How to Repaint a Piece of Furniture
Whether you're resurrecting an old, beat-up wooden table or giving that avocado-colored nightstand a new lease on life, a quick coat of paint can update even the most hopeless furniture.
Instructions
- Step 1: Protect floor Put the piece of furniture on some newspaper or a drop cloth to protect your floor from paint. Make sure you're in a well-ventilated location.
- Step 2: Remove hardware If the item has any hardware, unscrew and remove it now.
- Step 3: Remove grit Gently rub the surface of the furniture with your fine-grit sandpaper to remove any grit and to help the paint adhere.
- Step 4: Remove dust Remove any dust from the piece with a tack rag or a damp microfiber cloth.
- TIP: You can also use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to remove the dust.
- Step 5: Apply primer Apply a thin coat of primer to the entire piece, brushing with the grain of the wood if it's visible.
- TIP: If you're going to use a bright or deep colored paint, mix a little of it into your primer for better coverage.
- Step 6: Let primer dry Wait at least an hour or two for the primer to dry completely.
- Step 7: Apply paint coat Apply a coat of your paint over the primer, again brushing with the grain of the wood if it's visible.
- TIP: Start painting in the middle of the object, as opposed to the outside. This will avoid paint dripping from the edges.
- TIP: For a very modern look, use a semi- or high-gloss paint with a foam brush for a smooth, shiny finish
- Step 8: Let paint dry Wait for the paint to dry completely—the longer you wait, the better, so try to let it dry overnight if you can.
- Step 9: Paint 2nd coat If the paint still looks a little spotty, blotchy, or uneven, give the furniture a second coat of paint.
- Step 10: Apply varnish If the furniture will be outside or is likely to get scratched or dinged from heavy use, apply a coat of varnish.
- Step 11: Replace hardware When the paint is completely dry, put any hardware you removed back on—or replace it with new, updated hardware—and position your renewed piece in a place of honor.
- FACT: Avocado green was the designer color of the 1960s and 1970s—there were avocado refrigerators, avocado countertops, even avocado toilets!
You Will Need
- A piece of furniture in need of repainting
- A well-ventilated place
- Some newspaper or a drop cloth
- A fine-grit sandpaper
- Tack rag or microfiber cloth
- Water-based primer
- Water-based latex paint
- And a paintbrush or foam brush
- A screwdriver (optional)
- A vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment (optional)
- Some water-based varnish (optional)
- And a paint roller (optional)
