Are you thinking of painting an antique buffet but not sure where to start? This guide will walk you through the steps and provide helpful tips for a successful project. Painting furniture can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to antiques.

But with the right tools and techniques, you can transform your old furniture into a stunning centerpiece for any room. So let’s dive into one of the painting furniture ideas that’ll give your antique buffet a fresh new look!

Antique Buffet furniture before painting

Antique furniture adds character and charm to any home with their unique designs and intricate details. They may be aged, but their beauty remains timeless and can make a statement in any room.

But often these pieces have seen better days with scratches, dings, and fading paint. And one of the best ways to refresh antique furniture is by painting it! Not only does it revive the piece, but it also allows you to customize it to fit your current style and decor.

This painting antique buffet makeover will not only give you a beautiful and updated piece of furniture, but it’ll also be a fun and rewarding project. So let’s get started!

Supplies Used for Painting an Antique Buffet

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Prepare Antique Buffet for New Paint

Before adding the new coat of paint, it’s important to properly prepare the antique buffet. We started by removing all hardware, including handles and knobs, and taking off the doors. This allows for easier access to all parts of the buffet for a smooth painting process.

Next, we cleaned the entire piece with Krud Kutter. We wiped down the surface to remove any grime, oils, and dirt that may have built up over time. Cleaning the piece thoroughly will prevent any imperfections and help the new paint adhere properly.

There were some chipped veneer areas on our buffet, so we filled in those spots with Bondo. Here’s repairing veneer with wood filler for a more detailed guide on using Bondo to tackle wood veneer. We let the wood filler dry then sanded it smooth with 220 grit sandpaper. You’ll want it to be level and flush with the rest of the surface for a seamless finish.

Remove Stain from Buffet Legs

We planned on staining our buffet legs with a new look, so we had to remove the old stain first. For this step, don’t forget to wear thick gloves to protect your hands! We applied Citristrip thickly then covered it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. This also helps the stripper work longer.

After letting the stripper sit on the legs for 8-12 hours, we scrubbed off the old stain using mineral spirits and 0000 steel wool. Just dip the steel wool in the mineral spirits and start scrubbing until the old stain comes off. Once all the legs were completely stripped, we let them dry for a day or two before moving on.

scrubbing off the old stain using mineral spirits and 0000 steel wool

We have a detailed post on how to remove wood stain using Citristrip here if you need more guidance. Here are other best wood stain removers you can try as well!

How to Paint An Antique Buffet

Since we don’t want paint on the cabinets and legs, we taped off these areas with pre-taped plastic and painters tape. This will save you time from having to clean up any unwanted paint drips or spills later on.

How to Mix Milk Paint Custom Color

We were going for a sage gray color, so we mixed Shackteau Interiors Milk Paint powder in Clark Pond Green, Coastal Gray, and a tiny bit of Sea Smoke. It wasn’t light enough to our liking, so we grabbed Miss Mustard Milk Paint in Ironstone and Farmhouse White to add to the mixture.

When mixing milk paint, you need to mix the colors while still in powder form. Add in water when you get your desired shade, and remember to mix small batches at a time so you don’t mix too much and waste any paint.

You can learn how to mix milk paint properly here, and here’s mixing milk paint colors together if you’re working on a custom color like we did!

Spray Painting Antique Buffet

After we’ve mixed our custom milk paint, we poured it into our Fuji Q4 Paint Sprayer through a filter to remove any lumps or debris. Filtering your paint will guarantee a smooth and even spray without any clogging. Here’s Fuji Q4 Paint Sprayer honest review for more details about this paint sprayer.

We then sprayed 2 coats of our gray milk paint onto the antique buffet, making sure to let it dry for about an hour between coats. It’s always better to do thin layers of paint instead of 1 thick coat to avoid drips and uneven coverage.

Once the final coat was dry, we lightly sanded the edges and corners of the buffet with 220 grit sandpaper to distress the milk paint and create a more rustic look. Feel free to skip this step if you prefer a cleaner and smoother finish. Check out distressing furniture for different techniques if you want distressed furniture.

Since we were sanding, we also went back to the buffet legs and gave them a quick sanding to remove any remaining stain and smooth out the wood. We cleaned up all the dust from sanding with a vacuum and a tack cloth after.

Seal Milk Painted Buffet

Once we’ve painted our antique buffet with milk paint, the next step is to seal it. This will protect the finish and make it last longer. We used the same sprayer to apply our topcoat, Varathane Waterbased Polyurethane in satin.

pouring waterbased polyurethane into sprayer to seal paint

We sprayed 3 coats for maximum protection, letting each coat dry completely before applying the next. Leave the final coat of poly to dry for at least 24 hours.

The milk paint will chip more with this waterbased topcoat though, so this paint and poly combo is perfect if you’re going for the vintage or farmhouse look. For more details and tips about choosing about the right sealant, here’s sealing painted furniture!

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Staining Buffet Legs

Next we worked on applying new stain to the legs of our antique buffet. We chose Annie Sloan Dark Wax for a deep and rich tone. Using a wax brush, we brushed on the wax in all the corners and details of the legs. Then we wiped away any excess using a lint free rag.

This wax is dark as it is, but if you’re working with a lighter stain or wax, you can build it up in layers for a darker finish. You can check out other best wood stain options here if you’re not sure which one to use.

Finishing Touches to Painted Antique Buffet

To make our painted buffet more personal and unique, we lined the inside of the buffet cabinets with pretty paper. You can choose any paper design that suits your style – these dresser drawer liner ideas should give you inspiration!

Simply measure and cut the paper to fit each cabinet. Some of these paper liners come with adhesive backing, but if yours doesn’t, you can use double sided tape or spray adhesive to secure it in place.

For the final touch, we replaced the old hardware with new crystal knobs. This small change made a huge difference in the overall look of our antique buffet! You can choose any type of hardware, vintage or modern, that you feel will complement your painted piece. We also reinstalled the doors to complete the makeover.

And this is our beautifully updated and transformed antique buffet now! We love the new sage gray color and how the dark wax adds depth and character to the legs. This buffet will make a great statement piece in any dining room or kitchen!

close-up view of green chippy painted buffet

full view of green chippy painted buffet

More Before and After Makeovers

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

Vintage Buffet Makeover

Old Sideboard Makeover

Painting a Dresser Gray

Major Patio Table Makeover