My in box has been filled with request on a “how to” refinish furniture!!! I better get on it already and just share it here for all to enjoy!!!
So let’s get started!!!
My rule of thumb when it comes to deciding if something is worth refinishing…
- it has to be a solid piece to begin with!
- made of real wood
- not a veneer!
- take a before picture because you will hardly believe what it looked like once you are done!
(I have heard of using a product called Liquid sand, or a special primer for veneer on veneer pieces to make it paintable! Ask your paint expert at Home depot what to use. Check it out and read the directions to see if you want to go that route! I haven’t used it though so if you do use it let me know how it goes!!)
The most asked question I get is “Do you have to completely sand off a finish first before you paint?”
and the answer is NO!!!!! Thank goodness right!!! As long as you use an OIL BASED primer you don’t have to sand!!! I recommend KILZ brand from Home Depot.
I buy it in a gallon size because I do so many projects and will use it all. I have also bought a KILZ spray can of oil based primer for a quick job. The spray can works great too.
I will say this…light sanding will be needed if you have areas on your project that may have splintering, or large peeling or chipped paint. Just sand the are to make it more uniform and smooth.
The only time you will need to sand off a finish completely before refinishing is if you are planing on staining a piece as opposed to painting. I’ll talk more about staining at the end of this post!
Because you will be using oil based primer just prepare to toss the paint brush you will be using. Oil based paint is a BEAST to wash so I recommend using gloves too if you are a messy painter.
Prime your piece once and let it dry completely before moving onto the next step!
I always do two coats for furniture. ALWAYS allow each coat to fully dry before you paint the next coat.
You can easily wash out and reuse your brushed when you use a latex paint!
They do sell poly in a spray can but I avoid it becasue I want a very even finish that only a paint brush can achieve.
I use Raulph Lauren Glaze in “Tabacco.” This technique requires you to paint a thick coat on and then quickly wipe it off with a rag and leaving behind the glaze to get the aged look you want. It takes a little getting used to but it’s by far my fav!!
I have also used a crackle finish effect. If you want to try to do a crackle the only thing you have to remember is that you have to use a FLAT finish in your base coat paint! It will not crackle correctly if it’s a egg shell, semi, high gloss or satin finish.
READ all the instructions on faux finishing products! Ask your local expert for tips and just have fun!
- You can find “Oops Paint” or “Mistints” paint at a discount for $1-$5 a gallon. Ask your paint departments where they keep it!It’s not always out in front! I have found some great colors and have saved a ton of money!!!
- Check your loacl Dollar Store and see what painting tools they sell. I was spending full price on brushed for almost a year before I discovered that the dollar store sold a three pack of brushes!!
- Prime multiple pieces at the same time!Priming is my least favorite step but the most important!!! I just like to get as many things primed at once if I can.
- If you are planning on painting anything RED you MUST tint your primer gray! Home Depot will do this for you by adding black paint. Gray primer is the only way to get a true to color sample result. If you buy a gallon of primer and only have one project to paint red, just buy a plastic container in the paint section, pour a good amount to cover your project into the container and they will add black to that. That way you don’t have to tint the entire gallon.
- I can’t stress enough how important it is to allow proper time for drying in between each coat!!!!!
- You can sand in between each step…primer, two coats of colored paint and poly if you want a very smooth feel in the end. I rarely do this because I like how it looks adn feels enough when I don’t and I am all about saving the effort if I don’t care! If you do sand use a very fine grit and wipe it down well before painting again.
- Allow more time then you would think for the piece to dry before you bring it in the house. I have made the mistake of thinking it was dry before it was and got paint on my carpet!!! NOt fun!!! I wait over night before I move it in.
Be sure to check out This POST with all my before and afters when it comes to refinishing!
I use MINWAX stain and seal.
There are two ways you can apply stain.
- dipping a cloth in the stain and rubbing it on or
- using a brush and applying it thick and then wiping it off with a rag.
Apply your stain, going with the grain of the wood, ’till it is the desires color! I usually do two coats. When it comes to staining you do not have to wait for it to dry before you add your second coat of stain.
Be sure to apply two coats of Poly even though it says it’s a “Stain and Seal!” Poly will protect it the best!
Follow the poly steps I listed above!!!
I hope this helps!!!! I’d love to see your projects!!!!! Email me before and afters and I’d be happy to feature you on my blog! Email me with any questions!!!!
bluecricketdesign@gmail.com
Happy refinishing folks!!!!
Thanks for this great tutorial- I wish it would have been around a year ago when I refinished some furniture for my boys', I learned through trial and error- very painful and expensive!
I love your blog! This post is so timely for me as I will be refinishing some things this weekend. This will be my maiden voyage so I am a little nervous. I am going to print this post and carry it with me to the paint store, dollar store, and I just may sleep with it under my pillow!
I'm also going to make one of your adorable sock wreaths.
Thanks for all the inspiration and advice! La
Awesome! Definitely bookmarking this one. Thank you!
Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today [27 Jul 12:00pm GMT]. Thanks, Maria
Bookmarked! I just primed and painted a chair and haven't gotten any poly yet – thanks for sharing your supply list. VERY helpful.
Thanks for putting all of this in one spot! One thing I want to recommend to other readers is to get a water based poly… that fast drying polyurethane is oil based, and it will yellow the things you paint. That isn't a huge deal if you're staining something a dark color, but if you paint something, you probably don't want a nice yellow layer over the top of it. This happened to me with some benches that I built and painted white… the poly made them look terrible! I need to sand, prime, paint, and re-coat with a water based poly. Water based will dry clear. Anyway, just trying to save some others the hassle that I've gone through!!
Thanks for this super helpful tutorial!! I bookmarked it for future reference.
Thanks for the tips, I recently redid an old dresser using Behr paint and the same roller technique you suggest. You can check it out at
http://elaiswhatisay.blogspot.com/2010/07/my-first-furniture-re-do.html
My first one and it turned out perfect!
Thanks for all the great info! I'll be linking up to your post this weekend at Dollar Store Crafts!
Thanks for the tutorial! The timing couldn't have been better! My weekend project is to paint my bed, dresser and hope chest. Thanks for saving me from the dreaded sanding! Fingers crossed that my first adventure into refinshing goes well!
Thanks for putting it all down as clear as can be! I will be saving this…
I loved this post today. So detailed and helpful. It's definitely bookmarked! Thanks so much for asking about the highlight for my containers. I'd be honored to have you spotlight them. Thank you so much!
Thank you for this post. I am hoping to repaint our dresser (little does my hubby know…) and I really haven't done much painting. This was very helpful.
Becca,
thanks so much for this post/tutorial. What perfect timing as I have an old dresser that was given to me that I would like to redo. Excellent post.
Have a super Wednesday.
This is brilliant – I've put a headsup on my own blog, to send everyone over to you: http://1stfloorflattechniques.blogspot.com/2010/07/great-diy-furniture-makeover-tutorial.html
Excellent advice – everyone should have this saved!
So, I decided to redo my daughter’s furniture. I sanded it a bit, and then I painted two coats of purple on it. Then I painted two coats of white. After that, I sanded through the white a bit to give it a distressed look with a little girl twist.. Then I went to clear coat it.. I used the MinWax polyeurethane.. and it turned my furniture yellow. The can wasn’t old, i got it from Home Depot a week before I needed it. Also, I read the back of it, and it says specifically not for use over paint.. I went back to the store, but they didn’t have any there for sealing paint.. Any ideas on how to fix this without sanding and re-painting everything? I guess I could prime it and start over, too… Has anyone else had this issue?
That SUCKS!!! After all that work that’s the last thing you wanted to happen. Unfortunately I don’t have good news! The yellowing is not reversible. I’ve used poly on every project and that has never happened so I don’t know why it happened to you. Maybe it was the white paint showing it off, maybe it was too thick. So sorry! You may need start over!
Thanks for the great info. I was just wondering if you have ever used the Behr Primer and Paint in one? If you have, what do you think of it?
Thanks!