How to Paint Unstained Furniture

Give unstained furniture an elegant makeover with paint.

You can give inexpensive unstained furniture a big dose of style by applying paint. Desks, bookcases and tables will look elegant with a few coats of deep brown or black paint. Brighten a bedroom by painting nightstands and dressers white. For a playful look in a casually decorated kitchen, paint each one of a set of chairs in a different, complementary color. To create a durable finish, execute each step in the painting process with care.

Things You'll Need

• Unstained furniture
• Medium-grit sandpaper
• Oil-based paint primer
• Oil-based paint
• Paintbrushes

Instructions

1. Sand the unstained furniture lightly with medium-grit sandpaper.

2. Apply one coat of oil-based paint primer with a paintbrush. Let the primer dry for two hours.

3. Apply one coat of oil-based paint with a paintbrush. Let the paint dry for two hours.

4. Apply a second coat of oil-based paint and let it dry for two hours.

References

• "Furniture Facelifts"; Liz Wagstaff; 1998
• "50 Ways to Paint Furniture"; Elise Kinkead; 2007