How to Paint Furniture

How To Paint Furniture... and make it look like a professional job.
A comprehensive guide to prepping, painting, and finishing a piece of used furniture.



1. What You'll Need.
Here is a list of items you'll need before you begin:
- 120 grit sandpaper
- 320 grit sandpaper
- Wood filler and a putty knife
- A mini foam roller (Home Depot - $2.98)
- A can of CIL melamine furniture paint (Home Depot - $18) tinted to the colour of your choosing.  (Note: regular latex paint will also do)
- A can of Minwax Polyurathane (Home Depot - $15) (Note: optional if using melamine paint, necessity if using regular latex).
- A good quality 2" angled brush


2.  Preparing your piece.
Before you begin, inspect your piece for any noticeable dings, scratches or holes.  Fill them in with wood putty and let dry.


Next, lightly sand the entire piece with a 120 grit sandpaper. If there is a shiny finish, this will help the paint adhere.  Sand smooth any surface scratches.


3.  Painting
Begin painting your piece.  Start with the brush to do all the corners, then roll the surface with the foam roller.  Foam brushes also work well.  When it's dry, sand off any dribbles or brush strokes with the 320 grit paper.  The trick to a beautiful paint job is to so multiple thin layers.  Don't use a high-quality, thick latex paint.  It will only dry too fast, glob, and streak like crazy.  Use a thin paint.  This part will take the most time.  Let the paint dry to the touch before you add a second coat.  I do 4 coats, then let it 'cure' (dry for over 4 hours), then do the additional finishing coats.  This desk took 6 coats in total.


Hint: While waiting for the paint to dry, simple wrap your brush and roller tightly in plastic wrap.  Washing your tools too often ruins them, and you must wait for them to dry completely before doing the next coat to avoid water stains.



This is the best paint I have ever used for painting furniture.  It dries quickly and gives a gorgeous sheen when it's dry.

4.  FinishingWhen the piece is completed covered and dried thoroughly, apply the polyurethane.  Do so in light coats, lightly sanding with the 320 grit paper.  Again, do multiple coats for the best results.

5.  Hardware
Attach the hardware for the piece.  Finding fun knobs and pulls can really add charm to a piece.  I love the pulls at Anthropologie.  For this desk, I decided to make my own out of strands of pearls that were on sale at Michaels.  All the pulls together cost $8.  I simply attached a wire to a washer, fed it through the existing hole, strung it with the pearls, back through the other hole, and fastened a washer on the other side.  Simple, charming and trendy.