Beginner’s Guide to Painting Furniture

Jennylyn’s 2 Simple Steps to Painting Furniture

I’m often asked how to get started with a paint project, I know it can seem overwhelming at first, but rest assured with these simple tips you’ll be painting it beautiful, easily in no time!

I always like to suggest having a couple of handy tools and paint prep items to make your job that much easier. If you’re going to invest in refinishing your furniture, be sure to grab these items, don’t worry I’ll explain why they’re needed and how you use them, it’s easy, I promise!

Here are the supplies you need to paint furniture:

Step 1: How to Prep Furniture for Fusion™ Mineral Paint

Prep is super simple, it’s really all about just cleaning your surface, and maybe giving it a light scuff sand if it’s glossy. This is where the first two items on my must-have list come in handy.

TSP Alternative, is simply an eco-friendly cleaner and degreaser- why? Because paint doesn’t stick very well to dirt- and certainly doesn’t like grease. If you’re painting something that’s been in a kitchen like a table or cabinets, you’ll want to make sure it’s super clean. If it’s a bedroom dresser or hallway console table, a simple cleaning is all you’ll need most likely!

TSP – Just mix it with water and wipe down your piece – wait for it to dry then paint!

Scuff sand- it’s really just as it sounds, a quick couple passes with the sanding spine to de-gloss the surface and you’re set! The paint has a much nicer time going on and adhering to a surface that isn’t super shiny. This extra step is totally worth the 5-10 minutes it will take.
Want more info on how to prep a variety of different surfaces?

As you can see from this image this piece has both a matte surface and a shiny one. So a little scuff sand on the shiny places was in order after cleaning with TSP Alternative.

Step 2: Paint it Beautiful

Now that your prep is done ( it was easy right? ) it’s time to paint it beautiful! Choose a Staalmeester brushes from our collection and enjoy the painting process.

Apply two thin coats instead of applying a single thick one. A thick application can result in brush strokes or unwanted texture. Most people want to really layer on that first coat and get solid coverage, however trust the process, 2 coats are better than 1 thick coat – and the second coat almost always gives you full covers

Here’s a bonus item. If you’re struggling to get an even finish, grab one of our misters. One quick mist to the surface, then pass over with your brush and your finish will be super smooth! It allows for more open time to work with the paint so you can brush back and forth and it will settle smoothly. This is also handy if the temperature is hot and the humidity is dry.