5 essential tips to know before painting a piece of furniture

Achieve the best finish while giving your furniture a facelift with a fresh coat of paint.

Refreshing furniture can be a quick, DIY-friendly process that gives new life to an old piece. With just a few hours of work, you can easily transform secondhand scores or hand-me-down furniture to fit your style and needs. The process typically involves adding a fresh coat of paint or stain for new color, texture or shine. Although painting furniture might seem straightforward, there are a few critical things to know beforehand to ensure the color goes on smoothly and adheres properly. Use these tips for painting furniture to create a long-lasting, beautiful finish.

1. Select a furniture piece to paint.

When choosing a piece of furniture to update, first consider whether the piece is an antique. Some antiques can be valuable, and painting could potentially devalue the piece. Midcentury modern furniture, for example, usually sells well as-is, so consider that before painting if you’re planning to sell it later. That said, if you’ve had your great-grandmother’s china hutch in the garage for the past 20 years and you know you’ll never use it without an update, go for it!

If you’re not planning to resell the item, it’s only as valuable as how much you treasure it. And if you’ll appreciate it more with a bright blue paint job, then renovate the furniture item instead of letting it age in storage.

2. Choose the best paint for furniture.

It’s important to choose a paint specifically designed for furniture, such as spray paint made to adhere to wood surfaces. You should also consider the finish you hope to achieve, whether that’s smooth and modern or textured and distressed. Chalk-style paints, milk- or mineral-based paints and acrylics are all great choices for painting furniture and versatile enough to give you a variety of looks. As with color choices, paint options vary widely and are typically limited only by personal preference. Grab a couple of samples of various brands, and play around with them until you find the finish you like best.

3. When in doubt, prime before painting.

Some paints, including chalk-finish varieties, boast the ability to adhere to furniture without the need to sand first. However, there are always exceptions. For the best finish and adhesion, consider using a primer. Some old paint and set-in stains can bleed through your new paint job, meaning that even coat after coat, the stain could show through and affect the color of your paint.

In general, you can assume pieces that appear to have a red-tinted stain will show stains. When in doubt, it’s best to prime. Some furniture paint lines offer their own primers or stain-blockers that are designed to work with their paints.

4. Prepare wood surfaces before painting.

Adding paint to formerly stained furniture will highlight its features, including pretty architectural details and any blemishes or imperfections. Be sure to fill holes and sand out scratches prior to painting for the best results. Even a distressed finish will benefit from a little repair and prep work beforehand.

5. Have the right tools for renovating furniture on hand.

If you’re considering renovating furniture pieces often, some invaluable tools to have on hand include:

• Electric sander: Whether you choose an orbital, belt or sheet sander, it will save you a ton of time on projects and is fairly inexpensive.

• Drill: This handy tool is perfect for making repairs or adding to the existing piece, and many are available at affordable prices.

• Brad nailer: Similar to a drill, a battery-operated nailer will help with repairs like reattaching the backing on a dresser. And while they’re slightly more costly than a drill, it can be a good investment, especially if you have plans to continue renovating.

• Staple gun: Battery-powered or manual, these tools are great for repairs and attaching backing, and the fancier versions can also help with reupholstering.

(Better Homes and Gardens is a magazine and website devoted to ideas and improvement projects for your home and garden, plus recipes and entertaining ideas. Online at www.bhg.com.)