People, living for a long time in one unchanging environment, often experience a strong desire to update the boring interior. Then the moment and a logical question arises, how to paint furniture? After all, it is furniture, in an updated color, that can refresh the boring interior appearance of the house. Tables, chairs, cabinets and bedside tables - this is what forms the arrangement of the room, but replacing them with new models every time you want a change is an extremely unprofitable idea. Thus, painting furniture with your own hands becomes the best option. Below are tips for painting.
Let's consider the attractive aspect of the question of how to refresh furniture with your own hands. First of all, this is a material benefit: you will not have to spend a fortune on buying new fittings, the services of a professional painter. In addition, when painting yourself, you are free to show special ingenuity and creativity, giving the product the look you want.
Below we will provide tips on how to paint furniture; we will explain in detail how to paint old furniture with your own hands, without resorting to the services of third-party specialists.
Content
Necessary additional materials
Many families still have wardrobes with chairs, passed down from the older generation, even from Soviet times, made so conscientiously that they are still able to perform their task normally. But they have one significant drawback - external "shabbyness". In order to correct the unfortunate misunderstanding: to finally update the appearance of the furniture, we suggest doing the painting yourself.
To ensure that painting furniture with your own hands is successful, first of all you will need:
- a building product that needs updating;
- sufficient amount of paint;
- masking tape;
- brushes;
- shallow container.
This is far from a complete list. Before starting work, it is necessary to treat the surface on which the paint layer will be applied.
Materials that will be useful in the process:
- putty;
- face protection (mask or goggles);
- sufficient amount of sandpaper;
- wooden beam.
Choosing paint
Before painting furniture, you need to decide what paint to paint the furniture with. Here you will see the widest range of paints in all their color diversity. Do not rush to buy the first jar you come across: the choice should be made based on knowledge of the properties of the material from which your product is made. This way the paint will last longer, preserving its original freshness.
Specialized types of varnish for painting surfaces are suitable. Unlike some types of paint, it will give the furniture an attractive appearance and protect it from adverse factors: humidity, parasites, etc.
If you haven't had to deal with choosing paint before, here is a list of popular manufacturers on the market.
- Acrylic paints are a popular option, often used in painting works. They have increased durability, short drying time, easy to use. These products do not have an "aggressive" smell; they can be diluted with a moderate amount of water, thus distributing the material more economically (enough for subsequent uses).
Acrylic paints for wooden furniture - Sprays – will help reduce the time spent on coloring. They lay down evenly and dry quickly.
When working with a spray can, the paint flies in different directions, so cover all surrounding objects beforehand. - Enamel paints on a varnish base give the wooden surface a fresh glossy shine.
Alkyd paints are inexpensive, but it is better not to use them for painting furniture that is used in residential premises.
Painting process: step by step instructions
Important! – The key to high-quality painting lies in careful surface preparation.
Where to start?
- Inspection
Check the product for faults, breakages, defects. If any, fix them, then proceed to remove the old layer of varnish or paint.
- "Skin"
Go over the surface with a piece of sandpaper. Use fine-grained: it will not cause deep damage. It is more effective to sand in the direction of the wood grain - this way you will achieve an even and smooth surface without scratches.
- Primer coating
Spread a layer of primer around the perimeter of the product, then cover up any imperfections (potholes, cracks) with putty – this will ensure maximum adhesion of the materials. Next, degrease the surface.
- Application of acrylic primer
Spread the impregnating material evenly over the surface using a brush, then leave everything to dry.
- Filling of defective areas, sanding
Sand the areas where the filler has been applied using a sander or sandpaper.
After completing the complex procedures, remove the debris and then re-coat everything with primer.
- Applying paint
When painting, keep in mind: paint does not help preserve or protect wood; it cannot prevent the harmful effects of moisture (especially destruction by parasites). Before buying, carefully read the composition of the paint, not neglecting the recommendations for its use. It may be necessary to purchase several additional protective agents in reserve.
It is important to take into account
To do all the painting work correctly, you need to adhere to a number of subtleties. Knowing them, you will be able not only to effectively cope with the task in the shortest possible time, but also rationally save your budget.
Here are some useful tips to help you paint your furniture well:
- Selection of materials – give preference to a product from a popular manufacturer, proven by consumers: this way it is not only easier to decide on the best option for painting, but also to achieve greater compatibility of materials. Before buying, be sure to read the instructions.
Materials and tools for painting furniture
- Experiment with the color palette - correctly selected, compatible colors will bring fresh, unusual notes to the space of the room, will help to visually expand it. Playing on the contrasts of color designs of walls, furniture, you are free to implement any of your creative ideas.
Palette of colors and shades for painting furniture
- Buy brushes and a roller for painting – the tools should have different thicknesses: it is more convenient to thoroughly paint hard-to-reach places. A roller is useful for painting surfaces with a large area; brushes are indispensable for painting hard-to-reach places: corners of furniture, removable fittings, etc.
A brush is suitable for painting small areas of furniture, but for large-scale work it is better to choose a roller or a spray gun.
- Masking tape – will protect the surface from accidental paint getting on an already applied layer. In situations where a stain has already appeared, using a solvent will ruin the freshly applied paint (which is extremely unpleasant), you will have to repaint a specific area. Using masking tape is the best option for you.
Masking tape to protect unpainted parts
- Wear protection – when working with paint, be extremely careful, as the fumes are harmful to the respiratory system. Don’t forget to wear a respirator mask. Hands, like other parts of the body, also need to be protected from the paint, as the composition may be toxic. After finishing work, ventilate the room thoroughly.
Protective equipment that may be needed for furniture restoration
How to paint furniture to look antique?
Styling your furniture, giving it a touch of light antiquity is a feasible matter. It is not necessary to go to workshops and spend a lot of money on it. To decorate the fittings in a certain style (country or French Provence - at your discretion), you can paint them using the artificial aging method: with it, the appearance of the furniture will become more refined and give the room chic.
Some painting tips:
- Correct color selection;
To make the painted look more attractive and the antique effect more natural, use light pastel colors: white, peach, beige, lemon, etc.
- Application of paint;
To achieve the desired effect, it is not necessary to apply layers one after another to add saturation. It is enough to apply just one - the main color will slightly appear through it, adding more integral naturalness to the picture.
- Grinding;
After applying a layer of paint, wait until it dries completely, then treat the corners and those parts of the furniture that are most often subject to mechanical impact (handles, corners, etc.) - this way the final result looks neater, and the "antique effect" will become slightly natural. No one will think that the product is artificially aged.
A well-known method of "aging" furniture is to give the effect of old paint showing through. To do this, you will need to use a new brush, with which you evenly distribute the paint of the new color. After drying, this layer is rubbed off. To more vividly express the abrasions, we recommend using wax: rub it over the surface, and you will get an old white color.
It is appropriate to use wax when the product has been painted very recently. It is advisable to select furniture wax to match the color of the tabletop to which it is supposed to be applied. It is easier to rub wax with a porous sponge - the product will be distributed more evenly over the entire surface.
How to Paint Furniture White
A solution that could come to mind for people who are not afraid of difficulties. It is known that white is a problematic color. Its original appearance is difficult to maintain.
