A Guide to Repainting Wood Furniture

Share:

A Guide to Repainting Wood Furniture

Staff Writer · Sep 14, 2010

Wood furniture can last a lifetime if it is maintained correctly. Wood furniture that is scratched and has a worn finish can be renewed with a fresh coat of paint to give it a new look. If it is already painted and begins to fade and chip, repainting it can make it look new all over again.

Choosing a Piece of Furniture

Redecorating a room is a fun project, and repainting wood furniture you already own is a great way to save money. Pick a piece that is sturdy and is in good condition as far as the framework of the piece. It may be stained any color or already painted. If you do not own a piece that fits well into the room, go shopping at garage sales, consignment shops and thrift stores. Find a piece of furniture that fits your style in its shape and design. Cosmetically it may look like it has seen better days, but finding a diamond in the rough for a great price and turning it into a beautiful piece of furniture will pay off.

Prepping for Repainting

If the piece of furniture is stained, you need to start by stripping the finish from it and sanding it down. Cracking and peeling on the furniture should be a sign that it first needs to be sanded down and then repainted, not just painted over. Pieces of furniture already painted and in good shape can be cleaned first with soap and water. Take apart any pieces such as drawers or legs that detach and clean them as well. Remove any hardware like drawer handles or pulls.

The next step is priming the furniture. Priming is important to prepare the piece for the paint. Be sure to get any little cracks and crevices. If this is a piece of furniture that you have painted yourself previously and still have extra paint left, skip priming and just add an extra coat on of the old paint.

Repainting the Furniture

Choose a paint color that matches or complements the room. Glossy paint is usually best to be used on furniture. Paint in even brush strokes and try to finish the piece in one sitting. Allow the piece to dry for at least several hours and then give it a second coat in the same manner as the first coat. Check to make sure the piece is evenly covered. Any additional parts such as drawers should be painted along with the main portion of the furniture. Once the second coat has been applied, let the piece dry completely overnight. Check it over once again to ensure no spots have been missed and that the paint looks even.

After this you may choose to apply a coat of polyurethane. This will add to the glossy finish but also protect the paint from chipping or cracking. Now that the polyurethane has dried, reassemble any pieces along with replacing any hardware. To add a newer look to the piece, purchase new hardware to match the new look of the furniture.

You might also like:

Moving into a new apartment or rental property can be both exciting and stressful. From packing up your belongings to coordinating logistics, there’s a lot to manage. However, one aspect that is often overlooked is what to expect on move-in day regarding the condition of your new unit. Surprisingly, according to recent surveys, a significant […]

Jessica Lee

 · Mar 12, 2024

On ApartmentRatings, real renters have the ability to rate and review their apartment communities based on their experience touring and or living in the communities. ApartmentRatings offers renters the ability to see what life is like at a community through a report card grade style format called epIQ. Every month we highlight apartment communities whose […]

Jessica Lee

 · Feb 28, 2024

On ApartmentRatings, real renters have the ability to rate and review their apartment communities based on their experience touring and/or living in them. ApartmentRatings offers renters the ability to see what life is truly like at a community through a report card grade style format called epIQ. Every month we highlight a major city across […]

Jessica Lee

 · Jan 31, 2024