How To Paint Vintage Furniture
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The voices on either side of the "Is it okay to paint furniture?" debate are equally loud. Both groups are passionate about their stances, but I'm neither for nor against - it's very case by case. Some pieces are too beautiful to be painted, while others can greatly benefit from a coat of enamel.
There are times when painting furniture is all you can do to extend its life, which is the situation I find myself in for my primary bedroom makeover. These nightstands, which I got for free, one on the streets of DC and the other on Facebook Marketplace, had great bones, but needed some love.
The mismatched wood tones would be overwhelming in the room and as a #sustainablequeen it’s important to me to extend the life of a piece of furniture. As apart of larger collaboration (this blog post is not sponsored, btw) with Valspar, I picked up their 2024 Color of the Year Renew Blue in the Cabinet & Furniture Oil-Enriched Enamel.
Before
After
What Makes A Piece Worth Saving
Finding a piece of vintage furniture in perfect condition is rare, so a thorough inspection to check for damage, weird smells, and the necessary repair is essential. I'll pick up a piece of furniture if the repair can be done with tools I already own and will take less than a week, as with these nightstands. But, if the repair is something I cannot do in my apartment, either because of size, money, or skill level, I generally leave it for the next DIYer.
Generally, cleaning, painting, reupholstering, replacing missing glass, and minor repairs are easy for a novice DIYer. But it's best to avoid pieces with deep structural issues.
Where To Source Vintage & Antique Furniture
I do my best work in person and will hit up a vintage store or antique market in every city I visit. Being in D.C. gives me access to great shops like Mom ‘n Pop Antiques, Miss Pixies, and The Opportunity Shop.
Outside of that, Facebook Marketplace is the best place to source vintage. Sarah Lyon, a friend with an incredible eye, shared her tips here and I highly recommend following her stories. She’s constantly posting tips and tricks.
Enough chatting though, lets get into how I achieved this smooth and sexy finish!
Supplies
The Process
Cleaning is the most important step when painting furnitre - if you messs up here, your project will fail. Here’s how to do it right…
Use a vacuum with a crevice tool to remove visible dirt.
Mix TSP and water, according to the directions, into a big bucket and clean with a scrub daddy. For detailed areas, use a nylon brush to ensure you’re removing all dirt and grime.
Change your water in between passes and repeat
Next, it’s time to repair and sand…
If the wood is lifting in places, use wood glue or super glue and clamps to secure it.
Fill in missing pieces and dents with wood filler. Let dry according to the packaging.
Go over the piece with 120-grit sandpaper on an orbital sander. Hand sanding is best for detail areas.
Remember, when painting, the goal is not to remove the finish; you want to smooth out the wood filler you just applied, remove shine, and scuff the surface.
Wipe with a tack cloth to ensure all dirt and debris are removed. You can also use a vacuum to clean your work area as it’s best to keep a clean working space so dust won’t rise and get into your paint job.
Now, you’re ready to paint.
Use a small angled brush to get into tight corners and follow up with a foam roller.
In between coats, use 220-grit sandpaper to smooth out any bubbles and drips. Then, clean with a tack cloth.
Apply a second coat and allow your piece to fully dry before use
The Cabinet & Furniture Oil-Enriched Enamel is extremely durable, so primer and topcoat wasn’t necessary, but if you used regular interior paint, finish with a spray polyurethane, according to the directions.
I’m throughly impressed with how these nightstands turned out - even Sal wanted to get into the action. Let me know what you think about this transformation in the comments.
xoxo,
Imani
