Looking for DIY job to finish over the weekend? Why not consider painting furniture. It is quick, easy and changes the look of the room. But, before you choose a piece of furniture, know a few tips to ensure beautiful painting results.
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. You can think of painting the furniture. It is a quick and inexpensive way of adding color to your home. While painting a piece of furniture may seem like a simple job to you, you must consider several things before bringing out the paint cans.
Choose your Canvas
Now, you can apply color to any piece of furniture that you want. But, remember that solid-wood is the ideal surface for the paint. It is because sanding the laminate furniture can damage the surface and ruin it forever. You can use a good-quality primer and avoid the sanding process but the best painting results are achieved with solid-wood pieces only. Also, if you are painting on particleboard, sand the surface properly otherwise you will end up with flaky paint.
If you are a beginner, it is best to avoid a detailed piece of furniture. It will take more of your time and may just end up in the garage.
Know what you want
Satisfaction depends on your expectation. Before starting the 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 you. For distressed-looking furniture, buy paint with matte finish such as chalk paint, eggshell finish, etc. Choose glossy finish for a smooth look.
The 3 P’s of Painting a Piece of Furniture
1. Prep it
Check the surface for traces of lead. You certainly do not want to breathe 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 on to the primer.
2. 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.
3. 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 thick paint coat will peel off easily so it is best to work with thin coats. You can use sealer but remember to dry the paint completely before starting with it.
When it doubt, call the Experts
Painting furniture is a DIY job for many. But, you must have time and patience to finish painting a piece of furniture. If you are in doubt, you can hire experts to do the job for you. Today, reputed painters have started one-day painting services to help homeowners finish small painting jobs quickly. You can consult a painter in your area and discuss adding color to patio furniture, painting 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 a living space beautifully.
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