Best way to paint furniture

You know how it is nowadays, there are so many DIY tutorials that you even forget that there are professionals who are hired to do certain things that you just DIY away. So talk to me, you are here because you want to paint furniture right? Perhaps you are painting Sofas for your Garden?

Be it wood or not? But considering that most furniture is wood I guess we will have to work with that then. So here today I’m going to give you a guide on how to paint furniture and how to get perfect results. It will not be easy but at the same time, it will not be hard as well. 

Just follow these simple steps and trust me, everything will be as smooth as an apple’s skin. So let’s get started with what you will actually need:

  • Face cover or face mask
  • Gloves
  • Newspapers or floor covers
  • Sandpaper or a Sander
  • Tack Cloth 
  • Primer
  • Paintbrush or Mini foam roller
  • Semi-gloss latex paint
  • Polycrylic Protective finish

So once you have these you are ready for the job. You are ready to start painting that furniture and trust me you will love the results afterward. So let’s not waste time and let’s not waste energy. 

Precautions

Painting may seem easy for a lot of people. Be warned that certain processes during this painting phase might actually be harmful to you and the people are around you. So, to be safe please cover your face to avoid inhaling and lint and paint chemicals. 

Be sure to wear gloves when painting as well as sanding the furniture to avoid paint stains and splinters. And be sure to cover the floor area you will be working on as you might end up with paint stains all over the floor. If all that is set I think we can now start. 

Stage 1: Sand the furniture

Do not believe what they say when they tell you that sanding is not a must. Or that certain primers and finishes do not need you to sand. If you do that your paint will probably start peeling in a few days or weeks so just be safe and sand. Trust me sanding is a must. This is where the sander or your sandpaper comes in. 

You are just removing the smooth surface and making it a bit rough so that you paint has something to adhere to, otherwise, be careful to not actually strip or furniture and deform it. So take your time and do it well. 

There’s really no need to rush. After sanding just dust off the particles and see if it is not as smooth and you are certain that paint can adhere, if not continue sanding but be careful so as not to deform the shape of your piece. 

Stage 2: Clean up the residue

So when you are done sanding and you are perfectly satisfied with the job it’s best to move on to the second stand and remove any residue and lint before we get anywhere. Make sure that your surface is smooth and make sure you have your gloves on to prevent any splinters. 

Now I know that you may decide on using simple clothes but just be wise and use a tack cloth and safer for you and your furniture. Once done with the tack cloth check to make sure that there are no splinters and when you are done and you are certain that it is smooth enough we move on to the next stage. 

Stage 3: Prime your piece 

This is where the brush or mini foam roller comes in. You should prime laminate your furniture with one of the best primers you can find out there. Upon doing that follow the instructions of the primer that you would have gotten, let it dry as you are instructed. 

Make sure you coat the whole piece especially where you want to paint over and make sure that every inch you sanded is laminated. When you are done follow all the instructions on the primer and let it dry so we can move on to the next stage and guess what its the last stage. Almost

Stage 4: Paint all over your furniture piece

So here we are, the part and the time that we have all been waiting for. It’s time to paint that piece. So most people apparently say that it’s okay to use two coats but i say three. Three seals the deal trust me and you will not regret the results one bit. So get your paintbrush, or mini foam roller and use your semi-gloss latex paint. 

It’s best to let it dry after each coat. Follow what they say on your paint if they say it’s okay to paint over whilst still wet then do so. But normally I’d wait 4 to 6 hours then apply the second coat, wait another 4-6 hours and apply the last coat. When you are done, let your paint dry up and we move on to the last stage. The one we have been all waiting for. 

Stage 5: Finish your piece 

We are done and the last thing we have to do before we set our piece out to dry is to finish it with a protective finish. At this point when you are finishing your piece you are enhancing the sight.

If you didn’t fully remove all the residue as I told you to, you will find a few bumps and tucks on your piece but all in all, apply the finish and let it dry for a while. 

After a few days, you can wipe it off with scented oil to make the smell of paint go away and voila!!. You have become a master at painting furniture. 

Well guess what, this was not a DIY, this was the perfection of a DIY. I have noticed how most tutorials you find online on how to paint furniture tend to leave you with amateur level results. Most articles don’t even have most of the information that you need to actually get it done and to get it done right. 

Well, here I am certain you got the right guide to help you through it. If you are looking to paint your furniture then here we are, we just did it. We have a more specific post if you are after that, Best way to paint wood furniture.

so, How Long Should a Couch Last? well that depend how how well you care for it.

Elissa Smith
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