PAINTING OLD FURNITURE

 How to prepare the wood for painting

  Painting old furniture is easier than many people think. It gives a professional look and gives your old furniture new life. The first step is to prepare the piece for painting. This is a very important phase of the process. The quality of the finished product is totally dependent on the thoroughness of preparation of the wood surface. A distinction is made between new and previously painted wood surfaces.

Preparation Techniques

 1. New unpainted furniture:

New furniture needs only to be smoothed with a fine sand paper such as 220 grit.  If there are any scratches or chips, fill with wood filler . Allow to fully dry. Sand smooth with 220 grit sandpaper, always sanding with the direction of the wood grain. Clean the wood surface with a dry, damp cloth to remove dust particles. Let wood dry.The piece is now ready to be painted, varnished or stained. 

2.   Old painted, varnished, stained or waxed furniture:

Before used furniture can be painted, all old paint or varnish must be removed to the original wood surface. Firstly, remove all hardware such as handles. Depending on the amount of old paint, use a coarse sand paper such as 40 or 60 grit to remove old layers. If this does not work satisfactory, use paint stripper. Paint stripper is a dangerous substance to work with. Read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. After the old paint is removed, fill all dents with wood filler and sand with finer sandpaper such as 220 grit. Clean the surface with a dry, damp cloth and let dry. The piece is now ready for painting.

Remember that before applying the final coat of paint, the wood must first be primed or sealed. I use a water based clear varnish. Wait until the varnish is dry, sand down lightly and clean before applying final coats.