What Paint to Use for Wooden Furniture

When it comes to revamping your old furniture, one of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is what paint to use. The type of paint you choose can greatly affect the final look and durability of your furniture. With all the choices out there, we’re here to help you figure out what paint to use for wooden furniture and guide you through these different types of paint for furniture.

Check out these options and pick the best paint for your next furniture makeover!

You may be wondering why the type of paint matters so much. Isn’t paint just paint? But there are many kinds of paint out there, and some are definitely better for painting wooden furniture than others.

Different types of paint have their own different qualities, such as durability, finish, and ease of application. It’s important to know the pros and cons of each option so you can choose the one that best fits your needs.

This list includes the best paints for wood furniture – we’ve tried them all and will share our honest opinions and experiences with each. So let’s look into these paints and transform your wooden furniture into something new and beautiful!

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Best Paints for Wood Furniture

You can easily update your old wooden furniture with a fresh coat of paint. But again, you’ll need to choose the right type of paint for a professional and long lasting look. These are some of our favorite paints that work perfectly with wood!

Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane

First on our list is the Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Paint. It’s an alkyd paint – if you’re not familiar, it’s a combination of oil based and water based paint. This means it’s highly durable just like oil based paints, but with low fumes and easy to clean up like water based paints.

It’s also a self-leveling paint that dries into a smooth finish, so even if you brush it on, there’ll be little to no texture. You don’t need to topcoat it either, which saves you time and money since you don’t need to buy and apply this separate coat.

For color selection, you can choose any color you like because this paint can be tinted into any shade. But you’ll have to get it from Sherwin Williams retailers only. Check out our more detailed Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel review here to see how it performs. Here’s how to repaint furniture where we used this paint.

Pros:

• Highly durable due to its alkyd formula
• Self-leveling for a smooth finish
• No need for a separate topcoat
• Can be tinted into any color

Cons:

• Only available at Sherwin Williams retailers

Heirloom Traditions Paint

Next is Heirloom Traditions Paint, an all-in-one paint that is perfect for those who want a simple and fuss-free furniture makeover. With this paint, it already has a built in primer and topcoat, though we still recommend priming to avoid any bleedthrough. We tackle more on this in our guide on how to use all in one paint.

You can brush, roll, or spray it on your furniture, but you get a textured finish with visible brush strokes if you choose to use a brush or roller. If you want smooth results, it’s better to use a paint sprayer.

Heirloom Traditions Paint sticks well to not only wood but also laminate, metal, and fabric, so you can use it on various surfaces. Though the coverage isn’t as good, but with its quick dry formula, you can easily apply more coats if needed.

Pros:

• All in one paint – no need for a topcoat
• Can be used on various surfaces like wood, laminate, metal, and fabric
• Quick drying formula
• Can be applied with a brush, roller, or sprayer
• Satin sheen, easy to clean

Cons:

• Visible brush strokes if applied with brush or roller
• May need more coats for full coverage

Check out our Heirloom Traditions All In One Paint review and these Heirloom Traditions Paint before and afters to see this paint in action.

Fusion Mineral Paint

Fusion Mineral Paint is another water based paint that is best for painting wooden furniture. It’s also an all-in-one paint that doesn’t need a topcoat, but since it dries to a matte sheen, you should still apply one with a satin finish to make it easier to clean.

You can also use a brush, roller, or sprayer to apply this paint – it levels out great whichever method you choose. If you do decide to spray it, you’ll need to thin it out with some water first for smoother results. Here’s how to thin paint for a sprayer for more detailed steps.

It sticks well to various surfaces, but for laminate, you’ll need to prime and scuff sand first for better adhesion on this slick surface. Compared to the above Heirloom Traditions, Fusion Mineral Paint has great coverage – see these 2 paints side by side in this Fusion Mineral Paint vs Heirloom Traditions Paint post.

Pros:

• All in one paint – no need for a topcoat
• Can be applied with a brush, roller, or sprayer
• Good coverage and self-leveling
• Sticks well, dries quickly
• Can be used on various surfaces like wood and laminate

Cons:

• Matte sheen, topcoat it with satin sheen for easier cleaning
• May need to thin it out for smoother results when spraying
• Need to prime and sand laminate first for better adhesion

Check out our Fusion Mineral Paint review to learn more about its features and performance. And here are the best Fusion Mineral Paint colors you can use for your next furniture project! For other all-in-one paint options, here’s our list of the best all-in-one paints for furniture.

Chalk Paint

For your wood furniture, you should check out chalk paint! It’s super easy to use, dries quickly, and is very forgiving. Even beginners with little painting experience can get great results with this paint. It’s accessible and you can even make your own chalk paint at home! Check out these best chalk paint recipes you can easily follow.

It has a chalky finish, perfect if you’re going for that vintage or aged look on your furniture. You can even do some distressing for an even more unique and rustic effect. Here’s how to distress chalk paint for some distressing tips and tricks.

It sticks well to wood and even metal and fabric, but you do need to prepare the furniture by cleaning, sanding, and priming it – even if chalk paint is said to be a no-prep paint, it still adheres a whole lot better with some surface prep. Our guide on how to prepare furniture for painting should help you!

This paint is matte and porous, so don’t leave it alone without a topcoat! Here are the best topcoat for chalk paint options to make your painted wood more durable and easy to clean in the long run. Discover more common chalk painting mistakes to avoid here too, so you can successfully take on your next furniture makeover with chalk paint.

Pros:

• Easy to use, dries quickly, and is forgiving for beginners
• Can create a chalky finish or distressed look
• Sticks well to wood, metal, and fabric
• Can be made at home with DIY recipes

Cons:

• Needs surface prep like cleaning, sanding, and priming for better adhesion
• Matte and porous – needs a topcoat for durability and easier cleaning

If you’re curious, our post on what is chalk paint? explains everything you need to know about this popular paint. Check out the top chalk paint brands here if you’re thinking of trying this paint out for yourself.

Your outdated wooden furniture deserves a fresh coat of paint, and now you have some great options to choose from! By using any of these recommended paints on your wood furniture, you’ll get stunning results that will last.

More Painting Furniture Tips

• Best Beige Paint for Furniture
• Brown Furniture Paint Ideas
• Selecting The Right Furniture Paint
• How To Paint And Glaze Furniture

Follow us on YouTube to get more tips for painting furniture. Or share your project with us on our Facebook Group and be part of our community. See you there!