Looking for a DIY job to finish over the weekend? Why not consider painting furniture. It is quick, easy and can drastically change the look of the room. But, before you choose a piece of furniture, here’s a few easy tips to get the beautiful paint result you want.
When you love painting, you will realize that every part of your home is a blank canvas. And, when you have exhausted all the walls in your home, do not worry. Here’s a few ideas to paint your furniture. It is a quick and inexpensive way of adding color to your home or turning an old piece of furniture into an almost new one. While painting a piece of furniture may seem like a simple job to start with but here’s a few tips to plan for before bringing out the paint cans.
Choose your Canvas
Of course you can apply color to any piece of furniture that you want to refresh. But, remember that solid-wood is the ideal surface for most paint. Avoid laminated furniture because sanding can damage the surface and ruin it for good. You can use a good-quality primer and avoid the sanding process but the best painting results are achieved with solid-wood pieces. Also, if you are painting on particleboard, sand the surface properly otherwise you will end up with flaky paint. For first-timers, it’s best to avoid a detailed piece of furniture. It will take more time and it’ll probably end up in the garage.
Know what you want
Be honest about your expectations. Before starting any furniture painting work, you must decide on the type of look that you want for the furniture. Are you going for a worn and distressed look? Do you want a smooth and lustrous finish for the piece? Once you are sure of the end result, selecting the paint becomes easy. For distressed-looking furniture, buy paint with a matte finish such as chalk paint, eggshell finish, etc. Choose glossy finishes for a smooth look.
The 3 P’s of Painting a Piece of Furniture
- Prep it
Check the surface for traces of lead. You do not want to breathe in any dangerous particles while sanding a piece of furniture. Once you are sure that it is safe to paint, remove the drawers and hardware, if any. Clean the surface thoroughly because paint will not stick to a dirty surface. After, sand the surface with sandpaper or a liquid sander. If you find any scratches, dents or holes in the surface, repair them before moving onto the primer.
- Prime it
DIYers will tell you to skip the primer part, especially if you are looking for a distressed look. But, a good-quality primer can work wonders for furniture. If the furniture has lot of stains on its surface, you can opt for oil-based primers because they block stains easily.
- Paint it
Painting a piece of furniture is a job of patience. It is time-consuming and it often results in thickening of paint and visible brush strokes. You can get rid of the problem by using a paint additive to thin the paint. Just as with the primer, the paint also requires 2-3 coats of paint instead of one thick coat. Remember that a thick paint coat will peel off easily so it is best to build up layers of thinner coats. You can use sealer but remember to dry the paint completely before starting with it.
Are you motivated yet?
Painting furniture can be a fun DIY project to do over the weekend. But, you must have time and patience to finish painting a piece of furniture. Adding some color to patio furniture, paint some deck furniture or simply giving a fresh coat of paint to the dining table.
So, when you want to add a splash of color to your home, don’t just consider the walls. You can work with a piece of furniture and transform your living space into a work of art.
If you are thinking about applying the least amount of work for DIY projects, why not put up some ready-made wall decorations. Here are a few inspirations to get your creative juices flowing:
Inspirational quote wall decorations
Stick on wall decals
Simple botanical wall art
Nature inspired wall art photography
3D metallic wall decorations
