Step 1 Remove any hardware from drawers and doors. You can remove the hinges on doors or leave them on depending on how neatly you can paint around them.
Step 2
If your piece has an existing finish and is in good condition, we recommend using T.S.P mixed with water and a wet sanding sponge to wash down your piece. This removes any dirt and oil build up, giving the existing finish a burr or tooth. This aids the ability of new paint to adhere to a surface. You can do this to any finish, such as oil, latex or varnish.
Wash down the piece with fresh water to remove the T.S.P. Towel dry.
If your furniture is new raw wood, like our desk, gently sand off any sharp corners or rough spots. Wipe the piece gently down with a tack cloth to remove wood dust.
Using T.S.P. on an existing finish to remove dirt and oils.
Step 3
If you are working on new, unfinished raw wood, we suggest applying one coat of varathane to the interiors of drawers and cabinets that are to remain unpainted. If you have done any sanding, use a tack cloth first before varathaning to remove any dust from the area.
Step 4
If you are starting out on raw unpainted wood, it is wise to shellac over any knots in the wood to seal them. If you do not they will eventually show through your top coats of paint.
If you are staining and not painting the top of any raw unfinished furniture, as with our project desk, do not shellac the knots. The shellac will show through the stain.
Step 5 At this point you've probably noticed if your furniture has any flaws, gouges, chips or scratches. These are easily fixed with "plastic wood". Using a flat surface, such as a putty knife or scraper, apply the plastic wood into the area to be filled. Once it is dry it can be sanded smooth and flat.
Gouges in Wood
Fill with Plastic Wood
Let Dry Throughly
Sand Smooth
This is time to fill and sand any holes left when changing your hardware. For example, from a drawer handle with two screw insertion points to a knob with only one. Now is the time to do this, don't leave this step for later.
At this stage your furniture piece should have been cleaned and washed down with TSP, it's gouges and holes filled and sanded and it's knots shellacked.
It's now ready to receive the first coat of paint.
