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Steps to Painting Furniture???

15 years ago

I am going to paint several beat up pieces of old stained furniture for my daughter's bedroom (bed,dresser, nightstands). What do you recommend I clean them with? It is my understanding that next I need to use an oil based primer. Is that correct?

Would it be a mistake to use a SW latex paint? Will I be disappointed in how it holds up? I am a perfectionist and have never been happy with how I see brush strokes in the oil based pieces I done. However, if oil based the better option, how can I disguise the brush strokes?

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Comments (5)

donna407
15 years ago
Have you considered staining them instead? I had light oak cabinets and researched on here about painting them. Instead, I stained them and they look amazing. I did paint on drawer and it didn't compare to the look of stain. But I have seen great looking painted furniture also! Good Luck!
jerseygirl_1
15 years ago
I just painted 2 nightstands. I used an oil based primer that was tinted gray and an oil based paint from BM. I painted them black. They came out great. Make sure you sand lightly after each coat. It will help the paint adhere.
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sass2050
15 years ago
You can clean the furn. first with TSP. You can find it at Home Depot or Lowe's. Then prime with oil base primer and you can use latex over the oil based primer.
parma42
15 years ago
Do these rules also apply if you are repainting a piece of furniture or do you have to remove all the old paint first?

Thanks
pegrini
15 years ago
To parma42: If the existing paint is in good condition and isn't too much darker than the color you want to apply, you can just clean and sand lightly without priming. You should be prepared to do two coats, though. I have rarely been able to get away with one coat on furniture. Make sure you let the first coat dry completely, too.

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