How to Paint Furniture: The 4 Tips You Need to Know

Courtesy of a design blogger

Take a peek at a beautiful painted furniture transformation plus get 4 must-read tips for painting furniture like a pro!
After an inspirational trip to Charleston, Desiree from Beautifully Seaside, came back and wanted to cozy up her home by repainting a few furniture pieces. Her inspiration? A warm gray color she kept seeing everywhere in the charming boutique hotel she was staying in. After searching for the perfect paint color, she came to Clare and found just the right shade—Seize the Gray—and ordered it in our semi-gloss finish. Armed with the perfect color and a few good painted furniture ideas, she started by painting the TV console her husband built and loved the color so much she used the leftover paint on a wooden hutch her father-in-law built as well. A perfect complement to her white walls, the gray added more warmth to her home.
Take a peek at a beautiful painted furniture transformation plus get 4 must-read tips for painting furniture like a pro!

“I loved that when I came home with this very specific gray in mind for this project that I could go to Clare’s site and look at their carefully curated selection of paint colors and easily pick out just the right shade without having to sift through a ton of different options,” says Desiree. These particular pieces didn’t need a lot of work and she was able to use everything in one of our supply kits to get the job done. If you’re looking for tips on how to paint wood furniture, here are some pointers to make sure you get a great result every time:

Prep the piece

Any time you’re painting wood furniture it’s really important to start with a clean work surface. So this means you want to clean off any sticky residue, dirt, or dust that’s accumulated over the years. You’ll also want to sand down any imperfections as well as lightly sand over the entire surface. Roughing up the surface helps the paint adhere better so it doesn’t easily knick or scratch. Use a fine-grit sandpaper to avoid creating scratches on the surface. Wipe off any dust before you start painting. A coat of primer is also a good idea to ensure a professional-looking finish as primer will help conceal imperfections and create a uniform base for a flawless paint finish.

Choose the right furniture paint

Desiree used our semi-gloss Trim Paint – the best paint for furniture because the higher sheen finish is easier to clean, more durable, and more moisture resistant. A lower-sheen finish isn’t ideal for furniture paint because it isn’t as durable or won’t hold up to wear and tear as well. No matter what finish you choose, you’ll really want to make sure the wood is in good shape with proper prep beforehand for best results.

Take a peek at a beautiful painted furniture transformation plus get 4 must-read tips for painting furniture like a pro!

Pick the right brush

If you feel confident in how to paint furniture you should be fine using an angled paint brush. Not only does it make it easy to get into small crevices, the combination of a good quality brush and paint will help minimize brush strokes too. If the piece has a large flat surface, like the top of a dresser, a mini roller with a super fine material like microfiber will give an ultra-smooth finish, while getting the job done quicker. Be sure to roll or brush in a consistent direction.

Take a peek at a beautiful painted furniture transformation plus get 4 must-read tips for painting furniture like a pro!

Do more than one coat

One coat usually isn’t enough on a piece of furniture so plan on doing two. Just make sure that you wait until the first coat is completely dry before starting on the second. It will make sure the coverage and color are consistent.

Take a peek at a beautiful painted furniture transformation plus get 4 must-read tips for painting furniture like a pro!

Take a peek at a beautiful painted furniture transformation plus get 4 must-read tips for painting furniture like a pro!

Tags:

Discover your perfect paint color with Clare Color Genius ™

Take the Quiz