Re: Painting furniture question

haddon9 · ‎03-09-2010

@Carmie wrote:
We updated a bathroom and tried to replace the vanity. After looking everywhere,we discovered that we could not replace it with the same height and size. We would have to change out the wall tile which we were not prepared to do if we bought a new one.

I sanded, primed and painted the vanity black. I took my time and covered it with three thin coats, then I used Minwax polyurethane to seal it... 2 coats.

It's been in use about ten years and there is no chipping or peeling. It still looks fresh. No one can believe I painted it. It looks professionally finished.

Minwax works...I used a satin finish.

@Carmie I did something similar several years ago to both the powder room and hall bath vanities. I came across a product called "General Finishes" oil base gel stain.

It was so easy to do....I used a sponge brush and applied a thin coat. I came back the next day to add another coat and it looked to be professionally done....it's a very dark or "Java" brown which is almost black.

I did have to add their top coat and couldn't be more pleased with it.

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

@Mom2Dogs Call a paint store and get professional advice. Tell them the brand names of what you've used and ask for advice! Sherwin Williams store near us is great!

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

Yes to sealing painted furniture with at least one coat of polyurethane.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Still Raining wrote:
No expert here, but I don't understand why paint would come off unless it was rubbed or damaged by heat or moisture.

Could you just be careful and always used felt pads, cloths and coasters? Even my grands scurry to find a coaster 🥰

Kitchen cabinets, bathroom cabinets and especially pieces of furniture with doors and drawers that are painted often chip on the edges.

You have to sand down the surface and apply a primer, then thin coats of the paint and then seal with poly. It is usually not the top that chips...it chips around the doors and drawer edges.

I have refinished a lot of wood Furniture and outside patio tables and chairs and boat teak tables in my lifetime.

I also stained all the wood trim and doors

in our house when it was built.

I actually enjoy it.

gardenman · ‎03-09-2010

Paint takes a while to cure, but once cured, it should adhere firmly to a properly prepared surface. It's that "properly prepared surface" where things tend to go wrong. You want a somewhat rough surface for the paint to grab onto. Something perfectly smooth like glass for example, is very hard for paint to grab. A little texture on the surface makes it easier for the paint to grab the surface and hang on. If you're painting over an old finish, you'll want to rough it up with some sandpaper before applying the new paint. Also check the directions for when to apply a second coat. You tend to prefer to apply the second coat before the first coat has fully cured so the two coats can form a bond. Paint manufacturers tend to give you a window in which to apply a second coat. Wait too long and the first coat can be too cured for the second coat to grab onto.

Oil-based paints can bubble up or come unattached if there's a moisture variation as that paint doesn't breathe and allow moisture to pass through it. If one side of whatever you're painting is damp and the painted side isn't, the moisture can press against the paint and dislodge it from the surface as it tries to pass through the paint. That's an issue commonly seen in older houses with old oil paint. Moist humid air from inside tries to escape and comes up against the oil paint and pushes it off the wood.

Fly!!! Eagles!!! Fly!!!

Mom2Dogs · ‎03-09-2010

@gardenman I have prepared and painted properly, but I think because our upstairs gets hot sometimes things stick to the top of a painted piece...it happened with a dresser, not badly but I think it was from the heat.

I will either use a poly or possibly wax the top and hope for the best.

Judaline · ‎03-10-2010

@haddon9 wrote:
There is a top coat that you can buy and depending on the quality and that of the paint it should keep it from scratching and chipping.

Last summer I painted an old bookcase and TV stand for my office. I painted in an off white but used cabinet paint by Heirloom paint called All-In-One. It's an all in one furniture paint with built in primer and top coat.

It's a bit more expensive but so worth it! It's next to impossible to scratch it....I tried in a small out of the way spot. Comes in a lot of colors.

Wow!

Sage04 · ‎07-10-2011

@KBEANS wrote:
@Mom2Dogs A paint sealer like Krylon spray or one you can paint on. I have used the Krylon spray, on a trunk I painted 30 years ago and no problem yet.

Ask at Home Depot.

@KBEANS that's the first thing I thought about.