Painting Wood Furniture

If you are planning to remodel the interiors of your house, you can buy some wood furniture from garage sales and upgrade them by applying a new coat of paint. Similarly, the existing wooden furniture at your home that have a dull boring look can get a fresh lease of life. Painting wood furniture is a very simple task and can be taken up even by beginners who do not have any previous experience in this field. When done on you own, you can save a lot of money too.

How to Paint Wood Furniture?

Before you start painting, you have to arrange for some tools and materials. You will need primer and paint for wood furniture, 2-3 paintbrushes, roller brush, drop cloths to cover the work area, rag cloth, sponge and a soap and water solution. When you are ready with all these things, follow the step by step instructions given below.

Cleaning
First of all, remove all hardware like knobs, handles, hinges, doors and drawers from the furniture. Then start cleaning all the surfaces that need to be painted by a damp sponge dipped in a mixture of soap and water. This is important to get rid of the dirt and grease from the surface of the wood which in turn will ensure better adherence of the paint.

Sanding
After the cleaned furniture has dried up thoroughly, it's time for some sanding of the wood. Painting wood furniture without sanding will not let the paint stick properly to them. Depending on the texture of the wood, you have to select the sandpaper accordingly. For a rough surface, coarse sandpaper has to be used but otherwise a medium grained sandpaper will do. Sand the wooden surface mildly in order to roughen it up slightly, however, you need not strip off the old paint completely. Then wipe off the surface with dry cloth to remove the sanded dust.

Application of Primer
This will ensure a better bonding between the paint and the wood. Primer is mostly available in white but you can get it slightly tinted with the same color as your paint at the paint store. Dip half an inch of the brush into the primer in such a way that it does not over saturate and then apply the primer on the furniture in small strokes. Always move the brush in the same direction as the grain of the wood. Cover the furniture including the nooks and corners with the primer. Let the first coat of the primer dry up for at least four hours and then apply the second coat.

Application of Paint
After the primer becomes dry, check out for any rough surface on it. If you find any, sand them down to make the surface smooth. Wipe off the sanded dust and start applying the paint on the corners of the furniture. Use a paintbrush for painting the curved areas and corners of the furniture. Then use a roller brush to paint the broader surfaces. Make sure all your strokes are uniform and in the direction of the grain. Most of the time, one coat of paint is just not enough and you may need two thin coats. For this, sand the painted coat once before you apply the next one. While using spray paint, use slow sweeping motions keeping the can at least 8-10 inches away from the wood surface. This way you can prevent dripping of the sprayed paint.

Finishing Touch
Let the paint dry up for 24 hours and then add a polyurethane finish over it for the protection of the paint. If you feel like adding two coats of it, you can do so after the first coat has dried thoroughly. For a more glossy finish on a table top, dressers, etc. you may require thicker coat of paint finish. Once you are done with the paint job, reattach all the hardware back to the surface of the furniture.

Painting wood furniture can be a really fun experience for you and at the same time it can help your home furniture to last for several years. This job can be finished off in a weekend even if you are a slow painter. Finally, I would like to suggest you that you carry out the project in a properly ventilated area as the primer often emits fumes which are not good for health. Most importantly, handle the materials carefully by wearing hand gloves.