How to paint your furniture

1. Prep the surfaces so the paint adheres to the wood. If there is already paint on the wood or a clear wax finish, the paint will scrape off. The best way to ensure the paint sticks is to apply a paint stripper — wear safety goggles and clothes that cover your arms, legs, and feet — and then sand it lightly. You can also skip the paint stripper and just sand it really well.

My dresser had just a little wax finish, and I thought that with time a little paint scraping off might add a little character so I chose to just lightly sand.  (I don’t actually know how that will turn out, but I’ll let you know…) There were lots of dings and dents that could have been sanded down, but I didn’t really care and just left them.

2. Apply 2 coats of latex primer + paint. I used Behr indoor latex paint in ultra white. My dad already had a gallon and a half left over from another project. I repainted my walls the same color as well. Wait until each coat dries completely before applying another.

Alternatively, you can apply primer — if there is still some stain that stripping and sanding didn’t get rid of, then you should apply a primer with sealer — and then paint, waiting until each coat completely dries before applying another.

3. Apply 1 more coat of paint with Floetrol, an additive that reduces the paint brush strokes in water-based (latex) paints.

4. Wait until it dries completely to set objects on top of it, and you’re done!

It’s rather in vogue right now to have vintage-looking furniture. To achieve this look, you can sand down the edges where normal wear would occur and/or use a hammer to create dents and scratches.

LOVE,

Roxy