Is painting the furniture nerve-wracking for an amateur?

Do you want to alter the arrangement of the home interior? But you have a shoestring budget for this purpose. In that case, work with your existing furniture. At times, simply changing the shade of furniture does the job for you.

It means you don’t have to get new furniture. You need to alter the appearance of the existing ones. You can finish the project at minimum cost.

It is because you have to buy the paint and the sandpaper only. The significant part is that it is doable for you. There is no need for you to hire professional help for this purpose.

You can accomplish the task by taking out cash through small loans in Ireland if you are completely cash strapped. However, it is a low-cost home décor project that you can complete with little savings also.

You don’t have to hold a degree or any special skill to carry out this project. Any beginner like you can easily paint the furniture. All you need is to follow a step by step method.

All the essential steps are explained in this blog. Read it carefully and start your DIY venture as soon as possible.

How to Begin the Process as an Amateur?

The old pieces of furniture may look shabby. You don’t feel like using them anymore. But you cannot throw them away also.

What to do then? You can refurbish them with a new coat of paint. The whole task comprises a series of steps that are as follows:

Get your furniture ready

Painting can excite you. But you have to prepare the furniture before giving it a coat. It can easily catch dust that often remains invisible.

So, start with cleaning the dust with a microfiber cloth. If needed, dismantle parts of the furniture for effective cleaning. This step will ensure no dust sits on its surface.

If your furniture has knobs or other fixtures, remove them first carefully. After that, clean every part also. If oil or dust has accumulated over it, apply oil removing solutions.

Don’t skip the step out of excitement! It is crucial, or else the paint will not settle on its surface correctly. It will give an imperfect finishing. Indeed, you don’t want the outcome to be like this.

For this reason, perform this step first.

Sand the furniture surface

Remove the previous paint from the furniture surface. It might have shiny paint on the surface that you don’t want. Sand it properly so that no trace of the previous shade remains on its surface.

If you want, you can sand slightly. It will just ensure the shiny surface is gone. Perform this step if it suits your purpose.

You don’t have to sand the surface if it is already dull with little trace of paint left over it. Don’t forget to wipe off the sand dust. Otherwise, face problems during painting.

Rectify if any defects exist

At times, old furniture may develop cracks or a gap. It will look odd if left unattended. You can use some instant fix it option to fill the gaps.

You can look for such materials as wood putty in the hardware shop. But fixing the imperfections is vital before you proceed to paint it finally.

 Apply a coat of primer on the furniture surface

Applying primer is essential as it helps to prepare the base for painting. Make sure your furniture is free from dust before doing this step. It coats any marks and even any discolouration.

Once you apply it, it will stick to the furniture surface. You can use a brush for this purpose. Now, the spraying option is available for you. Oil-based primer also works well in the case of wooden furniture.

Sand it again like an expert

You might wonder why you would need to sand it again. You have just applied the primer. But this time, you have to sand the surface lightly.

Sanding at this stage will leave a neat and finished surface. It will make painting smooth for you. As mentioned earlier, it is compulsory to take away the sanding dust that might give an uneven look.

You can ask money lenders in Ireland for financial help to arrange essentials for painting. Review your needs carefully. It makes sure you don’t borrow more cash you cannot pay for.

Start painting the furniture

The above steps are primary and crucial before you kick-start the foremost step. Painting becomes effortless once the surface gets appropriately primed. Different types of paint are available. You can opt for any paint, depending on your preferences.

Chalk paint

Use chalk paint if you want your furniture to highlight the matte finish look. It needs the least preparation. Chalk paints stick to the surface speedily.

You can even apply this paint to cover a glossy surface. If you want you can use deglosser before you paint the furniture. But wipe off the surface properly before you start painting it.

If you don’t know what a deglosser is, it is a substance that lets the paint settle on the furniture surface. It turns the surface dull to allow the paint to get absorbed by the surface.

You can apply it to lessen the shiny effect of any furniture surface.

Latex paint

This paint will not give out a flat finish. So, if you want the surface to turn somewhat shiny, latex paint is the best option. The shiny surface after painting allows easy cleaning.

This paint can give a new life to your otherwise dull and old furniture. The result will surely satisfy you. But you need to clean and dry the furniture surface where you will apply the paint.

Sanding is vital if the furniture already has a glossy surface. The previous coat should get removed before heading to put on the fresh coat of paint.

Don’t worry, as complete sanding is not mandated! Sand ti

ll the surface turns dull and favourable to absorb a brand new coat of paint. Let the surface dry up. Provide time for air drying.

Don’t try to dry it through an artificial method. It will not give out the desired result. Priming before painting is imperative. It will prevent any stain from settling on its surface.

How to paint?

A paintbrush, roller or even a paint sprayer will let you paint. A brush often leaves brush strokes after painting. So, to avoid you can use a small size foam roller.

But there are areas that you cannot easily cover with a roller. You can reach these spots with the help of a brush. Remember that applying a single coat is not enough. You have to give two to three coats of paint for that finished look.

Sanding in between coats will help the latest layer of paint get absorbed by the surface. Remove the sand dust every time you sand the surface.

This type of paint takes a little longer to dry up. Avoid using the furniture applied with this paint till it gets completely dried up.

Paint with a velvet finish

If you are fond of velvet-textured furniture, you can try this paint. It is water-based latex paint meant for painting furniture. You can start painting with it after a little bit of preparation.

You can bypass the sanding and priming stages when you are going to use this type of paint. So, your work just became so easy that you can start immediately.

Tips for painting like a pro

Don’t start to paint randomly out of eagerness! You cannot wait to apply that fresh coat of paint. But there is a method to do it like a pro. Find it out here:

• Don’t rush! Spend time slowly coating the surface
• Use a natural bristle brush as it ensures the best finishing texture for your furniture
• Paint stroke should come in one direction. Don’t paint in haphazard motion
• Don’t overlook the nooks and corners! They may be hard to reach
• Provide at least two coats of paint if you choose a costly version
• Give a third coat as well if you want a solid and crisp surface

Seal the furniture after painting

It is a must step to follow. Skipping this would reduce the life of the paint. Let the colouring dehydrated for 24 hours before you start to seal it.

Sealing will protect your furniture. Besides, it makes the surface waterproof also. Above all, the shiny surface will let you clean it easily.

You can use furniture wax for sealing purposes. Take some amount of it in a cloth and gently rub the surface you want to seal. Allow some buffer time.

Double-check if it is dry. Use the same cloth or wax brush to finish the look.

The bottom line

Changing the paint of the furniture itself is enough to revamp the home interior appearance. Instead of shelling out money on hiring a professional, you can achieve this task single highhandedly.