Apply Necessary Coats Of Chalky Finish Furniture Paint
After youve cleaned the surface, its time to apply your first coat of paint.
Using the proper paint brush is critical if you want a smooth finish. The best brush for painted furniture is a synthetic bristle brush.
I recommend using a light touch when applying this layer so that there are no drips or over-spills!
Just brush on and let dry. Dry time ranges from 30 minutes to an hour. You will know it is dry once there is no wet look on the surface.
Repeat as needed until you reach the desired coverage level. Full coverage is usually achieved in two coats but some projects may require more.
Steps to create an even nicer finish : After each coat is dry, lightly sand the painted surface for the ultimate silky smooth finish.
Tips on the First Coat of Furniture Paint:
Dont worry about being perfect here. I recommend you apply the paint with the grain .
Keep the brush strokes long and going the same direction, when possible.
Do NOT worry about coverage at this point.
Apply Furniture Paint is similar to applying nail polishyou want the first coat to be thin as it is more about getting the base on the surface, and not about perfect coverage.
And again, do not worry about perfection on the first coat.
Here is a picture of the first coat of Cast Iron Furniture Paint on our kitchen island cabinets.
See how thin and not perfect it is? That is a-ok in the world of Furniture Paint.
Allow the first coat of paint to dry completely before moving to the next step.
Sanding Furniture To Paint
What to Sand With
I generally use a power sander with medium grit sandpaper on it when I sand furniture. You can also use just regular medium grit sandpaper without a power sander as well, it will just take you a good bit longer. I have a tutorial here about using power sanders if you need it.
After sanding furniture, I usually give it a go-over with my Shop Vac and then follow-up with a tack cloth. If there isnt that much dust, then I just use a tack cloth. Either way dont skip the tack cloth! It keeps you from having dirt and dust bumps in your finish.
Got holes, gouges, dents or dings?
If youve got any holes, gouges, dents or dings in the piece you are painting and want to smooth those out, then this is the time to do it. Fill them with wood filler and then sand smooth.
How To Paint Without Sanding
See below for the printable diy instructions. This was a glossy varnished buffet and you can see how dull it is after the deglosser. Work in a well ventilated area.
- Using the deglosser, apply with a paint brush over the surface of the wood. You can see how it dulled the stained wood in the image below.
- Allow it to penetrate the wood for 15 minutes.
- Wipe it off with a lint free cloth. Then youre ready to prime and paint!
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Best Spray Paint For Wood Furniture In 2022
There are many different types of spray paints available on the market, and each has its own benefits and drawbacks.
The best spray paint for wood furniture is water-based paint that is designed specifically for use on wood. This type of paint is less likely to cause damage to the furniture, and it will also resist chipping and fading.
However, water-based paints are not always the most durable option. If you plan to use your spray paint on wood furniture often, it is best to invest in a more durable option such as an oil-based or latex paint.
Trick To Painting Wood Furniture Without Sanding
Learn this easy trick to painting wood furniture without sanding. Refinishing furniture or cabinets without sanding is possible and let me show you how.
Painting wood furniture has evolved over the years. It used to be a known fact that you never paint wood furniture without sanding it first. Things have changed and new products have come out that have changed the furniture painting game. Today Im going to share a little insight into a few tricks to painting wood furniture without sanding.
My least favorite thing about furniture refinishing is sanding. I will paint and stain all day, but I could do without sanding. It wears me out, LOL. Maybe Im just a weakling but honestly yall it wears me out.
After getting this question time and again from the blog and social media, I thought I would share my best tricks to refinishing furniture without sanding.
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Can You Paint Over Stained Wood
Of course. But you dont want to do it without a little prep work first!
To get paint to adhere to wood, you have to sand it, to rough up the surface. This allows the paint to grip the surface, especially with anything thats varnished.
As we all know, sanding is both messy and time consuming. Painting over stained wood can be such a chore!
I should know. We have painted dark cabinets, trim and doors in multiple homes now. You can easily paint over stained wood if you sand first. It can take a long time.
A small table in our Modern Laundry, painted using this technique!
How To Paint Laminate Furniture Without Sanding
I actually dont recommend sanding laminate furniture before painting it anyway because most often its a thin veneer or plastic composite. You generally dont sand plastic and you need to be super careful when sanding veneer because you dont want to sand it away!
In order to paint a laminate surface you would use these same steps that I outlined above with the cleaning or de greasing methods and then primer. One thing to note ALWAYS use a primer when painting laminate furniture or cabinets. You need a primer layer in order for the paint to bond to the laminate surface.
I wont go into too much detail here about how to paint furniture because I have lots of how to paint tutorials here, but I will sum it up for you in a nutshell.
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Antiquing Furniture: How To Get The Look Of Dark Wax With Latex Paint
But what about the fun look of dark wax over a chalk-painted piece of furniture for an aged look? You can find my detailed process of how to paint furniture here AND I include details on how to get the same look of dark wax. You can also get the white-washed look of soft wax with the same process for antiquing furniture.
A Beginners Guide to Painting Furniture | How To Get The Look of Dark Wax With Glaze
Add Wax Finish As Decorative
Use sandpaper with 220 levels of grit and sand the entire place lightly. Distress the paint on your tables legs, corners, and edges.
Remove all grimes and dust particles left by the sanding process using a lint-free cloth.
Take a timer and set the time for 15 minutes. Start the timer and begin to apply wax in the next step.
Use a wax brush with natural bristle and Dixie clear wax. Apply your thin coat to your entire table. Dip the brush right into the tin so you can work quickly.
Once the timer is up, start rubbing in your wax. Begin with the area that you apply first, and you can paint the area you did last.
Take a new lint-free cloth to rub your wax on your wooden piece. Make sure you press the wax with enough strength into the wood and rub it in all directions. Leave it to dry for 60 minutes.
If you wish to add more detail and depth, use a new lint-free cloth and dip it into Dixie wax. Afterward, use your finger beneath the cloth to rub the wax into any surfaces you wish to add depth to.
Allow your finished piece of furniture to cure for a day .
The total cure time is a month . However, you can use the furniture gently after leaving it for 48 hours. Make sure you dont clean it or add anything to your furniture before it reaches 30 days of curing time.
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Prepare The Right Equipment
Before anything else, secure and check if you have the appropriate equipment for spray painting.
Other than that, there are necessary materials you need to avoid the clutters in your working area.
These tools and materials can help you in achieving the finish of wood furniture.
Equipment for Spray Painting includes:
General Tips Before Spray Painting
- Set up a space where you will spray tints with newspapers to avoid dyeing the floor or walls.
- If you own a spray gun with multiple fluid nozzles and air caps, verify if the cap and nozzle are suitable for the paints viscosity and the woods finish.
- Adjust the air pressure and look for the best technique in adding color to the wood furniture to achieve the look you want.
If You Dont Like Chalk Paints Hang On To Mineral Paints
Wanting to try more? Consider using mineral paints. Like chalk paints, mineral paint needs no prime coats or sanding to make the wood furniture better. However, whats mineral paint can also offer is its waterproof and stainproof properties. Also, with this kind of paint, you do not have to worry about adding some topcoats.
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When I Was Painting Furniture With Chalk Paint
About 6 years ago, my daughter had a rare autoimmune disease and we were overloaded with medical bills.
My emotional outlet was redoing decor in our home. I started refinished old furniture but was discouraged by chalk paint because of the dent it was making in our already-stretched budget.
At the time, I shied away from latex paint because I wasnt sure about the process.
However, it didnt take much experimenting to find the process that yields the best results with less effort and a much lower cost for painting furniture.
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Clean Wood Furniture Thoroughly Before Painting
The next step to restoring wood furniture without sanding is to clean the piece thoroughly.
I like to use TSP, which is a heavy duty cleaner. It does excellently at removing years of grime, dirt and grease. This leaves your piece with a clean finish so your primer doesnt have to work as hard.
First, clean the piece with TSP wearing durable gloves. Then, go back over the piece with clean water to clean off any film it leaves behind.
Make sure to remove doors and hardware so you can clean in all the nooks and crannies.
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Apply A Primer Spray On Furniture
One option for spraying furniture without sanding is to prime the piece first. Primers are available in a variety of colors and are designed to protect the surface against future staining and wear.
Some primers can also be used as a sealant, making them an ideal choice for protecting newly painted furniture from water damage.
To prime a piece of furniture, first, clean the surface with a cleaning solution. Apply the primer according to the manufacturers instructions, then wait one hour before spraying on your paint.
Can You Spray Paint Something Without Sanding It
If you are painting a piece of furniture that is made out of wood, you can usually spray the paint directly onto the surface without sanding.
If the furniture is made out of a different material, such as metal, you will need to sand it first. This will remove any dirt or dust from the surface and make it easier for the paint to adhere.
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What Does Heirloom Traditions Paint Stick To
So, this paint says it will stick to wood, laminate, masonry, leather and vinyl, smooth fabrics, ceramic glass, and metal. It also is UV and water-resistant.
See our Heirloom Traditions durability test on laminate here!
I personally have painted slick laminate without sanding or priming beforehand, and after 48 hours, it didnt scratch off at all!
Preparing Your Furniture For The Project
Put your furniture in a clean place. If you choose a garage as your workplace, clean all dirt and debris beforehand, as they will impact the final result of your woodworking piece.
Use a drop cloth and lay it down to prevent paint from ruining or messing up your floor.
It is highly advised to wear a mask and other safety tools before you start working. You also need to work in an area with a good ventilation system.
Now take a mineral spirit and a lint-free cloth and wet the cloth using mineral spirits. After that, clean your entire furniture using mineral spirits to eliminate any oils or debris on your wooden surface.
Make sure you wipe down the whole area that you will paint.
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What Happens If I Dont Sand Before Painting
As a general rule, if you don.t sand the wood before painting then the applied paint could peel off after a while. This will only happen, however, if the new paint was applied to an already painted or sealed surface. If the paint is applied directly to raw, untreated wood then sanding is not required.Is Deglosser better than sanding?Liquid deglosser can save time and energy by roughing up a surface to ready it for paint or stain via a chemical process versus the elbow grease required for sanding. While deglosser quickly removes paint and stain, it can.t smooth uneven surfaces as sanding can.
The best way to stain wood is to prepare the wood surface by sanding it with a sanding block or orbital sander. Sandpaper with a lower grit number will make wood rougher, allowing more stain to absorb and creating a darker color. Start with 120-grit sandpaper on refinished pieces.How do you paint furniture without brush strokes?How to Paint Furniture Without Brush Marks
Do I Have To Use A Primer And A De Glosser When Painting Furniture Without Sanding
Not necessarily. If you dont use a de glosser, make sure you clean the surface really well. Vinegar is a great cleaner sometimes used to clean wood. Also use a tack cloth or a lint free cloth to make sure the surface is free of dust and debris. Ive previously used a 1:1 vinegar and water solution when I refinished a large solid wood Oak door. After youve cleaned the furniture piece, use a good bonding primer.
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Chalk Paint Has A Better Finish
If you want the flat sheen of chalk paint, simply ask for a matte sheen of latex at your paint counter. If you want a protective finish for maximum durability, you can achieve the same matte texture by brushing on Varathane Water-based Top Coat in Satin or Matte with a foam brush.
Just brush it over your piece and throw away the brush when you are done as they are super cheap ! Most of the time I just use latex paint with a satin finish as it is not very glossy at all.
To get a beautiful finish, with very little time, effort or hassle, sign up for my weekly newsletter and get my best tips for painting furniture by filling out the form at the bottom of this post.
To read about other wax alternatives, check out the cold glass experiment I did here: Best Clear Coats for Furniture
Should Chalk Paint Be Streaky?
Chalk paint can be streaky if it is not mixed well but so can latex paint. Be sure to stir your paint enough before applying it to a surface.
Also, chalk paint is known for showing brush strokes. This can be a good thing if you like more of a rustic look or a bad thing if you want a more professional finish.
The Required Tools And Supplies To Paint Your Furniture Without Sanding Or Priming
Before you begin your project, you need to prepare the required tools and supplies below:
- Mineral Spirits
- Lint Free Cloth
- 3 Natural Bristle Wax And Chalk Paint Brushes.
- Sandpaper or sanding block with 220 levels of grit
- Misting Spray Bottle
- You can prepare a scratch repair kit as an optional tool
- Dixie Belle Best Brown
- Dixie Belle Wax Clear For Furniture
- Dixie Belle Chalk paint for first layer color.
- Dixie Belle Chalk Paint for the second layer color.
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What Is Chalk Paint For Furniture
Before we compare chalk paint and other options, its important to understand what chalk paint really is.
There are many different brands of chalk paint on the market with different formulations, but what they all have in common is a matte finish and thick, chalky consistency that adheres well to furniture and crafts for a shabby chic look.