Free Instructions on Painting Old Furniture
- 1). Move the old furniture to a ventilated area and place it on heavy-duty fabric drop cloths.
- 2). Scrape away loose and peeling paint, using a metal putty knife. Abrade remaining paint to promote adhesion by sanding it with 120-grit sandpaper. Sand along with the grain of any exposed wood to prevent splintering. Skip this step if the old furniture is unpainted.
- 3). Cover portions of the old furniture you do not want painted with professional painter's tape.
- 4). Using a paintbrush, coat bare, unfinished wood with an acrylic latex primer, manufactured for use with water-based coatings. Use an oil-based primer if the old furniture is stained. Apply the stain with a paintbrush specifically manufactured for oil-based paints. Wait 3 hours for the primer to dry.
- 5). Wash latex brushes with water. Wash oil brushes with mineral spirits.
- 6). Coat the old furniture with acrylic enamel, using the latex paintbrush. Wait 2 hours for the paint to dry. Add another coat of paint. Wait 6 hours before using the refinished furniture.