by Tamera Dondi

Created on: May 02, 2008   Last Updated: November 25, 2010

Refurbishing older furniture very simply for fun or profit can be easy. For the sake of continuity, you may want to paint your pieces the same color. If you want them to blend, just finish them in a complementary shade.

The method that is described is not meant for antique pieces but works well with older, vintage pieces that give your space a charming look that seems to have evolved over many years. Try to choose sturdy pieces that are made of good wood.

You'll need a mild wood soap, a fine grit sanding sponge, a slotted screwdriver, a Phillips screwdriver, painters' tape, paper towels or clean cotton rags (not from bath towels), a drop cloth (plastic is fine), a plastic container, possibly a roller and a roller tray, a waters soluble primer the appropriate color(s) of acrylic paint, and some paste wax if you want a finish. You may need a palm sander ($25-$35). Put your drop cloth down first a set up your piece and work space.

Clean your piece of furniture with a solution of warm water with a dash of the soap in it. Let it dry for several hours. and sand your piece lightly all over, in the direction of the wood grain. If you have damage or layers of paint, you may want to take a palm sander to the flat surfaces, go slowly; take your time When fished, wash the piece down again unless you are able to remove any debris by wiping the piece off with a cloth. Remove any drawer and knobs. Any repairs that need doing should be done before painting; holes or chunks that are missing can be filled with wood putty and sanded down.

After you have sanded your piece, using the sponge sander on any grooves or decorative areas, get ready to prime your piece. Use a light hand when applying primer. Unless you are going from very dark to very light, one coat should be sufficient, even if the original finish is faintly visible. Let this dry for several hours. There are a number of good acrylic paints in cans on the market now, but applying these takes practice. Canned paint works well if a light hand is used. It is possible to use craft paints that are acrylic based if you want to custom tint your colors.

Expect to do at least two coats, letting the coats dry well in between and sanding any imperfections, such as drips. It is better to wipe these off and repaint as you go but everyone ends up with a dried drip at some point. If you want your piece to look as though layers of paint are showing through, that is possible. You can paint and then sand enough to go down to the base or apply a combination of a white shade of craft paint with water and apply this to the finish with a clean cotton cloth, or apply with a light hand and a brush, and then wipe it off with the cloth. This will give a weathered effect.When you are satisfied with the look of you piece and it has cured for a few days you can them apply a coat of paste wax.

Just a note: when painting drawers, be careful. Under most circumstances you will paint them out of the piece of furniture, but if you add any detail that requires the drawers to be intact (such as stripes) tape the top edge of the drawer and hand finish it later. A closed drawer that has been painted in that position may require a knife to open it!

It is possible to create any look that you want. Although whites and green shades have been popular, many folks enjoy brighter shades such as aqua, or prefer pink or pale yellow. A very sad, neglected piece can be saved from the sidewalk or thrift shop and have a whole new life. Enjoy your "new" piece of furniture!

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