How to Paint Unfinished Furniture

Painting a piece of unfinished furniture is a good way to save money as well as to create a piece that meets your color specifications. Although painting unfinished furniture is not difficult, there are several specific steps that will help the finished product look as professional as possible and make it durable.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Drop cloth
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Paintbrush
• Cloth
• Latex-based primer
• Latex-based paint

1. Place the piece of furniture to be painted on a drop cloth or a layer of newspapers to protect the surrounding area.

2. Sand the furniture with fine-grit sandpaper to remove any rough surfaces. You'll know you're done when you run your hand over it and it feels smooth. Thoroughly wipe away any resulting dust with a damp cloth. Allow the furniture to dry.

3. Apply one coat of latex-based primer evenly over the piece. Applying primer will cover any dark spots or discoloration on the raw wood, allowing the final color to be more even. Allow the primer to dry thoroughly.

4. Sand the surface again very lightly. Your objective is not to remove any of the primer, but you want to roughen the surface a little bit so it will hold the paint better. Wipe away any resulting dust before moving on.

5. Apply the latex-based top coat in the color of your choice. For best results, paint along the wood grain and keep your brush strokes going in one direction.

6. If the primer shows through the first coat, allow it to dry (approximately 3 to 4 hours) and apply a second and/or third coat as needed. Don't use or move your newly painted furniture for 24 to 48 hours after finishing to ensure that the paint has set.

Tips & Warnings

• Oil-based paint and primer can also be used, but latex is considered more durable and easier to work with. Select the paint gloss level you want based on the furniture's use. For instance, a table that needs to be wiped down often will need a high-gloss paint.