How to Paint Unfinished Furniture

Compare the price of a finished piece of furniture to an unfinished one, and you’ll notice the difference all you need to learn is how to paint it. If the finished piece has been stained, veneered, or painted, it is definitely more expensive than a raw piece.

So, going with unfinished furniture is a great option for those on a budget, since you have the option to paint it yourself. Plus, you can choose the paint colour, unlike the standard finished furniture that’s already been done.

If you’re just learning how to paint furniture, the task may seem a little daunting, but as long as you know the steps to take, painting unfinished furniture doesn’t have to be a challenge!

First, start off by choosing your furniture:

Seating:

International Concepts Whitewood Queen Ann Unfinished Side Chairs

Home Styles Furniture Solid Wood Porch and Deck Folding Rocker in Natural Finish

International Concepts 24" Madrid Unfinished Counter Stool

Sleeping:

American Drew Sterling Pointe Poster Bed in Maple

Coaster Simply Casual Natural Loft Bed

Storkcraft Ariel Stages Convertible Crib in Natural

Tables/Desks:

Winsome Nightstand/End Table in Natural Wood Finish

Woodland Natural Desk

Homelegance Contemporary Natural 3-Piece Occasional Table Set

Shaker Coffee Table

Natural Wood Coffee Table

Storage:

Prepac Six Drawer Double Dresser in Natural Finish

International Concepts Unfinished Wood X-Sided 4 Tier Bookcase

Home Styles Furniture Natural Base and Natural Wood Top Buffet

Décor:

Nexera Colori Wall Mount Mirror in Natural Maple Finish

Nextime Natural Wood Wall Clock

Shady Lady Outdoor Teak Slat Floor Lamp

Once you’ve selected your pieces, it’s time to paint! Follow these steps to a successful DIY painting project:

1. Sand

Sanding your unfinished furniture will get rid of the roughness and give it a better appearance. Make sure you have fine grit sandpaper, very fine grit sandpaper, and a tack cloth. They’re all available at your local hardware store.

You’ll probably want to sand your pieces outside, since the fine pieces of wood will create dust. Start by sanding your piece with the fine grit paper – be sure to do it lightly, not forcefully. Then, wipe down the piece with the tack cloth. This will remove the dust. Finally, sand the entire piece once more with the very fine grit paper. Use the tack cloth again to finish up and remove dust.

2. Prime

The first coat of paint you apply to your furniture is the primer base. It’s normally white in colour, and latex-based. Latex-based primer is much easier to work with than oil-based, so make sure to look out for it. Priming is an important step because without primer, the wood grain, knots, and raw colour can show up through normal paint. Plus, the primer creates a base that the normal paint sticks to, so the paint will last much longer.

Wherever you decided to paint your furniture, make sure you’ve put down an old sheet or newspaper underneath it so you don’t stain the floor. Remember to stir the primer well before using it, and after you’ve brushed it on, allow it to dry completely. After you’re certain it’s 100% dry, sand the piece again with the very fine sandpaper. Don’t forget to use the tack cloth on it afterwards.

3. Top Coat

Choosing a paint colour can be fun, but also difficult! What shade or hue should you go with? It all depends on the size of your piece, and of course, your personal taste. If you’re painting a bigger piece of furniture, like a bed frame or a dining room table, your colour palette should be a little more neutral.

Take colour risks with smaller pieces, like dining chairs or end tables. Jewel tones are popular right now, so consider the following bright colours from the paint brands Behr, C-I-L, and Ralph Lauren:

Purple –

Yellow –

Orange –

Blue –

Green –

Red –

Oil-based paints are more suited for furniture that’s going to get a lot of wear. Cover it with a layer of polyurethane for extra protection.

High-gloss latex paints are extra durable and easy to clean, but the gloss reveals smudges and wood imperfections, so try a satin or eggshell finish in latex paint. For a selection of paintbrushes made for oil or latex paint from the Home Depot, click here: View all Brushes

When applying paint to your piece, pick one direction for your brush to go in. Sweeping the brush back and forth can lead to bumps and general unevenness. Follow the natural grain of the wood for an ideal finish. Allow the coat of paint to dry thoroughly, and if you can still see the primer, you’ll need to sand again. Wipe it down with the tack cloth and apply another coat.

4. Finish

To make your piece really special, give the final paint of coat a unique finish. Check out the following treatments to give your furniture an original look:

Stencilling – Applying a design by brushing (or sponging) paint through a cut-out transfer placed on the surface.

Sponging – A painting technique in which sponges are used to decoratively apply paint.

Crackling – The splitting of a dry paint or varnish, for a more antique look.

Marbling – An ornamental technique that imitates the color and shape of marble.

Once you’ve finally completed painting, you can leave your piece without a finishing coat, or you can varnish it. You can also wax your piece to keep it protected.

Finally, you can take a step back and enjoy your DIY painting project! Now you know how to paint furniture the easy way!

Nicolette Interior Design Diva

This entry was posted on Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 7:59 am and is filed under How To & DIY Furniture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.