How to paint furniture

Here are some simple ways to transform an old piece of furniture into a work of art! If you have any painting skills whatsoever, you can easily accomplish this craft. Your "new" piece of furniture will keep its look for years if the directions are followed closely. After practicing on a few simple pieces, you may find yourself providing your new skill for friends and relatives (and maybe making a little money!). A few supplies that you will need are:

Medium sandpaper (not too rough or fine)
Flat, white, interior house paint
Pencil
Colorful, acrylic, craft paints
Black (or other dark color) paint pen
Clear, poly-acrylic paint (available at hardware stores, no fumes, easy clean)
2 or 3 inch fine house paint brush
Small paint brushes

Step Choose a simple-shaped, small piece of furniture (footstool, end-table) if you are a beginner, so as not to be overwhelmed by a huge project.

Step Use the sand paper to slightly texture all exterior surfaces

Step Paint the furniture white.

Step Let the paint dry thoroughly (sunshine works the best!).

Step Use the pencil to draw the image, design or pattern of your choice onto the furniture surface (creative ideas below).

Step Fill in the penciled shapes with bright colors of your choice. There is a wide variety of craft-paint colors to choose from. You can coordinate your color choices to match a room!

Step Let the paint dry (sunshine works best!).

Step Outline your images with the black (or coordinating dark color) paint pen.

Step Coat entire furniture piece with clear coating.

Step Once again, let dry!

YOU’RE ALL DONE!

Here are some creative images to paint on your furniture: polka dots, stripes, flowers, zig zags, copy a child’s drawing onto the seat of a stool, fish, smiley-faces, and on and on!

Painting tips & tricks of the day

Giving old wood a fresh look
Exterior wood siding can be painted, or stripped and painted. Strip paint using a torch by burning the old paint and scraping it lightly being careful not to damage the wood. Clean the surface with trisodium phosphate (TSP), which you can find in the paint department of your local home renovation centre. Repair siding where needed and caulk. If you are repainting in the same colour, apply the finishing coat after the wood is dry. If you are changing colours, apply a primer coat followed by the new colour, using exterior paint (an oil based primer will be necessary if going from oil to latex). Avoid painting in full sun, at sunset, in the early morning, in the rain or in the wind. To keep bugs from sticking to the fresh paint, simply add two tablespoons of citronella to the paint.

Finishing product: paint, stain, varnish, etc.
Different customers have different needs. No product meets every need. To select the appropriate product, start by identifying your needs based on the following specific criteria in order to create a “funnel” leading to your ideal product. The product selection process is simple, effective and based on eight product selection criteria: function, environment, surface, use, composition, appearance, colour and quality.