up
Use a moist towel or tack cloth to clean your furniture after sanding. The latter is a unique type of fabric that clings to even the smallest trash and is sold at hardware stores. Before proceeding to the following step, you want the surface to be perfectly smooth and clear of any dirt. If you do use a damp cloth, be careful to wait to proceed to the next step until the furniture has completely dried.
- Prime
Many paints have a built-in primer but when painting furniture, longevity and thoroughness are the most important factors to consider. Primer allows the paint to adhere to the furniture, and as a result, your piece will be more durable and last a lot longer. If applying two coats of primer, sand the second coat lightly with 220 grit after it has dried. This will give the paint some texture and aid in its adhesion. Before painting, make sure all dust has been removed.
- Apply paint
Once the paint is mixed, drop your brush into the mixture, remove any excess and paint your furniture in a thin layer. After applying a second coat, lightly sand the surface with 220 grit sandpaper, wipe it down with a tack cloth and follow the paint can’s instructions for the interval between coats. Once the piece is fully dry, give it a very light sand if you notice any streaks or bumps in the paint. Repeat for a third coat if necessary.
- Reassemble it
After letting your furniture to dry, replace the drawers and hardware. You can replace your hardware with something new or give it a thorough cleaning to give it a fresh start in life. Paint requires time to cure or completely dry to a hard finish, even after it is dry to the touch. Before adding goods on top, let the paint cure for the required amount of time. It may require a week or two to complete.
Image From Freepik