Painting Stained Furniture Without Sanding
If you want to give your old, stained furniture a fresh, new look, you might be thinking about painting it. Sanding off all those layers of stain can feel like a lot of work, but the good news is painting stained furniture without sanding is actually possible!
With the right tools and techniques, you can transform your old stained furniture into these beautiful painting furniture ideas without having to spend hours sanding it down. So, keep reading to find out how!
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See more AFTER photos below these printable instructions!
Painting Stained Furniture Without Sanding
Transform your old stained furniture into a beautiful piece by painting without sanding. Learn tips and tricks to have a fresh painted finish.
Materials
Instructions
- The first step is to remove any hardware from the furniture, such as knobs or drawer pulls. Use an electric screwdriver for a quicker and easier removal process.
- Next, tape off any areas that you don't want paint on with painters tape and plastic before giving the furniture a good cleaning with a degreaser. Cleaning will take the shine off stained furniture and help the paint stick better.
- Mix up your all in one paint of choice and filter and thin it for spraying. This will create a smooth finish that is easy to work with.
- Apply 2 coats of paint onto your stained piece using a sprayer, allowing each coat to dry completely. After the last coat, let the furniture dry for 24-48 hours.
- Once it's completely dry, you can reattach the old hardware or switch it out for a new look.
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More Before and After Makeovers
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Click any of these “before” photos below to view the “after” of that makeover.
Staining furniture is a popular technique used to enhance the natural beauty of wood. You can use a lighter or darker stain to change the color of your furniture, and it can also help protect the wood from damage.
However, over time, you may get tired of the stained look and want to switch things up with color. Painting can completely change the look and feel of your furniture, especially with the many color choices available.
But you might worry about having to sand the stained furniture down before painting. Sanding is time consuming and messy, after all. Luckily, you can skip the sanding step and still get a beautiful painted finish!
Supplies Used to Paint Stained Furniture Without Sanding
- Electric Screwdriver
- Painters Tape
- Plastic
- Heirloom Traditions Paint Degreaser and Cleaner
- Zibra Pointed Round Brush
- Clean Rag
- Heirloom Traditions Paint
- Paint Filter
- Paint Sprayer
Prepare Stained Furniture for Painting
The first step is to remove any hardware from the furniture, such as knobs or drawer pulls. Use an electric screwdriver for a quicker and easier removal process. Once the hardware is removed, tape off any areas that you don’t want paint on, such as drawers, with painters tape and plastic.
Next, you’ll want to give the furniture a good cleaning. Clean with a degreaser like Heirloom Traditions Paint Degreaser and Cleaner. Brush it on with a Zibra pointed round brush, let it sit for a few minutes, then wipe it off with a damp rag.
Cleaning takes the shine off stained furniture, which helps the paint stick better. Plus, if your furniture has sticker residue or scuff marks (like this table we’re working on), a degreaser can take care of those easily, too. Don’t forget to rinse off any residue with a clean, damp rag.
How to Paint Stained Furniture Without Sanding
And now, we go straight to painting! We mixed up Heirloom Traditions Paint in the color Putty, which is a beautiful soft warm grey. Filter and thin the paint by about 15% for spraying. These steps make the paint smooth and easy to work with for a professional finish.
Using the Vonforn sprayer, apply 2 coats of paint onto the furniture and allow each coat to dry completely. This table has spindle legs, and using a paint sprayer made it much easier and quicker to cover every detail.
If you were using a brush, it would take around 45 minutes per coat, but with the sprayer, it only takes about 5 minutes. Here’s our comparison post on spray paint vs brush paint furniture for the pros and cons of each method.
Let the furniture dry for 24-48 hours, then you can attach the hardware back on. If the hardware still looks great, you don’t need to change it out, but if you want a completely new look, you can easily find some beautiful and unique hardware to use. Check out our guide on how to change hardware on a dresser if you want to update your furniture hardware.
Painting with All in One Paint
The secret to painting stained furniture without sanding is to use an all in one paint like Heirloom Traditions Paint. As you can see, this was a super fast makeover. This paint is perfect for those who want a quick and easy transformation without sacrificing quality.
We’re confident this paint will stick to the table, even without sanding or priming. It sticks really well, and when you spray it on, it looks super professional with no texture or brush marks. Plus, it feels super smooth!
This all in one paint doesn’t need a topcoat as well, so you can save even more time and effort. It’s perfect for beginners or anyone who wants a hassle free painting experience. Check out our Heirloom Traditions All In One Paint review for more information on this amazing paint! If you want some inspiration on what color to use, here are the best Heirloom Traditions Paint colors.
Do you have to remove stain before painting furniture?
From this makeover, you can see you don’t have to remove the stain before painting furniture. You can paint directly on top of stained wood without sanding, which saves you a lot of time and effort. With all in one paints like Heirloom Traditions Paint, you don’t even need to prime or apply a topcoat!
But if your stained furniture is in poor condition, with chipping or peeling stain, it’s best to remove the old finish before painting. For this, you’ll need to use these best wood stain removers or sandpaper. Here’s a more detailed guide on how to remove wood stain you can learn from.
But for furniture in good condition, there’s no need to remove the stain. Just remember to clean with a degreaser so the paint adheres better. Learn all about how to clean furniture before painting in this post.
So, if you’ve got some stained furniture that needs a refresh, you can totally skip the sanding and paint right over the stain. With the right paint and technique, painting stained furniture without sanding is a quick and easy process, and you don’t have to sacrifice the quality of your new finish.
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