Best Paint For Spraying Furniture
Looking for the best paint for spraying furniture? You’ve come to the right place! Spraying furniture is a great way to give old and worn pieces an updated look. But the success of your project depends largely on using the right types of paint for furniture.
With so many kinds of paints available, it can be hard to know which one is best for you and your project. That’s why I’m here to provide you with an overview of some of the best paint options when it comes to spraying furniture. From chalk paint to latex paint, this blog post will help you decide which type will work best for your needs!
When it comes to painting furniture, the type of paint you use can make all the difference. The right kind of paint will not only give your project an attractive finish but also make sure that it lasts for years to come. However, with so many different types of paints available, finding the best one for spraying furniture can be a challenge.
Fortunately, there are several options that work great when sprayed onto furniture surfaces.
From chalk paint and Fusion Mineral Paint to General Finishes Milk Paint and Heirloom Traditions Paint, this blog post will help you decide which type is best suited for your needs! Read on to learn more about some of the top-rated paints specifically for painting furniture.
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Tips for Using a Paint Sprayer
No matter what paint you use, some of the steps are the same.
First, no matter what paint you use, or how old it is, use a paint filter to filter out any debris or dried paint particles in your paint before it goes into the sprayer. This will prevent your paint sprayer from getting clogged.
Use an electric HVLP paint sprayer to paint your furniture. You can easily adjust how much paint comes out, and not deal with too much overspray. You will still have overspray, but not as much as other sprayers create.
If you’re new to spray painting, we’ve got a complete guide for you on how to use a paint sprayer with more tips and tricks.
Here is our list of the best HVLP paint sprayers for furniture and the best electric paint sprayer to help you decide what is right for you.
Most of the time you can leave your paint in the paint sprayer between coats, as long as it doesn’t sit overnight. Chalk paint, mineral paints, and acrylic paints are still pretty easy to clean up 24 hours later.
But, paints like Heirloom Traditions Paint and Emerald Urethane are harder to clean up after 8 hours or so. If in doubt, just clean it between coats of paint. Here is how to clean a Wagner FLEXiO sprayer for when that time comes.
The Wagner sprayers are the easiest to clean out by the way!
Most paint needs thinned out to create a beautiful texture free finish. How much your paint needs thinned out will depend on the sprayer’s capabilities and how thick the paint is. Check out our how to thin paint for a Wagner FLEXiO sprayer post to learn how I thin out my paint.
If you use a different sprayer, you might have to thin it out even more, which can compromise the paint.
Check out my Wagner paint sprayer troubleshooting guide to help you out if you encounter any problems with your paint sprayer.
Last but not least, some of these paints need a topcoat. I recommend and use waterbased polyurethane for my topcoats 95% of the time because it is easy to use and very durable.
Here is how to spray polyurethane, and here is more information on the best topcoats for painting furniture if you are looking for other options.
Chalk Paint
Chalk paint is a fantastic option when it comes to spraying furniture. It’s known for its ease of use, especially for beginners, who will appreciate its forgiving nature. One of the key benefits of chalk paint is that it adheres to surfaces better than latex paint.
Check out our blog post about the truth about using chalk paint for furniture to learn more about the pros and cons of using chalk paint.
But it honestly still requires prep before painting furniture. Check out our 5 chalk paint problems and how to fix them blog post to see how to make your project turn out amazing instead of failing.
Spraying chalk paint is relatively simple. You need to thin it with a little water to get it to the right consistency for your sprayer, but once you’ve got that down, it’s smooth sailing.
Note that chalk paint needs to be sealed with a topcoat, because, while chalk paint sticks well, it isn’t very durable on its own and can easily chip or scratch if not properly protected.
Here are some of our makeovers where we sprayed chalk paint onto the furniture. You can use these posts as a guide to help you paint your furniture.
- How To Spray Paint A Dresser With Chalk Paint
- Homemade Chalk Paint Dresser Makeover
- How To Paint Furniture with chalk paint
- Painting Furniture Navy Blue
- DIY Pink Dresser
Fusion Mineral Paint
When it comes to giving your furniture a new lease on life, Fusion Mineral Paint is a top-notch option.
Fusion Mineral Paint is unique because it has built-in topcoat. That means you don’t have to worry about sealing it after spraying (though I like to topcoat it to give it a satin sheen). It’s a time-saver and makes the whole process a lot more straightforward.
Check out my honest Fusion Mineral paint review to learn more about the pros and cons, application, and my personal experience with Fusion Mineral Paint.
Using Fusion Mineral Paint in a sprayer is a breeze. You do need to thin it out by about 10%-15% to get a fine sprayed on finish. Learn more about spraying Fusion Mineral Paint in these posts where we share how we sprayed on Fusion Mineral Paint on our furniture makeovers.
- Painting A Dresser
- Repainting Furniture From The Thrift Store
- Stenciling Furniture
- Vintage Dresser Painted Teal
- Painted Hallway Cabinet Makeover
Paint Couture Paint
Paint Couture Paint is another fantastic option for spraying paint onto furniture. It’s a high-quality acrylic paint that is known for its smooth, self-leveling properties, which make it even more ideal for use with a sprayer.
When using Paint Couture Paint in a sprayer, thin the paint with about 10% water. But, just like with every paint, the exact amount that you thin out the paint depends on your sprayer’s capabilities and how thick the paint is.
The durability of Paint Couture Paint is also worth noting. Once dry, it provides a tough, resistant finish that can withstand everyday wear and tear.
Here’s our comparison of acrylic paint vs chalk paint in terms of ease of use, durability, coverage, finish, and more.
Although it’s quite durable on its own, you can choose to apply a topcoat for added protection, especially for high-traffic pieces like dressers, dining tables, or chairs.
For some reason, I haven’t used Paint Couture Paint much, and I’m not sure why. It’s one of my favorites! Here are some of the tutorials we have shared with spraying Paint Couture Paint.
- Olive Green Painted Antique Buffet
- How To Paint Laminate Furniture (With Olive Green Paint)
- Mid Century Modern Farmhouse Dresser In Olive Green
General Finishes Milk Paint
General Finishes Milk Paint is a popular choice for furniture spraying projects and for good reason. It’s a premium paint that delivers high-quality results, making it a favorite among DIY enthusiasts and professional painters.
One of the key features of General Finishes Milk Paint is how well it levels out, just like Paint Couture Paint. It is nothing like traditional powdered milk paint and will not create a chippy finish.
When it comes to application, General Finishes Milk Paint is a dream to work with. Once again, thin it out with about 10%-15% water, depending on how thick the color is. But then it sprays evenly and levels out marvelously.
Check out this post for everything you need to know about painting furniture with acrylic paint.
Plus, it has excellent adhesion properties, so it sticks very well to wood surfaces. Check out our General Finishes milk paint review to learn about the pros and cons using this type of paint and some application tips.
It dries to a low-luster sheen that is gorgeous, but for an even more durable finish, especially for high-use furniture pieces, you’ll need a clear topcoat.
Here are our furniture makeovers where we sprayed General Finishes Milk Paint. Typically we brush it on because it levels out so well! But spraying is much faster for large projects.
- How To Upcycle A Desk Into A Pair Of Nightstands
- Painting With General Finishes Milk Paint (with a brush)
- DIY Cedar Chest Makeover With General Finishes Milk Paint
General Finishes Enduro Poly
When the time comes to give your furniture a fresh, durable painted finish, General Finishes Enduro Poly is a stellar choice. This water-based paint is designed to be tough and resistant, making it perfect for pieces that see a lot of use.
What makes Enduro Poly stand out is that it’s ready to spray straight from the can, no thinning required. It’s a great time-saver and simplifies the whole process. It dries very quickly and does not need to be topcoated, because it basically is a tinted topcoat.
Using Enduro Poly in a sprayer is a straightforward task. Just pour it into your sprayer, and start spraying. It dries to a beautiful satin sheen too!
Here are some makeovers where we sprayed General Finishes Enduro Poly. Just remember to prime your furniture before using it!
- Painting Oak Furniture Black
- Painting A Dresser White
- Painting A Desk Black
- How To Easily Paint Black Furniture
- Painting a Dresser Black
Heirloom Traditions Paint
Heirloom Traditions Paint is a high-quality paint option that’s perfect for breathing new life into your furniture. This paint is a favorite among DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike. It’s known for its superior adhesion and durability, making it a reliable choice for furniture painting projects.
One of the things that set Heirloom Traditions Paint apart is how well it sticks to any type of surface and how durable it is after only 48 hours. And when sprayed on, it creates a gorgeous satin finish without any texture.
Check out our blog post about Heirloom Traditions All In One paint review to learn more about how to use this paint and my personal experience with this paint.
Using Heirloom Traditions Paint in a sprayer is a straightforward process. You’ll need to thin it with about 15% water. And you don’t have to topcoat it when you’re done!
Here are a few of our furniture makeovers where we sprayed Heirloom Traditions Paint. Check these posts out for more information on how to use Heirloom Traditions Paint on your furniture.
- Painting Furniture Grey Without Sanding Or Priming (Yes It Works!!)
- Painting Furniture Black – No Topcoat!
- All In One Paint For Furniture
- Redoing End Tables
Spraying Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel
Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel is a real game-changer when it comes to furniture spraying. This high-quality paint is a top pick among professionals and DIYers due to its exceptional durability and beautiful finish.
Check out my honest Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel Review here.
One of the standout features of this paint is that it is a very durable paint that can be tinted to any color. Plus, it has excellent flow and leveling properties, which means it goes on smoothly without any texture left behind.
Using the Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel in a sprayer is a cinch. It will need to be thinned out with about 15% water, and then you don’t need to topcoat it at all. After about 30 days it will be as durable as oil based paint.
It also comes in a few different sheen options, so you get to decide what sheen you want!
Here are some of our makeovers using Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel paint! Check these out to learn how to use it on your furniture makeover.
- How To Paint Over Oil Based Paint
- My Husband’s First Furniture Makeover
- Painting Furniture White
- DIY Modern Grey Dresser
To sum up, there are a lot of great options when it comes to spraying furniture. Each paint has its own unique features and benefits that make them ideal for certain projects.
Whether you’re looking for something with superior adhesion or just want an easy-to-use product, each one on this list offers something special. We hope this article gave you the information you need in order to choose the right paint for your next project!
more Painting Furniture Tips
- Best Paint for Laminate Furniture
- 10 Best Painted Furniture Colors
- Best Paint for Furniture Without Sanding
- Best Black Paint For Furniture
- Best Acrylic Paint for Furniture
Follow us on YouTube to get more tips for painting furniture. Or share your project with us on our Facebook Group and be part of our community. See you there!
Hi. We are currently refinishing a bedroom set with the emerald trim paint and a flexio 2500. We’ve gone from black to white do its been quite a long, tedious process. We are running into trouble with the queen headboard. It’s rather large and no matter what we do it’s coming out with a texture. We’ve tried painting it with it flat, standing up, in low humidity, high humidity, inside and outside. The other pieces of the set look fine for the most part but for some reason the headboard just isn’t coming out right. Any words of advice or suggestions. I’m ready to just throw the towel in at this point. I should note the only thing we haven’t tried is thinning the paint, as the Sherwin rep said not to. Please help before I lose my mind.
I honestly would thin out the paint. I’ve done it and haven’t had issues. If it’s your last coat, and it’s on a headboard, I wouldn’t be worried. Sorry you’re having such a hard time!