How to Paint Wood Furniture: A Beginner’s Guide

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Want to give old furniture a fresh new look? Learning how to paint furniture can be incredibly rewarding! Whether you’re just getting started or have already painted a few pieces and want to improve your results, I’m here to help. I’ve hand-painted hundreds of pieces over the last five years, so let me share what I’ve learned in this beginner-friendly guide.

Get yourself in the right mindset

Painting a piece of furniture can seem scary in the beginning. But it doesn’t have to be. I always recommend beginning with a piece you don’t care about and that is small. You don’t need the added pressure of painting your grandmother’s favorite hutch. Don’t pick a huge bookcase that will use a ton of products to complete. Go to a thrift store and find something small and cheap – side tables are great things to practice on. Experiment and get comfortable with these smaller pieces, and then move on to the project that inspired you to pick up that brush in the first place.

Also, remember that it’s only paint. Almost anything can be reversed. It might be labor-intensive to fix, but it is usually possible. The worst case is that you have to sand or strip everything off and start over. Every experienced painter, myself included, has had at least one project that needed a complete redo. It happens. Another reason to practice on something you don’t care much about – you can always just toss it and move on.

How to paint furniture in 7 steps

While every piece is different, how you paint furniture can be broken down into 7 basic steps. In this post, I will summarize these 7 steps, with links to more specific information for each if you want to learn more.

Step 1: Cleaning

This first step, cleaning, is the key to a long-lasting finish! A fresh coat of paint is not going to stick well to a piece with lots of dirt and grime. Even if a piece looks clean, it can have a buildup of furniture wax or polish that will affect new paint adherence. It also won’t stick well to a slick or shiny existing finish.

To clean, spray your piece with a degreasing cleaner, I recommend something like Simple Green or KrudKutter. Use a Scotchbrite pad to scrub the surface and wipe back with a microfiber cloth. Repeat if necessary! Finally, use a microfiber cloth moistened with water to remove any cleaner residue from your surface.

Learn how to clean furniture for paint.

Step 2: Repairs

Next, you need to address any issues with your piece. If it’s older, chances are it will need some love. When just starting, try and work on pieces that don’t need a lot of repairs done to them. Focus on learning how to fix one issue on a piece, and then the next project you choose could need something else. Remember, this journey is a process. In fact, I’m still learning new things, which I part of what I love about this work!

I’ve covered some basic repairs in this post, such as gluing and clamping, filling dings and dents, and basic veneer damage.

Step 3: Scuff sanding

Once the piece has been cleaned and repaired, it’s time to prepare the entire surface by sanding. You don’t have to sand off all of the old finish; just scuff it up and give your paint some “teeth” to adhere to. I generally use 180-220 grit sandpaper, and working in the direction of the grain, scuff up the existing finish.

Learn more about scuff sanding in this post.

Step 4: Priming

Priming is a step that is often overlooked. There are many furniture paints out there claiming that primer is not necessary when using their product. If only it were that simple! There are times when I skip priming, but more often than not, I go ahead and do it.

As a general rule, you need to prime with a stain-blocking primer, like BIN shellac-based primer or Melange Paints stain-blocking primer, when you are painting tannin-rich woods like mahogany, walnut, or pine. If you have a newer finish that is glossy or are painting laminate, you need a bonding primer, like STIX or Melange Paints bonding primer.

Here are lots more details on when to prime and what primer to use.

Step 5: Painting

Now the fun part! You’ve done a good amount of work to get to this step, and this is where your vision all starts to come together. It’s absolutely my favorite part of the process.

It can be overwhelming to figure out exactly what to use and how to apply it – there are so many options out there. After trying so many different paint brands, brushes, rollers, sprayers, etc… I’ve figured out what works for me and what I suggest to new painters. My favorite paints are all-in-one paints that are thinner in consistency than chalk-based furniture paints. I find these are very beginner-friendly, they level well and don’t show brushstrokes as easily. Melange Paints ONE furniture paint is my favorite overall, but I also would recommend Fusion, General Finishes Milk Paint, or Lily Moon Opulent paint.

Check out my post on how to hand paint furniture for all of the details. You can also consider giving paint spraying a try. However, I would recommend that if you’re just getting started, hand painting is the way to go!

Step 6: Sealing/Top Coat

Almost there! Your piece is looking beautiful in the fresh new color you’ve chosen. And now it’s time to protect all of that hard work by sealing the paint. Again, there are a number of paints that have a top coat included, so this step isn’t always necessary. However, I almost always top coat my pieces, even when using these paints, and recommend you do the same (in most cases) to give your finished product the most durable finish.

For topcoats, I like to use General Finishes High Performance Topcoat or Polyvine Wax Finish Varnish. I’ve found the easiest way to apply is with a brush, and these topcoat brushes by Zibra are my favorites. I’ve tried sponges, rollers, socks, you name it – but for me, I find I have the most consistent control with a brush.

The key is not to overwork your product. Lay it down evenly and then let it be! Topcoats can be tricky, so I’d recommend reading my post on topcoating for more information on this process.

Step 7: Finishing touches

This is when everything comes back together! Details like adding drawer liners, cleaning up the hardware, or even adding new hardware, will give your makeover that extra shine.

Summary

Painting furniture is a great skill to have. It allows you to express your creativity and give new life to the furniture around you. Whether you are only wanting to do a piece or two for your own home as a hobby, or are looking to turn it into a side hustle or business, I hope that this tutorial will help you to get started. Starting can be the scariest part, so just find a piece and jump in. I’m here to answer any questions you may have!