How to Paint Furniture: Reviving Your Antiques

Everyone has some old, dated, worn furniture around their home. It may be hiding out in the attic, or in the basement, or a low lit area in the corner of the den, but there is no reason why this furniture needs to remain hidden. With only a few simple steps, your old furniture can be transformed to fit virtually any decor. It will become vibrant and full of life again and you can put it to good use. Through the use of paint, furniture can take on a new life. It can go from turn of the century to 21st century in only a couple of hours and save you a significant amount of money.

Painting furniture is a real money saver. Rather than heading to the store to buy furniture that fits your current decor, you can paint it to suit virtually any style. The process is quite simple, requires very few tools and supplies, and can be accomplished by virtually anyone. To begin, select a piece of furniture that you want to paint. It can be a dresser, a racking chair, a TV stand, and so on. Paint can cover anything and everything, so select an item that no longer sees use in your home and transform it into the centerpiece of a room.

To begin painting you will have to collect some supplies and tools. A paintbrush is a necessity as is some sandpaper of various grits. You will also need painter's tape, a drop cloth, primer designed for the material you are working with, paint, and a few basic hand tools.

Begin by examining the piece of furniture you will paint. If disassembly will make the process easier, proceed to take the piece apart. Next you will want to lightly sand the entire surface of the piece. This applies to both metal and wood furniture. After sanding, clean the entire piece of furniture to remove any sanding dust. Tape off any features that you don't want painted and apply a coat of primer using your paintbrush. Allow the primer to dry, then apply an additional primer coat.

Once the primer is dry, you can move on to painting. To paint the furniture, apply with a brush being careful to avoid runs and brush marks. Most paints will require 2 to 3 coats to fully cover the material. Allow each coat to dry sufficiently before applying an additional coat. Once the paint is dry, reassemble the piece and put it to good use.

Once you have painted furniture, you will see that with only a few simple steps, a little bit of paint, and a vivid imagination you can transform old, outdated furniture throughout your house into the perfect piece that fits your style and decor.