An Exercise In Painting Furniture
Its official! I have decided to learn how to paint furniture!! I have seen so many examples of fabulous furniture transformations that I am ready now to add my own. So, for those of you who would love to paint their own furniture but are intimidated by the process, I am here to share my experience so you can try your own.
I have decided to start with an old wooden frame as my first exercise in painting furniture. I have researched for the logistics of the process and I did not find a more clear, step by step instructions for beginners than at Young House Love.
I followed Young House Love (YHL) recommendations for the materials needed to paint wooden furniture:
1. Sandpaper. You need to learn how to pick the correct sandpaper grit for your project.
2. Oil based primer {Kilz or Zinzer}
3. Water based latex paint in Semi-gloss finish. I chose Glidden #MSL074, Martha Stewart Living “Eiderdown”.
4. Minwax water based polycrylic protective finish in clear gloss
5. Paint brush. YHL recommend Premium XL Tight Spots 2″ Angle Short handle brush from Sherwin Williams and Duron. {I did not use this brush for this exercise !} I used 3 paintbrushes, one for each medium.
Now for the exciting process…..
1. Sand the frame with 100 grit sand paper, wipe clean with a damp cloth.
2. Apply a thin coat of the primer (allow to dry). You can sand this layer lightly to smooth any paint drips. wipe clean
3. According to YHL, it is better to apply 2-3 thin layers of paint {waiting 2-3 hours in between to dry) than to smudge one thick layer on.
4. End with a layer of poly
Final look….
Safety precautions
This is the warning on the primer {also seen on spray paint bottles}. Who wants to paint after reading this!!
I have no idea if this is safe to use indoors, I jut figured as long as I am outside, I should be fine. 
If anyone who is reading this has experience in painting furniture, I would be grateful if you would share your thoughts on this.
Cleaning Paintbrushes….
The brush used for the oil based primer can be cleaned with Mineral Spirits. I followed GMC Trade Secrets advice on how to clean and store paint brushes.
The brush used for the water based paint can be cleaned in the sink with water and a dap of dish soap.
In the end, I learned a lot from this simple exercise but I still can not figure out the following…..
1. How can I tell if the paint is too thick for my project? See, I made sure that the paintbrush is not loaded with paint and yet, I still had globes of paint in the frame’s groves.
2. Is there anything that I can use to lean the frame against during painting so I can paint the edges at the same time. I painted the front, waited for it to dry, then the back, waited for that to dry, then I painted the edges. It was too long!
That’s all for my first experience in painting. While I don’t feel it was a success but it is a learning process and I am looking forward to try my hand at another “simple” paint exercise.
If you have any experience in painting furniture, I would appreciate your input. Pleaaaaaasssssssssseeee
