If you’re looking for a quick makeover, learn this easiest way to paint furniture without sanding! Sanding takes time and effort, and you’ll have to deal with clean up later. It’s understandable some people would want a simpler and more convenient method.

With these painting furniture ideas in mind, you don’t have to compromise on the quality of your piece. Keep reading how you can skip this step and still have beautiful, long lasting results!

Welcome to Furniture Fixer Upper day, where we join 4 of our talented furniture friends and bring you brand new makeovers! I’ll link to my friend’s makeovers after our after photos at the bottom of this post! Don’t forget to check out their masterpieces!! Okay, back to our makeover!

Sometimes, you come across a piece that’s a bit sad looking, but you can’t help but imagine how cute it could be. That’s exactly what happened with this cabinet. It was one of those cheap storage pieces, probably from Walmart or Target – nothing high quality, but still functional.

And guess what? It was totally free! Some friends were getting rid of it, and we just had to take it home. Sure, it was basic, boring, and a little beat up, but I could already see how a little creativity could turn this piece into something fun and unique.

What’s even better? This makeover is super easy – no sanding, no topcoat, and you can pull it off in just one weekend. This is perfect for beginners or anyone who wants a hassle free DIY project. Let’s get started!

Supplies Used to Paint Furniture Without Sanding

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• Screwdriver
• Krud Kutter
• Damp Rag
• Cardboard
• Clear Shellac Spray
• Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Enamel
• Cling On Brush
• FrogTape
• Zibra Brush
• White Plastic Wood Filler
• Peel and Stick Wallpaper
• New Hardware
• Resin
• Silicone Molds
• Instant Dry Super Glue
• Zibra Pointed Round Brush

Remove Wood Knobs

The first thing we did was take off the old wooden knobs on the doors and some magnets on the back. My husband Taylor didn’t have the right bit size for my electric screwdriver, so he just grabbed a little hand screwdriver and got it done.

Clean the Cabinet

Honestly, this was in pretty rough shape when we started. Not only was it pretty plain, but the grime buildup was unreal, with black and brown sticky gunk all over the top and legs – it was really gross!

Krud Kutter is magic for this! Taylor sprayed it all over the cabinet and gave it a good scrub with a damp rag. Watching all that grime come off was so satisfying. He wiped it down twice – first with the Krud Kutter, then with a rag damp with water – to make sure it was completely clean. Here’s how to clean furniture before painting for more tips.

He then left it to dry while setting up in the garage. He didn’t need to do much – just threw some cardboard on the floor and grabbed his supplies.

Prime with Clear Shellac

Once the cabinet was dry, he took it out to the garage to start applying clear shellac. The fumes from shellac are pretty strong, so he also made sure to wear a respirator.

If you’ve never used shellac before, trust me, don’t skip it. It’s super easy to use, and it’s important because it helps the new coating stick without sanding. Without the shellac, you’ll probably run into issues later! Here’s how to stop stains from coming through paint for more tips on how to avoid any bleedthrough.

Taylor sprayed a nice, even coat of shellac all over, and since we couldn’t take the doors off, he ended up spraying the inside, too, while working on them. Thank goodness, this shellac is clear.

How to Fix Drips in Primer

Everything was going smoothly until he noticed a few heavy drips in a few spots. The garage was freezing, around 37 degrees, which probably slowed down the drying time and made the shellac take way longer to dry than usual.

No big deal, though! He just wiped off the drips before they dried and made a mental note to go lighter on the second coat. But before that, he lightly sanded the texture left from wiping off the dripping shellac.

Even though he wiped it away before it dried, there was still a little texture left behind that we didn’t like. These little mistakes happen, there’s always a way to fix them! Get more tips on how to fix spray paint drips here.

Painting Furniture Without Sanding

I used Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel in Satin in this gorgeous soft blue color. I don’t know the name – my mom gave it to me after deciding not to use it. The way it went on was amazing! Here’s our Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel review to learn more about it.

I applied 2 thin coats with a slightly damp Cling On brush, carefully checking for drips or runs, especially in the corners and edges. Check out our list of the best paint brushes for painting furniture for more options. I like to go with a smooth, straight stroke for a professional finished look.

Using the Cling On brush with the paint was like a match made in heaven. The coverage was so good it felt like I almost didn’t need a second coat. Plus, Sherwin Williams Enamel leveled out so well that there were almost no brush marks, which always makes me happy!

Since we couldn’t take the doors off because of how the cabinet was built, I just worked carefully around them. FrogTape was a lifesaver here – I taped off the cabinet to keep the lines crisp and made sure to move the doors every now and then so they didn’t end up getting gummed up with any paint.

For the second coat, I switched to this $10 Zibra brush to show you that you don’t need pricey tools to get amazing results. The paint still leveled nice and smooth, though there were a few tiny brush marks.

Fill In Scratches

Even though the piece was already looking pretty good, there were still some dings and scratches from its “rough” past. I could’ve left them to keep things simple, but the deeper ones really bothered me.

So I grabbed some white plastic wood filler and just dabbed a little on each scratch with my finger, smoothing out the excess so I wouldn’t have to sand it later. It’s not a perfect method, but it’s super quick. I let the filler dry overnight and painted over it the next day. Check out our list of the best wood fillers for furniture here.

Add Liner and Hardware

With the new finish dry, I added something playful and extra to make the piece feel special. First, I lined the inside with peel and stick wallpaper. It’s this adorable white and blue floral pattern I got from Amazon.

I’ve got to say, this part really tested my patience. The paper just wouldn’t cooperate – it kept sticking where it wasn’t supposed to, and I must’ve repositioned it a million times. But once it was finally in place? WOW. It totally changed the vibe of the cabinet!

Next, I dove through my stash of hardware to find the perfect knobs. Out of all of the options, I landed on these cute little gold ones that added just the right touch of elegance. The screws were a bit too big for the original holes, though, so I just did an easy tweak of using a slightly larger drill bit to make the holes a little bigger.

Clear Shellac

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General Finishes Milk Paint

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Varathane Waterbased Polyurethane

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Add Resin Flowers

To take things up just one more notch, I added some custom resin flowers. Seriously, resin is so fun to use! I made these leaves and flowers with silicone molds. It’s super simple: just mix equal parts resin in a cup, pour it into the molds, and in about 10 minutes, it hardens into a solid white decal.

I made quite a few rounds of these resin details, then glued them onto the doors with instant dry super glue. This stuff is amazing! You just put the liquid on one side, spray on the other, and then when they touch, it dries instantly! If you like these little flowers, see how I used them on this painting a cedar chest makeover.

Apply Final Coat

To wrap things up, I added a final blue coat with my Zibra round pointed brush – it made getting into all the tiny nooks and crannies of the resin flowers super easy. The coverage was amazing, so one coat did the trick!

And from an old, super basic cabinet, here’s what it looks like now! It’s colorful, unique, and perfect as an accent table, a nightstand, or even a little entryway piece.

More Before and After Makeovers

See All >

Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.

Painting Oak Furniture Black

Teal Blue Tall Dresser Makeover

Chalk Painting A Dresser

Dixie Belle Silk Paint Review

See how this makeover was so easy – no sanding or topcoat needed – anyone can do it! I love how it turned out, and I hope it inspires you to try your own fun, quick furniture update.

Don’t forget to check out these other awesome before and after furniture makeovers from my Furniture friends!! (Click the links below the photos!)

• Side Table Makeover from Petticoat Junktion
• Antique Dresser with Mirror from My Repurposed Life
• Magazine Table Makeover from Salvaged Inspirations
• Piano Bench Makeover from Confessions of a Serial DIYer

Easiest Way to Paint Furniture Without Sanding

Print

Materials

• Krud Kutter
• Damp Rag
• Cardboard
• Clear Shellac Spray
• Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Enamel
• FrogTape
• White Plastic Wood Filler
• Peel and Stick Wallpaper
• New Hardware
• Resin
• Instant Dry Super Glue

Tools

• Screwdriver
• Cling On Brush
• Zibra Brush
• Silicone Molds
• Zibra Round Pointed Brush

Instructions

1. Using a screwdriver, take off all of the hardware on your furniture piece. This includes knobs, handles, and any other attachments.
2. Use a degreaser like Krud Kutter to remove any dirt, grime, or built up residue on the surface of your furniture. This will make the surface clean and ready for the new paint.
3. Lay down cardboard or a drop cloth in your workspace to protect the floor from any spills or drips. This will make clean up much easier later on.
4. Spray 2 coats of clear shellac on the entire piece, including any nooks and crannies. This will help the paint adhere to the surface without sanding. Make sure to wear a respirator for the strong fumes.
5. Apply 2 thin coats of Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Paint with a damp Cling On brush. Go with smooth, straight strokes for a professional finished look.
6. For any dings and scratches, fill them with plastic wood filler using your finger, then smooth out the excess. Let the filler dry overnight and paint over it the next day.
7. Add a fun touch with peel and stick wallpaper on the inside of the piece. This will change the whole vibe of the piece.
8. Choose cute knobs or handles to add a unique touch, and make sure the screws fit properly by drilling slightly larger holes if needed.
9. Make resin flowers with silicone molds. Mix equal parts of resin, pour into molds, and let dry for 10 minutes. Glue onto the piece with instant dry superglue.
10. Apply a final coat of paint with a round pointed brush to get into all the tiny details of the resin molds. Then add the new hardware to finish off the makeover!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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  Clear Shellac
• 
  White Plastic Wood Filler
• 
  Peel and Stick Wallpaper

More Painted Furniture Makeovers

• Painting Stained Furniture Without Sanding
• Painting Rustic Furniture
• One Step Paint MCM Makeover

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