Painting furniture -- how easy is it?

[zoebartlett]

So I have this bookcase in our guest room that I''d like to paint black, but I''ve never painted anything before. I know it must be easy but I don''t want to make any mistakes and have to start over. Should I use spray paint or a can of paint? I''d like it to match the bedside tables in the room. I don''t think I should use glossy paint but I really have no idea. Do I need to sand off the stain that''s on the bookcase or can I just paint over it? Any tips are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[zoebartlett]

Here''s the pic of the bookcase now.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I have done both and prefer the smooth finish of spray paint. How exciting! A coat of paint REALLY changes the look of an old piece of furniture. We painted all of DH''s childhood furniture black and put new knobs on it.

 

[lilyfoot]

I'd sand it (could be lightly, just need to get that top layer of smoothness off), paint it, and seal it. Personally, I've seen the difference between using "real" paint, and spray paint, and the real paint looked way nicer to me.

Paint comes in different textures, so you don't have to use a glossy one if you don't want to.

 

[lilyfoot]

Is it real wood?

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Tacori and Lilyfoot!

I was thinking of using spray paint because it would coat the wood more evenly (I think?) but I wasn''t sure if that would be recommended. How many coats of paint should I use, regardless of whether I choose spray paint or regular paint?

Paint comes in different textures? I have clearly been living in the dark ages. All I knew were the words "glossy" and "flat." I am so not crafty and I feel funny saying that this is stressing me out a little because I don''t want to screw it up.

Yes, it''s real wood -- pine. The inside back seems to be press board (?) but I''m not really sure.

DO I need to prime it first? And sealing it -- what should I use? I haven''t even thought about that.

Tacori -- our new sofas are arriving this afternoon and the dining set should be here either this week or next. You''ll have to come by when we actually have a place for guests to sit.

 

[Pandora II]

I painted all Daisy''s nursery furniture - the Ikea Leksvik range.

First, rub some sandpaper over it - you don''t need to ''sand'' it back, just give the surface some grip. Then wash with sugar soap. Stick on a coat of primer, allow to dry for 24 hours, lightly sand any imperfections then slap on two topcoats again drying properly in between and sanding down any dodgy bits.

I use Farrow & Ball''s water-based Eggshell - it''s eco-friendly, low sheen, washable and comes in lots of gorgeous colours. It''s expensive, but the pigment content means you need less coats of paint. I prefer brush to spray.

 

[neatfreak]

Spray paint will give you a finish that doesn't have brush strokes-so I would recommend that if you want just a basic black. Make sure it's totally squeaky clean with no dust or anything on it-that will mar the finish. If it is a really shiny finish on it now you'll want to lightly sand it-otherwise don't bother IMO.

It's not as easy as it looks to get it to look really nice-take your time. It's better to put on a few light layers than heavy layers or else you'll get drips. Keep the can a bit away from the bookcase and keep it the same distance away always.

Personally I like the glossy/laquer paint. But if you want to match something you already have and that isn't glossy just use regular spray paint. You can also of course use a can of paint and a brush-but I think it's harder to get a professional finish if you've never done it before with a brush.

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 11/11/2009 11:25:47 AM
Author: ZoeBartlett
Thanks Tacori and Lilyfoot!

I was thinking of using spray paint because it would coat the wood more evenly (I think?) but I wasn''t sure if that would be recommended. How many coats of paint should I use, regardless of whether I choose spray paint or regular paint?

Paint comes in different textures? I have clearly been living in the dark ages. All I knew were the words ''glossy'' and ''flat.'' I am so not crafty and I feel funny saying that this is stressing me out a little because I don''t want to screw it up.

Yes, it''s real wood -- pine. The inside back seems to be press board (?) but I''m not really sure.

DO I need to prime it first? And sealing it -- what should I use? I haven''t even thought about that.

Tacori -- our new sofas are arriving this afternoon and the dining set should be here either this week or next. You''ll have to come by when we actually have a place for guests to sit.

Paint comes in like, a million different varieties now. Honestly, your best bet is to go to Home Depot/Lowes and chat up an employee! The sealant will depend on which type of paint you decide to go with. Also, Google brings up a lot of stuff about painting furniture.

Honestly, painting furniture is not that hard, don''t stress yourself out!

 

[zoebartlett]

Thanks Pandora, NF, and Lily (again)!

I think I''m going to run to Lowe''s after our living room furniture arrives this afternoon. I''m leaning toward spray paint because I don''t want brush stroked and I think it''ll be easier. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Ooooh....good luck! We have to get together soon (after Friday). I have been thinking of you but am so busy with T and studying.

 

[packrat]

I painted London''s furniture (it''s my furniture I grew up with) and I would highly recommend something glossy. I used regular satin latex and I HATE it with a capital H! It is a bear to keep clean, and the paint chips off like crazy-it doesn''t look as nice as it did before. My parents had painted it with a nice glossy oil based paint-and even tho it had been...wow..almost 20 years earlier that they''d painted it, it looked like it was just done. One of our next projects is to take all the paint off and start over. We''re using crackle spray paint with a top coat this time tho..we''ve crackled some other things in her room and it looks neat.

 

[laine]

Another vote for glossy. Maybe a satin/eggshell, but definitely not flat!

And I think you''re fine with spray paint--ditto to whoever said go slow, more thin coats will look better.

 

[iheartscience]

I just saw a blog post somewhere about painting furniture. I''ve been reading zillions of house blogs and I can''t remember which one-sorry! I do know that she used spray paint and then used a wipe on polyurethane to give it a glossy appearance and protect the surface. She recommended putting each coat of spray paint on very lightly and doing several coats. It looked AWESOME after she did it! I don''t think she sanded it before spray painting it, but don''t quote me on that! If I come across the blog again I''ll post a link. And I hope you post an after pic!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 11/11/2009 10:22:21 PM
Author: thing2of2
I just saw a blog post somewhere about painting furniture. I''ve been reading zillions of house blogs and I can''t remember which one-sorry! I do know that she used spray paint and then used a wipe on polyurethane to give it a glossy appearance and protect the surface. She recommended putting each coat of spray paint on very lightly and doing several coats. It looked AWESOME after she did it! I don''t think she sanded it before spray painting it, but don''t quote me on that! If I come across the blog again I''ll post a link. And I hope you post an after pic!

Probably Little Green Notebook. That woman is obsessed with wipe on poly.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Very cute bookcase! I''ll go against the grain here (

) and say that I think it looks great as is. It''ll look wonderful with a few new knick knacks. (Just a thought before you take the plunge - get a few things from World Market/Cost Plus and see if that jazzes up the book case enough and if not, then return those items and try painting.)

 

[zoebartlett]

Thank you everyone! I ended up going to Lowe''s yesterday and I talked to someone who said that spray painting would probably be easier, mainly because there are fewer steps involved. That''s what I was looking for, so I bought black spray paint. MC, I''d like the bookcase to match the new end tables we just put in this room, so that''s why I''m going with black. I knew I didn''t want a glossy finish (the end tables aren''t glossy), but I couldn''t really tell what the difference was between the satin and the flat. I ended up choosing the satin, thinking that it might be easier to clean if needed (I could be wrong though).

I was planning on painting the bookcase on our patio but it''s been raining all week. I could do it in the garage I suppose but we''re renting and I don''t want to run the risk of getting paint everywhere (even with drop cloths everywhere).

 

[laine]

Spray paint goes everywhere! You have to be careful doing it outside, because any hint of wind will blow it all around. And you have to be careful in the garage, because you''ll get yourself all high if you don''t open the door. I''d do it in the garage, put down a lot of cardboard, and if you''re near the walls, tack up some plastic or an old sheet or something. Open the doors to get some air, but you''ll have to close them to paint if its windy. And know that its going to get all over your shoes, and on the soles, so be careful you don''t track it around. And the satin is definitely better. Flat black spray paint looks kinda chalky and cheap--you need a little bit of shine to it.

 

[zoebartlett]

Thank Laine! I appreciate the tips! I was planning on keeping the garage door open for ventilation, and hopefully I''ll be able to keep it open while painting. I''ll definitely cover everything with sheets, drop cloths, and cardboard -- good to know that spray paint goes everywhere. It looks like I chose the right type when I went with the satin. Thanks again!

 

[lilyfoot]

So glad Lowe''s was able to help you out! Please post pictures when you''re done, I''d love to see the finished product.

I just bought a wood storage bench ($9 at a thrift store), that we''re going to rehab to go below the window in our bedroom. I looove fixing up furniture

 

[soocool]

ZB, it looks like the bookcase is varnished so you have to remove it before you paint. I''d recommend liquid sander (Lowe''s/Home Depot/any hardware or paint store should have) Apply it over the entire surface. Just follow the directions. (This is much easier and cleaner than sanding). Use a latex -water based (try Kilz) primer base paint coat in the direction of the grain. You need a primer otherwise, the paint may not adhere well. Let it dry at least one day.

Then you''ll need at least 2 coats of paint, letting each coat dry at least one day. If after the 2 coats you haven''t achieved an even look, you can apply a 3rd coat.

After you are done, you have to let the paint cure for at least a week. It depends if it is humid or dry (humid a bit longer) and warm or cold temps. I would wait at least 2 weeks myself.

Another reason for the primer is that the paint may chip sooner if you don''t use it and the pine sap may start to leak through (you want to seal the knots with the primer). Believe me even though you are painting black you may start to see the knots if you don''t prime first.

Good luck with your project!

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

You''re definitely going to want to sand the book case really well, I don''t think it''s necessary to go to the wood though, just scuff it up enough to remove the gloss from the finish. Then you''ll want to prime it and then paint it.

I paint furniture all the time. For something like this I''d use a foam roller and regular paint. That why you''ll end up with a smooth finish on the long flat surfaces. I find spray paint works best for things like chairs with rounded edges and tight spaces.

So sand, prime, roll on 2 coats of black paint (I like the look of satin finish on furniture) and then follow the black with a few coats of polyurethane. I''d allow 12-24 hours for drying between each coat.