Prepping is so important for a long lasting finish. Without prep, there is a good chance the paint will end up peeling or chipping off. Annnnd if that happens, the paint all has to be stripped off and the project started all over. Boo! So, don’t skip the prep!
It may sound pretty intimidating, but it’s SUPER SIMPLE and PRETTY QUICK!
Pro Tip: If the furniture has a lot of detail or places where the dust collects, it’s so much easier to use the hose attachment on the vacuum to collect the majority of the dust before moving onto wiping everything down. Plus, inside the drawers and cabinets need to be vacuumed out as well, so it’s a perfect time to do both!
Then I grab a damp old rag and some of my favorite cleaner / de-greaser, Krud Kutter. You could just wipe it down with a damp rag, but I like to spray it with Krud Kutter first, then wipe it down because after years and years of use, most old furniture has a lot of yucky build up. And if there ends up being any greasy build up, the grease will make the paint peel in that area. No bueno.
Pro Tip: Clean the piece with Krud Kutter BEFORE you sand. This way, you won’t smash any built up yuckiness into the wood. Then make sure to wipe everything down with a damp rag after you sand to get rid of all the dust.
Once everything is dried and cleaned its time to start painting! Wahoo! That wasn’t so bad, now was it? I promise taking the extra few minutes to prep your furniture will pay off in the long run.
This prep works for the majority of furniture, unless the old finish is super shiny and slick (laminate, anyone?). In that case it is best to prep, then prime, then paint. The prep helps the primer adhere, and then the primer helps the paint adhere. Chalk paint is amazing paint, but it does have it’s limitations, just like any other paint.
Pro Tip: Use General Finishes Stain Blocking Primer to eliminate bleed through. You know those orange or reddish colored spots that just wont go away after multiple coats of paint? That’s bleed through! And it won’t go away with any more coats of paint. The best way to get rid of bleed through is with this Stain Blocker. I use it on almost all of my pieces before I get to painting.
Trust me, it will take away so much headache in the long run! If you want to distress to show the wood underneath, and you don’t want the white primer to show, I use a couple of coats of shellac. This usually does the trick, but it’s not as effective as the stain blocker. Shellac also smells way worse and should only be used outside in a super well ventilated area. P.S. The Primer may seem expensive, but after painting multiple pieces with one quart size can, I think the price point is close to the same as the cans of spray shellac.
For more info about prepping furniture, here is a recorded LIVE Facebook video where I explained everything needed to prep.
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Natalie
Just curious if you check your pieces for lead before you begin prepping? If so, do you strip or paint over? I’m a newbie and just bought an old armoire which tested positive for lead varnish so I’m at a stand still and having a hard time finding info on this.
thank you,
Laura
Hey Laura!
If the piece has been painted, I always check the old paint for lead with the lead test kits. I actually talk about that in this post on how to remove paint from furniture.
If it has lead paint, I strip it off. Hope that helps!
Hi! Just discovered your blog. I took your advice and got to work with Krud cutter on a very vintage secretary desk that is quite frankly, a mess! I sprayed it directly on the piece and wiped down. It’s so sticky now. Is that from the KC or gross stuff coming off the wood?
Thanks for your help!
Hey Jen! I would just keep scrubbing until it’s not a sticky mess. The old finish probably is really dirty, or it’s not very durable.