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How to Prep Furniture Before Painting

So many people say that chalk paint requires no prep at all, but learning how to prep furniture before painting is super  important! Sure, you don’t need to prime (which is ah-mazing since I really want the wood to show when I distress instead of white primer), but even if you were going that route, primer still calls for a bit of prep before painting.

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!

I start out by lightly sanding everything down with 220 grit sandpaper. To make things easier, I wrap a small rectangle of sandpaper around a sanding block, and then remove the sanding block when I need to get into any small details. What does lightly mean? Well, I quickly rub the sandpaper over everything just a few times. This basically just scratches the surface up a bit so the paint has something to adhere to.


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. 

If you’re planning on spraying your furniture, be sure to catch our painting tutorial and how to prep furniture for a paint sprayer.
Don’t make these other five biggest furniture painting mistakes!


**P
.S. Some of my links may be affiliate links, meaning that the company may pay me a small amount for advertising for them. You don’t pay anything extra to use my links, but it helps pay for more of these free tutorials and tips for you. Thank you for purchasing these items through my link.Happy painting friends!
Natalie

You can read my full disclosure here for more info.**

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meet natalie

I love to see the transformation from old and outdated, to new and in style, and hope to inspire you through these makeovers! read more...

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meet natalie

Hello! My name is Natalie. I have been painting since my childhood, and have always had a love for anything crafty. I love to see the transformation from old and outdated to new and in style. So I bring life back into old pieces and hope to inspire you to do the same. Read More…

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