Furniture is gradually losing its original appearance, and to fix this, many resort to painting. This method allows you to quickly and inexpensively transform any piece of furniture beyond recognition. You can age a worn lacquered chest of drawers or give a bookcase a classic look. In this article we will try to figure out how to paint lacquered furniture. This process does not require special skills or expensive equipment; the main thing is to choose the right paint composition and follow the technology.
Do I need to remove old varnish before painting?
You need to remove the varnish, as incompatibility in materials may occur and your surface will “swell.” Buy varnish remover, apply it to the doors, then remove everything with a simple rag, sand it with fine sandpaper and there will be no damage.
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Paint selection criteria
The first thing you need to start with is determining the appropriate coloring composition. Not only the quality of the finishing work performed, but also the durability of the coating and its technological properties depend on the correct choice of paint. Experts find it difficult to choose the best paint and varnish material for processing lacquered or polished furniture. During the purchasing process, you need to take into account your personal preferences, the condition of the piece of furniture and the desired end result.
The main thing to consider when choosing paint is the type of furniture coating. If you are going to repaint a wooden chest of drawers, then you need a wood coloring compound, but if you have a metal lampshade, you can’t do without metal paint. This rule also applies to painting lacquered furniture.
In this case, very strict requirements are imposed on the coloring mixture:
- water resistance;
- abrasion resistance;
- resistance to mechanical stress;
- frost resistance and strength.
The choice of paint for lacquered furniture largely depends on the desired end result. Experts distinguish three main types of coating:
- glossy;
- matte;
- semi-matte;
- transparent (the surface is varnished).
Depending on the condition of the furniture, you should give preference to a denser paint composition or apply the mixture with a roller rather than a brush.
Important! If you are going to repaint the furniture yourself white or another shade, give preference to translucent coatings (a glossy or matte layer of paint will look sloppy on a varnished surface).
Depending on the type of coating on wooden furniture, paint with a suitable composition is selected:
- Water-based acrylic. This is an almost universal option, but it is better to use this paint if it is necessary to paint veneered furniture.
- Enamel or clear varnish. Such materials will be optimal for painting polished furniture if the old coating needs to be updated.
- Metallic paint. This option is suitable if you want to give the fittings and some furniture elements a silver color.
Note! Experts advise choosing a coloring agent that can retain its original external characteristics for a long time (for example, acrylic paint of a predominantly white color).
On video: how to make an old wardrobe fashionable.
Main difficulties and mistakes
Common mistakes made by craftsmen during the restoration of lacquered furniture:
- Incomplete removal of the old coating is the most common mistake. It is necessary to get rid of the old varnish completely, sparing no effort or expense. Even a small part of the previous coating will appear after restoration and spoil the appearance of the product;
- Excessive haste - you must carefully study the instructions for dyes and various products that remove old varnish. Failure to comply with the timing can ruin the result;
- Inattention also often prevents craftsmen from painting furniture efficiently. Flaws and cracks noticed in time can be puttied;
- Uneven or excessive application of paint - many craftsmen try to apply paint in a thick layer, which later leads to the appearance of bumps and drips;
- Skipping an important step - grinding. Many people mistakenly believe that removing the old coating is enough; the surface of the products is already quite flat and smooth. This opinion is wrong. Sanding is an important part of the furniture restoration process. The surface becomes smooth, the paint adheres more evenly and better, and lasts longer.
How to prepare the surface?
First, the surface is prepared for applying paint. The instructions involve the following steps:
- We remove all the contents of old furniture, eliminate doors and drawers, as well as all fittings.
- We clean the fastening parts with a soap solution, after which we should degrease the entire surface of the structure and wait until it dries completely.
- We remove the old polish and varnish layer using a wire brush, scraper or solvent (it is recommended to carry out this procedure at least three times to achieve the best effect).
- In industrial conditions, at this stage the surface of the painted piece of furniture is sanded and minor defects are removed. At home, you can use sandpaper and apply an antiseptic.
- Next, we proceed to the primer; when it is completely dry, the surface should be sanded again until rough.
This is the main thing you need to know about the preparatory stage of painting lacquered furniture. Next we will talk about the process of painting this kind of surfaces.
How and with what to paint furniture with your own hands at home
- Tools and materials
- Nuances of preparation
- Paint selection
- Removing old paint
- Useful tips
Hello everyone!
I think it will be relevant to talk about how to paint furniture and what to choose for the planned work in terms of materials. Agree that the market offers many options for painting furniture surfaces made of veneer, laminated chipboard, wood, etc. Some people need to repaint it a different color, while others want to restore the old polished MDF surface with their own hands at home. .
I do not exclude that it will not be possible to cover all the nuances, but I will try to reveal some secrets as much as possible and share useful recommendations. In addition, you can use photo and video instructions to correctly complete the task.
The process of painting lacquered furniture
Painting a varnished surface is easy. This process does not require any special material costs and will take you very little time. However, you should strictly adhere to the instructions and tips for finishing work outlined below. Let's look at how to paint polished furniture (let's take a cabinet as an example):
- A polished cabinet requires careful preparation (elimination of all drawers, components, various stands and doors). Next, the interior shelves, various recesses, as well as joints and corners are painted.
- Shelves, drawers and doors are painted separately from the main surface of the furniture (which must first be covered with a special film). If you are going to paint furniture yourself for the first time, then paint with a roller rather than a brush, so you can cover the desired area more evenly.
- After painting all the internal elements, we move on to painting the main surface. Apply the paint with slow, careful movements, avoiding smudges and omissions. After the first layer has dried, apply the coloring composition again - this will create the most uniform and durable coating.
- After the paint has completely dried, we begin assembling the structure. At this stage, you can decorate or sand the surface to give it a custom design.
To paint polished furniture, a spray bottle will come to your aid. Compared to a standard brush and roller, it distributes the paint more evenly without any overlap or streaking.
Repainting an old chest of drawers (2 videos)
Furniture before and after painting (24 photos)
Important nuances
Before you start painting any furniture at home, you need to carefully study the entire process of applying paint and varnish. We also recommend watching several videos that describe painting polished furniture, since this operation requires special skills and taking into account some of the nuances of the material.
The question of whether it is possible to paint polished furniture cannot be answered unequivocally. Painting this type of interior items requires careful preparation and experience in the restoration field. If you need to paint a large area of a polished surface, we recommend that you contact a professional, otherwise you may get a poor-quality result and spend a lot of time and effort.
It is worth taking care to protect the surface to be painted (usually fittings) if it will often come into contact with hot objects. For this, special fire-retardant solutions are used, for example, Polystyl or Neomid.
