My furniture painting secrets

My furniture painting secrets

Benjamin Moore Advance Painting Furniture STIX primer

Do you learn the hard way and wish at the end you had checked things out a little more thoroughly?  This  overconfidence gets me in hot water more times than I would like to admit, but learn I do!  I paint furniture frequently.  That means lots of experience from too many mistakes. Here's my recipe now.

What goes under a paint job is very important especially if you are painting a hard surface like laminate. My best painting tip in these situations is ....

My top pick for a bonding primer

  use STIX bonding primer  as a base on just about anything, and then go with the paint of your choice on top of it - my fav is below.  With used furniture degrease with TSP or vinegar and do a light sanding with a sanding pad or electric sander. Paint doesn't like grease, and I always feel better if I sand a bit first. No need to overdo it!

The Facts on STIX

 Keep in mind:

1. STIX is not a paint but a  primer/sealant, only a thin translucent coat is required; you are not gaining anything by going for opaque coverage.  
2. You don't  need two coats; don't waste it because it is on the expensive side.
3. You probably need a quart rather than a gallon for smaller jobs because it spreads a long way.
4. It is best  applied going in one direction using light but swift movements. Forget back and forth or w moves.
5. Wait at least 90 minutes for drying.

My latest project was a colour change for a small media cabinet from Target.  We needed  a multipurpose piece to act as a side table and storage for  two pieces of  TV equipment.  I hate it when you need something right away because you are forced to choose from what is available. 30 inch media cabinets are a thing of the past it seems; everyone has big TVs.   This one was the least offensive to  my design sensibilities.  NO I don't love it at all because it is a tad too traditional for me, but it will serve our purpose until hubby builds one - might be years!

The nutmeg colour looked terrible with my decor  especially my so lovely golden undertoned 80's oak. In comes trusty BM Iron Mountain  to match the  family room colour scheme. I highly recommend this gray if you are looking for a dark gray hue.

Benjamin Moore Iron  Mountain

 
If I want a durable finish I use Benjamin Moore Advance in a pearl finish.

But.... if you are the impatient type it might not be for you.  I have to do a lot of self talk to get me through the drying time, but it is worth it for a durable finish. 

The facts on  Advance

 Benjamin Moore Advance is a waterborn alkyd and is as close to an oil finish as you can get today.

 Pros:

• durable finish
•  levels nicely
• soap and water cleanup
• available in all BM colours
• low VOCs

 Cons:

• difficult paint for impatient people (like me); re-coating time is 16 hours (don't try to hurry it); seems to take even longer when applied over sealed, hard, non porous surfaces; takes many days to fully harden from my experience
• some reviews report whites yellowing over time ( I haven't used white)
• higher price range(you get what you pay for)
• not self-priming, stain-blocking nor antimicrobial -mildew resistant

 If you want a very extensive review of this product read Jack Pauhl.

Benjamin Moore Iron Mountain using  Advance

 

Photo:  Margaret Ryall

 You may notice we chopped over two inches off the legs to hide the wires that were coming down behind the cabinet.  Wires are the enemy and they must be dealt with at all costs! This will also be used as a side table so it needed to be shorter.  I liked the higher legs, but function always wins. 

Do  you have any painting tips to pass along?  

Give your furniture a makeover, easily and cheaply! And signed "Furniture Makeover" book giveaway!

Give your furniture a makeover, easily and cheaply! And signed "Furniture Makeover" book giveaway!

design book furniture makeover furniture repurposing ideas give away how to paint furniture Painting Furniture staining furniture upcycling furniture

I love DIY books - especially when they're filled with advice and projects that I would actually do AND will save me big bucks.  That's why I was so excited to receive "Furniture Makeovers" by Barb Blair.

Here's a description:

Furniture Makeovers: Simple Techniques for Transforming Furniture with Paint, Stains, Paper, Stencils, and More shows how to transform tired furniture into stunning showpieces. You'll never look at a hand-me-down dresser the same way again! The book offers 26 easy-to-follow techniques that can be applied to all different types of pieces, from bookshelves to desks: painting, applying gold leaf, wallpapering, distressing, dip dyeing, and more. In addition to the core techniques, author and Knack Studios founder Barb Blair shares 30 beautiful before-and-after makeovers from her studio and outlines how to achieve each look. With helpful step-by-step photographs, a visual glossary explaining all the tools and materials needed, and a lovely contemporary aesthetic, Furniture Makeovers is a treasure trove of ideas and instruction for the home decorator.

What I loved about this book is how accessible it was.  Blair never expects you to have access to a welder, industrial belt sander, or 50" table saw.  She shows you how to complete each project in an easy to understand fashion with materials anyone can get their hands on and use - with pretty pictures to boot!

Since I would never steer you wrong, I decided to try out a project on my own using only Furniture Makeovers as a teacher.  See my results below.

Since I was a newbie, I wanted to start on something relatively small and uncomplicated, so I chose this nightstand boyfriend has had since his bachelor days.  In fact, it has lived in a few bachelor pads over the years, so it was in need of a thorough cleaning to say the least!

My subject.  Nothing fancy, but solid wood construction.

After!

I wanted to create a finish similar to Blair's "Emmaline" piece, a gorgeous chest of drawers that she painted and then stained to create an authentic worn look.  I didn't want my project to come out looking too distressed or shabby,  just like a piece that's been around for a few decades.

Here's is the project that inspired me.

"Emmaline"  before - a lady with great bones!

"Emmaline"  after -now with the surface beauty to match!

Here's how I transformed our bachelor pad nightstand into a sophisticated looker..

I carefully reviewed Blair's instructions on painting a piece of furniture - from prep to completion...

Gathered my essential supplies.  All supplies are thoroughly covered in the beginning of the book, and then each project lists the supplies needed.

Did the necessary sanding and cleaning (I like to use old vinyl shower curtains as my drop cloths).

Then I started painting.  I'm in love with navy recently, so I went with a navy color.  When painting, remember that loading your brush or roller properly is imperative to getting a smooth, even finish.  Make sure you use a paint tray to get the paint evenly applied to your roller before putting it on your project!

Cut in smaller nooks and corners with a paint brush.  Blair shares her favorite brands and materials in the beginning of the book.

Now I reviewed the instructions on staining over a painted piece.

Next came the really fun part! After applying two coats of paint, allowing to dry, sanding, and cleaning again, I moved on to staining!  Working in small sections, I applied paint to the nightstand.  After about 2-3 minutes, I wiped it off (in the direction of the grain).  Start off with a light hand - you can always take off more if you want a lighter look.

The stain stays workable for a long time, so remove it thoughtfully, leaving more stain in areas where patina would naturally occur - in corners, edges, etc.

Voila!  I wanted my aged look to be subtle.  Keep in mind that stain takes a few days to be totally dry.  Mine was still sticky two days later.

The new nightstand.  Quite a transformation, wouldn't you say! (My mother grows the most beautiful zinnias, doesn't she?)

 Adding a new knob was also one of the most fun parts...it is the little details that count, after all!

Don't forget the insides of drawers or cabinets.  I treated mine the same way I did the exterior, but you can also line them with pretty paper.

Here are a few more projects from Furniture Makeovers that I loved:

Are you inspired yet to makeover some of your furniture?!?  If you must have Furniture Makeovers now, it is available at these locations - Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, or Chronicle Books

Or, you can enter to win a copy signed by Blair AND a Knack tote (Blair's studio).  To enter, just leave a comment below telling me if you have a piece of furniture you'd like to make over and what it is. The winner will be announced Friday, August 2nd.  Good luck!

PS - To comment on this post (scroll to the bottom of this post and right above "Labels" you will see a number followed by the word "comments." Click on the word "Comments." Or, you will see a link, "Post a Comment," which you click on to comment. If you receive posts in your email feel free to respond to the email noting that you'd like to be entered in the drawing. 

Check out all of the fabulous Furniture Makeovers by these bloggers

Monday, July 15 – A Beautiful Mess

Tuesday, July 16 – The City Sage and Cranny + Me

Wednesday, July 17 – Urban Comfort

Thursday, July 18 – Indie Craft Parade

Friday, July 19 – Simply Grove

Monday, July 22 – Poppytalk

Tuesday, July 23 – The Curated House and Ambrosia Creative

Wednesday, July 24 - The Bedlam of Beefy

Thursday, July 25 – Decorology

Friday, July 25r – Bloesem

Good luck!

I received "Furniture Makeovers" as a sample

Make-Shift Dining Room Hutch

Make-Shift Dining Room Hutch

Dining Painting Furniture

Our kitchen is so teeny tiny that right after we moved in I realized that most of our kitchen items would need to be stored in the dining room. I planned on using the red credenza in there and I thought about painting it a really dark plum color.

Also, I didn't have a place in the brownstone to put the HUGE bookshelf from the loft's laundry room and it didn't fit down the stairs to the basement, so we had put it out on the curb, but only for about 15 minutes.

As I unpacked all of our kitchen stuff, it was pretty clear that my plates and bowls and servingware weren't all going to fit in the red credenza. So we hauled the giant (heavy) bookshelf back up the stoop and set it up on top of the credenza.

We were shocked and thrilled that it actually fit, but the ketchup/mustard color combo was not so appetizing to me. :) I thought about still doing the plum idea for the whole piece, but really, it is such a huge, huge piece and the room is so small, I thought a big block of dark color would overpower the space. So I decided just to try gloss white. But before I painted it, we secure the shelves to the wall and I added two pieces of wood to the base of the bookshelf to make the whole thing look less disjointed and more like a single piece of furniture. (We did a similar trick with our Billy bookshelves)

I used a 2x4 for the bottom of the base and a 2x6 for the tall part. I made a couple of 45 degree angle cuts with my miter saw, screwed the pieces together and caulked and filled the holes and gaps. 

I painted it all out with Rustoleum's white gloss enamel and I used a bit of my favorite Penetrol to help reduce the brush marks (this stuff really does work - as long as you use the recommended amount!).

I decided to leave the insides of the shelves the navy color from before and I like the contrast. I know it's busy - there are so many dishes in there! I've since edited and taken some of the things out, but really this space needed to be about practicality (isn't every small space?). I've considered adding doors, but you don't really see the contents of the shelves from any other angle in the room (and not at all from the entry). Mostly, it is SO nice to have easy access to all of this servingware and I love that my girls can easily grab the dinner plates from the bottom shelf to help set the table by themselves.

I like that the white sort of blends into the pale walls and helps to make the small room not feel even smaller. Though, some days (usually during breakfast, when the light is so pretty in here) I start to daydream again of painting the whole thing dark, dark, almost black, plum. We'll see if my better judgement holds out. :)

It's a fun challenge for me to figure out ways to make furniture from previous homes work in (very different) spaces. I'm usually tempted to get rid of everything each time we move, but it never really happens that way and I usually can find a way to make our old stuff work (which is probably for the best) :)

What have you done to make your old furniture work in new spaces?

Neon and Lucite Vanity Desk

Neon and Lucite Vanity Desk

Bedroom DIY Painting Furniture

One of the things I was excited to pick up for Heather's room redo surprise was this vintage lucite vanity desk from the Chelsea flea market. I loved its cool shape and I liked that the hinged mirror top could fold all the way down.

The laminate desktop underneath the hinged mirror was not in the best shape though and it was a dingy-looking cream color. So, inspired by the side table in this image, I picked up a little tub of neon orange paint at my local hardware store...

I ended up adding a little Penetrol to the paint to make sure there would be no brush marks.It's hard to photograph neon, but the color is great in here - it's punchy and perfect for Heather's room.

I picked up the brass cube floor lamp at the flea market too. And Heather and I picked out the art together.

We both thought something in the purple-blue-indigo family would be pretty in here, so when we stumbled across these gorgeous (and affordable!) screenprints from the Vivian and Beverly etsy shop, we knew our search was over. (PS I think I need the flamingos print too and maybe the zebra?)

I love the print and think it's a great color combo with the desk color.

Also, I like how the bright orange is a more intense version of the orangey coral velvet bedframe. I think the "tone on tone for a cohesive room" approach works even with neons! :)

I know it's a bold look, but this is a pretty contained application. Plus, how easy will it be to change up when we tire of the color? It's usually a good idea to do more neutral/classic colors on expensive upholstery, but paint is such an easy way to try out color trends without making a huge commitment 

So, what's the craziest painted piece you have in your home?

(PS If you're struggling to find a good balance of painted pieces to stained wood pieces in your home, I usually suggest a 1:1 ratio. A little too heavy either way feels unbalanced to me. What do you think?)