Painting an Old Bedroom Set

Change the look of an old bedroom set with new colors.

Receiving a hand-me-down bedroom set is a wonderful opportunity to design a bedroom that suits your personality. Rather than having to purchase new furniture to replace a tired bedroom set, you can create something that is new to you. Bedroom color choices vary depending on the family member using the furniture. Kids and teens might prefer colors that are trendy. An adult usually selects a neutral or earth-tone color to create a relaxing room.

Things You'll Need

• Protective cover
• Screwdriver
• Pliers
• Bag
• Medium-grit sandpaper
• Damp cloth
• Primer
• Paintbrush
• Paint

Instructions

1. Place a protective cover over the floor of a large work area in a well-ventilated area.

2. Disassemble the bed and place all the hardware in a bag. Use a screwdriver to remove screws. Use pliers to grip nuts and bolts that are too tight to remove by hand.

3. Remove the drawers from the dressers and place the knobs and hardware into a bag. Paint wood knobs at the same time as the rest of the furniture.

4. Sand the finish using medium-grit sandpaper, and wipe off dust using a damp cloth. Sanding provides a rough surface that allows the paint to adhere better.

5. Apply primer using a paintbrush. Read the label for the manufacturer’s suggested drying time. Clean the brush according to the primer label.

6. Paint the finishing coat of paint using a paintbrush. Read the paint label for the drying time.

7. Reassemble the bed after the paint is thoroughly dry. Attach the knobs to the drawers and place into the dressers.

Tips & Warnings

• Select neutral or pastel colors for ornate furniture designs. Light colors allow for details to show through more so than dark colors, which could potentially hide features.

• Bedroom sets with few or no details work well with any color of paint.

• Introduce a second color by painting drawer fronts a different color than the frame of a dresser or chest of drawers. Two-color combinations are better suited for a child’s or teen’s room, with little or no details in the design.

• Sawhorses or old chairs work well to place long pieces of furniture while painting.

References

• Country Living: A Fresh Start for a Tired Dresser

Resources

• Ask the Builder: Paint Primer