By Shelly Thompson
"To be or not to be", may have been a question pondered by William Shakespeare, but for those of us who love and restore vintage furniture, we often look at our treasured furniture finds and ponder..."to paint, or not to paint". The more furniture I repurpose, the more I ponder that question and what products are best to use. Painting vintage furniture is a really tough question. But, in the end it really is a matter of personal preference. That may not be the most popular opinion, but if it's going to be in your house, you're the one who will be looking at it everyday. However, once you've started painting, there's no turning back (at least without a lot of work!)...so it's important to consider a few things before getting that paint brush out.
Cleaning the piece.
Whether you decided to paint or not, the items is going to need to be cleaned. The amount of cleaning required will depend on the dirt on the surface. Many pieces I acquire have been stored in a barn and they have years of dirt and grime accumulated on them, often spider webs and sometimes even chicken poo. Those pieces need a thorough cleaning with soap and water. I usually use Dawn dish soap as it really cuts the grease and grim. I have actually hosed off pieces of furniture that are horribly dirty. It has not hurt the wood. Most of the pieces I work on inside my home and I don't want to drag unwanted bugs inside my house. Many pieces can be cleaned with soap and water. It adds to the work, but simply wiping it off may not be enough, this way you'll know the piece is not carrying anything unwanted. It's important to clean areas of high traffic like drawer fronts and the edge of dresser tops.
Surfaces can look clean, but have hidden spots that you can't see. Our fingers carry a certain amount of oil and since most furniture has been touched, there is going to be oil or grease spots you may not see. If you're going to paint this piece, you don't want to notice this after you've started start painting and those areas won't accept paint. When painting, no matter how small your project, the only way to ensure that the paint will be smooth and even is to clean the surface properly beforehand. Here's a few suggestions -
The simplest method is vinegar and water. It's inexpensive and most people have vinegar on hand. Using an empty spray bottle mix equal parts of warm water and vinegar. Spray the piece then wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel. Many people don't care for the smell of vinegar, which does go away, and prefer other methods.
White Lightning furniture cleaner by Dixie Belle will de-grease and remove all debris from your furniture piece. White Lightning will prep your piece for painting. You mix 2 heaping TBS in 1 Gallon of hot water. Wet a lint free rag with the White Lightning solution and clean the piece thoroughly until you can no longer see dirt. It's important to wipe the piece with clean water to make sure there is no White Lightning residue left.
There are many other options for cleaning that you can research and find even more information on.
Avoid bleed-through.
Bleed-through is caused by wood tannins on bare wood or dark stains that are deep in the wood. Bleed-through is most common when painting wood a light color or white. However, this is always preventable by using a primer or a stain blocker. It's discouraging when you're painting a piece that you've worked worked hard to prep and spots bleed-through. Even thoroughly cleaning the piece will not guarantee no bleed-through.
Better to err on the side of caution, if you are concerned that a piece of furniture may yellow or bleed through the paint, applying a coat of Dixie Belle BOSS before painting will stop bleed through. This product works great, and can save you from having to sand and restart a project due to bleed through. Make sure you follow directions and allow it to dry/cure before moving on. Another good product to avoid bleed-through is Debi's DIY Salvation Solution Stain Blocker.
Always allow the stain blocker to completely cure before moving on with your painting.
Reminder: I personally don't use a lot of Latex paint, but Latex paint will always need a primer for the surface to accept paint. Chalk paint easily adheres to most clean surfaces and a primer is usually not necessary.
Sanding and brush selection.
I usually do a light sanding with fine-grit sandpaper before applying any paint. This helps the piece to have better adhesion for paint, especially if you're painting a laminate, shiny, or damaged surface. Chalk paint and milk paint (discussed below) go on well with paintbrushes and foam rollers.
Chalk paint.
I personally use chalk paint a lot. It's one of the most widely used paints today. It usually covers with one coat and covers over almost any surface, including mirrors. Chalk paint goes on smoothly. Most chalk based paints need a small amount of water added before using, so you'll want to check your chalk paint directions. A mist bottle filled with water should always be handy to lightly spray the surface before applying chalk paint. The great thing about chalk paint it doesn't require a lot of prep work, however, a thorough cleaning is always a must before any paint is applied. There are many brands of chalk paints available. I like Dixie Belle, Annie Sloan, Magnolia Home, Heirloom, and Fusion Mineral Paint. A good product that is less expensive is Rust-Oleum Chalked Ultra Matte Paint. It works well and is usually much less expensive then most chalk paints.
Chalk paint vs Milk paint.
Milk paint has been used for thousands of years. Artifacts have been found that were painted with goat's milk lacquer thousands of years old. Milk paint is made from milk protein casein, limestone and natural fillers. Chalk paint was introduced to the furniture/DIY industry in the late 20th century. Both are good choices depending on what you're painting and which type of finish you wish to achieve.
Chalk paint is purchased in a premixed ready to use form (except for slightly diluting with water in most cases), but Milk paint comes in a powder form. This allows you to only mix what you need. But, the unused portion of Milk paint typically only lasts about one month after mixing. Chalk paint is thicker and will usually cover in one coat. The first coat of Milk paint does not look very good (don't be discouraged), the second coat looks better, and a third coat is perfect. Raw wood is usually very thirsty, since Chalk paint is thinker due to plaster of Paris mixed in, it doesn't soak into the wood as easily as Milk paint. Milk paint is going to be absorbed into thirsty wood more easily, requiring more coats of paint. Chalk paint does not show brush strokes as much as Milk paint does. Milk paint is great for a distressed look and allows you the flexibility to determine the thickness of your paint. It's also great for doing a wash vs. painting.
Applying a protective coating.
For a top protective coating after painting, there are two products that I have used that work well, MINWAX WATER BASED POLYCRYLIC PROTECTIVE FINISH, or MINWAX FAST DRYING POLYURETHANE depending on the piece of furniture and level of protection needed. You'll want to make sure that you select a product that gives you the final finish you want whether it be more of a matte finish or gloss. Some surfaces are better sprayed with protective coating vs. brush application.
Choosing not to paint.
You may decide that painting your furniture piece is not an option. If it's in good condition, but you feel it needs a touch up. You can lightly sand the areas that need it and use a product such as Howard Restor-A-Finish to wipe over the piece. Allow it to dry completely and then wipe with a dry cloth. This is a good method for pieces that just need a touch up, or may have a stain.
Another wood product that can be used on vintage wood furniture, is a line of products by KRAMERS. Using KRAMERS on primitive and vintage wood pieces keeps them looking nice. TKRAMERS is also a great product to use on woodwork in your home, especially if you have nice old woodwork that may need a lift.
Tips.
When painting vintage furniture, selecting pieces that have architectural touches adds depth and texture when paint is applied and then slightly sanded back. You can also get this same type of look by applying a small amount of stain to these areas and the straight edge lines of the furniture almost giving it a distressed appearance.
ALWAYS test products on an inconspicuous place on the piece of furniture if you aren't sure how the product will work. Do the work up front. If there are areas that need addressed, make sure and take care of those areas making any repairs that are needed before painting, otherwise...you may end up with a bigger project then you started with.
You still may find yourself asking..."to paint...or not to paint", but hopefully, this information will be useful to you either way!
*Make sure and check out a unique method of 'rusting' items quickly on our Odds & Ends page!
Cleaning the piece.
Whether you decided to paint or not, the items is going to need to be cleaned. The amount of cleaning required will depend on the dirt on the surface. Many pieces I acquire have been stored in a barn and they have years of dirt and grime accumulated on them, often spider webs and sometimes even chicken poo. Those pieces need a thorough cleaning with soap and water. I usually use Dawn dish soap as it really cuts the grease and grim. I have actually hosed off pieces of furniture that are horribly dirty. It has not hurt the wood. Most of the pieces I work on inside my home and I don't want to drag unwanted bugs inside my house. Many pieces can be cleaned with soap and water. It adds to the work, but simply wiping it off may not be enough, this way you'll know the piece is not carrying anything unwanted. It's important to clean areas of high traffic like drawer fronts and the edge of dresser tops.
Surfaces can look clean, but have hidden spots that you can't see. Our fingers carry a certain amount of oil and since most furniture has been touched, there is going to be oil or grease spots you may not see. If you're going to paint this piece, you don't want to notice this after you've started start painting and those areas won't accept paint. When painting, no matter how small your project, the only way to ensure that the paint will be smooth and even is to clean the surface properly beforehand. Here's a few suggestions -
The simplest method is vinegar and water. It's inexpensive and most people have vinegar on hand. Using an empty spray bottle mix equal parts of warm water and vinegar. Spray the piece then wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel. Many people don't care for the smell of vinegar, which does go away, and prefer other methods.
White Lightning furniture cleaner by Dixie Belle will de-grease and remove all debris from your furniture piece. White Lightning will prep your piece for painting. You mix 2 heaping TBS in 1 Gallon of hot water. Wet a lint free rag with the White Lightning solution and clean the piece thoroughly until you can no longer see dirt. It's important to wipe the piece with clean water to make sure there is no White Lightning residue left.
There are many other options for cleaning that you can research and find even more information on.
Avoid bleed-through.
Bleed-through is caused by wood tannins on bare wood or dark stains that are deep in the wood. Bleed-through is most common when painting wood a light color or white. However, this is always preventable by using a primer or a stain blocker. It's discouraging when you're painting a piece that you've worked worked hard to prep and spots bleed-through. Even thoroughly cleaning the piece will not guarantee no bleed-through.
Better to err on the side of caution, if you are concerned that a piece of furniture may yellow or bleed through the paint, applying a coat of Dixie Belle BOSS before painting will stop bleed through. This product works great, and can save you from having to sand and restart a project due to bleed through. Make sure you follow directions and allow it to dry/cure before moving on. Another good product to avoid bleed-through is Debi's DIY Salvation Solution Stain Blocker.
Always allow the stain blocker to completely cure before moving on with your painting.
Reminder: I personally don't use a lot of Latex paint, but Latex paint will always need a primer for the surface to accept paint. Chalk paint easily adheres to most clean surfaces and a primer is usually not necessary.
Sanding and brush selection.
I usually do a light sanding with fine-grit sandpaper before applying any paint. This helps the piece to have better adhesion for paint, especially if you're painting a laminate, shiny, or damaged surface. Chalk paint and milk paint (discussed below) go on well with paintbrushes and foam rollers.
Chalk paint.
I personally use chalk paint a lot. It's one of the most widely used paints today. It usually covers with one coat and covers over almost any surface, including mirrors. Chalk paint goes on smoothly. Most chalk based paints need a small amount of water added before using, so you'll want to check your chalk paint directions. A mist bottle filled with water should always be handy to lightly spray the surface before applying chalk paint. The great thing about chalk paint it doesn't require a lot of prep work, however, a thorough cleaning is always a must before any paint is applied. There are many brands of chalk paints available. I like Dixie Belle, Annie Sloan, Magnolia Home, Heirloom, and Fusion Mineral Paint. A good product that is less expensive is Rust-Oleum Chalked Ultra Matte Paint. It works well and is usually much less expensive then most chalk paints.
Chalk paint vs Milk paint.
Milk paint has been used for thousands of years. Artifacts have been found that were painted with goat's milk lacquer thousands of years old. Milk paint is made from milk protein casein, limestone and natural fillers. Chalk paint was introduced to the furniture/DIY industry in the late 20th century. Both are good choices depending on what you're painting and which type of finish you wish to achieve.
Chalk paint is purchased in a premixed ready to use form (except for slightly diluting with water in most cases), but Milk paint comes in a powder form. This allows you to only mix what you need. But, the unused portion of Milk paint typically only lasts about one month after mixing. Chalk paint is thicker and will usually cover in one coat. The first coat of Milk paint does not look very good (don't be discouraged), the second coat looks better, and a third coat is perfect. Raw wood is usually very thirsty, since Chalk paint is thinker due to plaster of Paris mixed in, it doesn't soak into the wood as easily as Milk paint. Milk paint is going to be absorbed into thirsty wood more easily, requiring more coats of paint. Chalk paint does not show brush strokes as much as Milk paint does. Milk paint is great for a distressed look and allows you the flexibility to determine the thickness of your paint. It's also great for doing a wash vs. painting.
Applying a protective coating.
For a top protective coating after painting, there are two products that I have used that work well, MINWAX WATER BASED POLYCRYLIC PROTECTIVE FINISH, or MINWAX FAST DRYING POLYURETHANE depending on the piece of furniture and level of protection needed. You'll want to make sure that you select a product that gives you the final finish you want whether it be more of a matte finish or gloss. Some surfaces are better sprayed with protective coating vs. brush application.
Choosing not to paint.
You may decide that painting your furniture piece is not an option. If it's in good condition, but you feel it needs a touch up. You can lightly sand the areas that need it and use a product such as Howard Restor-A-Finish to wipe over the piece. Allow it to dry completely and then wipe with a dry cloth. This is a good method for pieces that just need a touch up, or may have a stain.
Another wood product that can be used on vintage wood furniture, is a line of products by KRAMERS. Using KRAMERS on primitive and vintage wood pieces keeps them looking nice. TKRAMERS is also a great product to use on woodwork in your home, especially if you have nice old woodwork that may need a lift.
Tips.
When painting vintage furniture, selecting pieces that have architectural touches adds depth and texture when paint is applied and then slightly sanded back. You can also get this same type of look by applying a small amount of stain to these areas and the straight edge lines of the furniture almost giving it a distressed appearance.
ALWAYS test products on an inconspicuous place on the piece of furniture if you aren't sure how the product will work. Do the work up front. If there are areas that need addressed, make sure and take care of those areas making any repairs that are needed before painting, otherwise...you may end up with a bigger project then you started with.
You still may find yourself asking..."to paint...or not to paint", but hopefully, this information will be useful to you either way!
*Make sure and check out a unique method of 'rusting' items quickly on our Odds & Ends page!
Projects. (Remember small projects are great for painting as well)
I purchased this vintage dresser at a garage sale and it needed a lot of love.
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Here it is after cleaning, sanding, and painting with chalk paint. I also lightly distressed the knobs and edges.
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This half circle round table was painted with Milk Paint and distressed.
This $3.00 clock got a makeover. After much sanding to get the laminate surface to wood, and cleaning as it had been in a barn, it took the paint really well. Repainted the numbers with spray paint and inserted a new clock mechanism.
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It looked much better after being painted.
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Pieces painted using Rust-Oleum Chalked Paint
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