How do you paint pine furniture?
This is one of a series of articles on how to paint pine furniture: preparation and painting of pine – waxed, varnished, bare or painted – laminate…
This was an orange pine dresser! Now it is a lovely feature piece.
This pine table was all bare orange and dull. But paintable.
So, once you have decided to revive an old pine chest or table, you have to decide how to commit yourself financially and/or time wise. You can call in a professional furniture painter They will give you a fixed price , and at the end of the job, present you with a finished piece of hand-painted furniture that makes you smile. Or you can do it yourself.
If you do it yourself, this is where I hope I can make a bit of a difference, because so often on forums I see the life and the fun factor drain out of people as they make mistake after mistake, and see their investment in time and money turn to pooh. Just because you aren’t a professional, doesn’t mean you can’t do a good job, and being DIY doesn’t preclude you from using trade quality products. In all honestly, I really don’t understand why anyone spends the money on rubbish in big DIY stores when for the same or even less, you can use the right kit. If the reason, I don’t know what is available outside of B&Q, then you came to the right site.
Painting pine properly yourself, you need to invest financially, and wisely:
Correct paint for the finish or effect you are after;
There are many options, but the basic starting point, I think is either Annie Sloan chalk paint on any surface, protected with wax, or acrylic eggshell over the correctly primed surface. You can go with oil eggshell, I like it, but the most practical approach, if you aren’t confident in your abilities, is acrylic eggshell. (Everything worth knowing about Oil v acrylic eggshell)
You can go round and round with this brand is better than that brand, and who would pay £x for that posh paint when you can get that high street brand paint for £x – 40%.
To save yourself headache and heartache, just think: the high street eggshells are shiny, the posh eggshells are flatter traditional, and chalk paint is different, quirky and very cool if the French look is your thing.
With that simplified view of the paint world you should find it easier to take your pick of some of these paint suitable for furniture .
The overall cost of materials for a piece of furniture is fairly constant, whichever paint you choose.
Shabby chic or not shabby chic
Whatever paint you choose, they can either be applied conventional flat and even, or can be shabby chic-ed with a juducious sanding. This wooden headboard was painted with acrylic latex, I believe, and roughed up. It could have been painted flat, and over time become shabby naturally. It is purely a case of taste how you go about painting furniture.
Correct cleaning product
You won’t need any cleaner if you use chalk paint. If you want to remove wax though, try a cleaner that doesn’t gas or burn you. Krudkutter Original is the business in tandem with a good kitchen scourer.
A decent paint brush,
Just like you wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes for a sprint that are 2 sizes too small for you, why would you buy a cruddy brush for your expensive paint? I think the Wooster FTP is the best for chalk paint, and any of these brushes will do you proud in acrylic eggshell.
If you stay water-based, there is no excuse nor reason to worry that a brush is too good for you. Leave it in a pot of the Krudkutter cleaner for a bit and wash it then, perfectly clean. Flick it out as dry as you can, shape it with your fingers and lay it down somewhere safe on a piece of kitchen paper. It will last you a long time and it will be a joy to use, and there should be some sense of peace of mind too, knowing that you are using the same kit that painters like me are using, rather than using cheapo brushes from B&Q that pros wouldn’t have much luck with either!
Paint conditioner
Acrylic paint gets a bad rap because people say it goes on stringy and you can’t get rid of brushmarks. That isn’t true. Buy a little pot of Floetrol and add that to your paint instead of water.
If you use oil paint, add Owatrol, up to 10%. Again, with a bit of technique, the conditioner will help brushmarks flow out nicely
Good sandpaper
If you use acrylic eggshell and sand between coats with 240 grade abranet, your finish will be immaculate. Use 80 or 120 grade for rougher sanding. For chalk paint, it can be sanded super glassy smooth, but really, no need to sand till you get to the first wax stage, it’s cleaner that way.
Abranet is my abrasive of choice.
Across the range, it is used on the roughest woodwork to the highest class autos. It is part of a system. I got started for £25-£40 with a starter kit . I have adopted the whole power sanding system too, but I still have this starter kit, and use it most days.
The system is a sanding block that plugs into your vacuum cleaner, plus some abrasives. Without seeing it, I know its a weird concept, but honestly, it has revolutionised decorating across the board. And this is what the basic kit looks like.
So you use the sanding block for flat areas, the dust goes straight down the tube into your vacuum. For fiddly bits, there are a variety of specialist sponges and blocks available, but for DIY to get the feel for it, the simplest option: it comes with an interface pad, which is about 1/2″ thick foam with velcro. I take the pad off the sanding block and use it for sanding profiles.
Don’t bother cutting corners with other sandpaper, you will miss the whole point of it.
Masking tape
So often I see demos where a few pieces of masking tape would have raised the standard from sloppy DIY to thoughtful professional. 3M Scoth Blue 2090 is reliable and easy to get hold of.
Don’t buy from a Dulux Decorator merchant though, they will pull your pants down, so to speak. Go on line for half the price.
Something to protect the floor
A roll of lining paper works well, or a sheet of One Tuff if you like your floor protection tuff and fluff free. Cotton dust sheets or newspaper, is making life hard for yourself.
Make time
You are also committing your free time to this project, because even with the best will in the world, no plug-and-play-and-leave machine can do it for you. I don’t know about you, but there are only so many hours in a day, definitely not unlimited spare time, so make it count, do it right and maximise the return on your money and time!
That is the kit, how do I actually paint pine furniture?
There are thousands of blogs and forums that talk about painting pine and painting pine furniture. I see a lot of misconceptions floating around, and home DIY painters especially, are getting in trouble, unnecessarily, following duff advice, or not understanding a few simple principles.
Painting pine properly is not easy, but with a few thoughts in the forefront of your mind, any keen painter can achieve excellent results.
Rather than me talking in abstracts this links to an article I wrote that uses the exact same principles outlined above:
Paint a pine table with Little Greene paint & Mirka CEROS
When you have read that, you should have a clearer picture in your mind of the practical steps and the principles. However, there are lots of combinations of primers and paints for different surfaces, so by all means come back here, and below is a series of step by steps to paint varnished furniture, paint waxed furniture etc
Painting pine furniture the professional ways
When it comes to preparing pine furniture for painting, if you want a professional looking finish, there is no choice: it should be done to the best of your ability. When deciding which primers and finish paint to use on pine furniture, there is choice. Oil based or water based, or a combination of the two.
All the paints and products mentioned, I use them and stand by them (unless I say otherwise). Some suppliers are listed in the lower information section of the page.
Armed with a good paint brush, abranet abrasives, vacuum cleaner with brush attachment, decent paint, a few bits and bobs, and the tips and tricks below, you are good to go!
Any questions this weekend, just ask them via Twitter. I am @acmasterpainter
Oil based finish on pine furniture
I think the combination of water-based primer, oil based undercoat, oil-based eggshell is the solution numero uno that ticks all the boxes for the most durable and, in my opinion, the most beautiful traditional paint finish possible on timber:
Step-by-step way to an oil paint finish on pine »
Water-based finish on pine furniture
On unpainted timber, a combination of oil based primer, and water-based eggshell will get you very close to a beautiful “oil-based” finish on pine. It is based on what I have picked up from the most knowledgeable residential painter I have ever encountered, US painter, Jack Pauhl.
When starting from bare pine, please bear in mind that water-based primer and water-based topcoats will do little to disguise the grain of the wood. The finish will be tough, it is low odour and nice to apply, but 2 coats of a quick-drying oil-based primer like Zinsser Coverstain, although rather smelly, is the best start to a more solid water-based finish.
Step-by-step way to an acrylic eggshell paint finish on pine »
100% water-based products for painting pine furniture
100% acrylic water-based primer, brushing filler and water-based eggshell plus patience will achieve very close to a beautiful “oil-based” finish on pine using water-based products only! I developed this system on a 2011 project where absolutely no oil paint was allowed on site, but the finish on the woodwork had to be 5 star.
Step-by-step way to an acrylic eggshell paint finish on pine »
Painting over previously painted furniture
Repainting over old oil paint, I would have no hesitation in recommending an all water-based approach ie 2 coats of Mythic Universal primer plus 2 coats of acrylic finish (Mythic semi gloss, or Little Greene acrylic eggshell, Sikkens BL Satura, to name but 3 that come with glowing references.)
The hard work for preparing a solid surface has already been done by the old oil paint, so as long as it is solid, you can achieve a really solid and durable finish, slightly more plastic sheeny than oil eggshell, but very acceptable in 95% of cases.
Painting waxy pine furniture with minimal preparation
Try Annie Sloan chalk paint for a real country look to your pine furniture. This is a very clever product that thrives on wax and grease. Minimal preparation required except on knots, which you need to seal with a couple of coats of aerosol Zinssser BIN.
Then apply 2 coats of chalk paint and seal with clear wax or varnish. This is how boy decorators use Annie Sloan Chalk paint.
You can tint the wax, or wipe on / rub off to reveal the backing colours, distress, age, or keep it conventional. See Cait at Carte Blanche for the full inside story and Annie Sloan supplies.
Painting laminate
Sometimes furniture is made up of different materials. The interior of a pine cupboard may have an easy wipe finish? Here is how to paint a laminate finish.
Furniture painter specialists to do the painting for you
If you would rather have a professional furniture painter transform a piece of furniture for you, contact one of these specialist furniture painters in your area. Trustworthy and switched on, they have their own slightly different approach to their work, but fundamentally, we all sing off the same hymn sheet. Correct material choice and thorough workmanship is the way to go.
For ready-reckoner budgeting, think in terms of £150 for a chest of drawers to £250 for a good size wardrobe for a flat paint finish. Nicky Hancock of HK Art or Martin Dunn are 2 craftsmen on the list who also offer fine-artistic additions, and most offer decorative paint finishes. If you have a suite of good quality furniture, it usually makes sense on every level to employ a pro, as you would be hard-pushed to replace one piece for the cost of the painting of the suite. If you have a one-off not-so-special piece of furniture, then experience says that it is probably a DIY project.
Extra tips
How much cleaning, how much sanding? »
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The conventional decorating specification for woodwork always starts, with kps – knot, prime stop.
I now use Little Greene Paint Company exterior / interior oil based eggshell on furniture and kitchen units.
In general terms, water based eggshell paint still doesn’t do it for me when a 5 star finish is required on furniture that has never been painted before – UNLESS you can spray it or go the full 7 coats with gesso included in the specification. Then you get a perfect finish, which then opens up a whole can of worms, because, you have to decide, do you want this laminate-looking finish on a characterful piece of reclaimed pine? I know I don’t, but the laminate look is growing in popularity, so maybe I am out of touch!
Beware painting furniture in white oil paint The 2010 VOC regulations have thrown most of the paint industry into a tizz and they are having real trouble formulating white eggshell and gloss. Lots of evidence that it is prematurely yellowing, Dulux especially, as the highest profile manufacturer. Drying times have also extended.
Thus far, Little Greene oil eggshell still performs as expected, and in normal conditions, I have had no problems sanding down first coats of eggshell the following day.
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Remember, this technique is great for reviving pine and oak furniture, a truly eco recycling strategy, but think long and hard before applying a hand-painted finish to an inlaid, veneered table and / or antique item. Better to sell them and buy a more modestly constructed piece for painting.
I will be preparing a list of materials and tools required for each of the above options, suggesting decorating products at trade price.
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17 comments to “How do you paint pine furniture?”
[New Post] How do you paint pine furniture? – via #twitoaster http://traditionalpainter.com/how-do-you…
If you want to give a room in your home a new look, painting a pine furniture piece is a simple way to freshen up a tired piece of furniture and an easy way to perk up a room. Whether it’s an old bookshelf, a dresser, armoire, kitchen table or coffee table, a new coat of paint can do the trick.
Hi, do you have much call for painting your furniture? I envisage that the economic times will make people think increasingly hard about just throwing stuff out. A facelift with paint is a good option.
I have a 1930′s oak dresser that I would like to paint, but it has a light coating of wax all over and I am unsure how to go about getting it off, could you advise?
many thanks sarah
Either chalk paint straight over wax, or I would suggest cleaning the surface with Krudkutter Original Apply liberally, just before it dries scrub off with a kitchen scourer. No neutralising required, very eco citrus based product.
Liberon Wax and polish remover–pour into a metal pot, apply with fine steel wool, leave for a couple of minutes (but dont let it dry off) then wipe it clean with more steel wool and a cloth rag.Repeat as necessary. Leave to dry off overnight.Then you prime it with Zinsser BIN (shellac based), or Blackfriars Problem-Solving Primer (water based) and carry on with your finishing coats.
The wax cleaner is pretty potent so make sure the room is well ventilated, and to be safe, leave rags to dry laying flat, outside. Don’t want to risk any combustion problemsBlatant broadcast of blog post How to Paint Pine Furniture! http://traditionalpainter.com/how-do-you… in my defence, it is getting definitive – almost!
I wish painter & decorater @acmasterpainter was based in London – he’s a master tradesman; read his blog… http://traditionalpainter.com/
Could you advise me please how I can revamp a laminate vanity unit? I would like to make it look older and more in keeping with our Victorian house and was hoping for a Farrow & Ball painted finish but I am not sure whether I should prepare it any differently to wooden furniture. Many thanks.
Hi Julie
You do have to prepare it differently form pine. To make a key, wet sand the laminate with an oakey sanding pad (medium), then wipe off the residue with a rag, then prime with Zinsser BIN (shellac and hard to apply) or acrylic Blackfriars Problem Solving primer (easier to apply). Finish with 2 top coats of F&B.
I prefer an oil based finish. I have had great success with preparing as above, then prime with water based Dulux SuperGrip. Then an undercoat and 2 topcoats of oil eggshell. Little Greene can be mixed in Farrow and Ball colours, ask for the Fred and Brenda equivalent. Hope that helps. if you have any other questions, just ask
I have imitation pine wardrobes with a tree carved in. My bedroom is black and white I cant afford new and would like to paint them can you advise please?.Quick and easy as I am not good at this. Also should I paint white or cream? Walls are black and white embossed and I dont want to redecorate.
Hi Karen
look at he section on painting laminate (I assume laminate is what you mean by imitation?) http://traditionalpainter.com/how-do-i-paint-a-laminate-kitchen
In a nutshell, wet sand, prime with Blackfriars Problem Solving Primer, leave a day to cure off and finish with acrylic eggshell.
I can’t advise on colour, except that in a black and white room, you have a background for a multitude of colour options for your furniture. Hope that helps.
So can I double check something…..if using Annie Sloan paints then you don’t need to prep waxed furniture before using? But if not using Annie Sloan paints, then need to use the Liberon wax remover & Dulux super grip before painting?
I’ve already sorted out my paint colours for my piece of furniture, so on one hand it would be easier not to have to choose the colours again (in Annie Sloan), but I notice the primers are all white, and I don’t want any white to show when I distress & sand them back/distress to show the wood, are there any clear primers??
Correct with Annie Sloan.
Stripping back option, I have moved on to Krudkutter Original as it is less noxious than the Wax remover.
When the wood is bare, prime with 2 coats Blackfriars Problem Solving Primer (you don’t need a knotting sealer) and finish in oil or acrylic paint. If you choose to prime with Supergrip which is for an oil paint finish only, you also need to seal any knots.
I dont know a clear primer. You can tint primer to the topcoat colour.
It just sounds much easier to use Annie Sloan paint. If you buy Annie Sloan paint from Carte Blanche, Cait can tell you the paint plus sample pots so you can mix to approximate the colours you have chosen.
I have a victorian dark oak side board I want to paint. What is the procedure? It has a very dark stain/varnish to it.
Hi one option is to clean it with white spirit, sand it, prime with 2 coats Zinsser BIN (shellac) or Blackfiars problem Solving primer (water based) and finish with acrylic eggshell or oil eggshell.
Or you can dust it down and paint 2 coats Annie Sloan Chalk paint and wax it for protection.
If the top gets a lot of use, you could sand the top and leave it natural timber protected with a couple of coats of Patina woodcare or 3 coats of Polyvine wood varnish.
Hi there. I have a pine ducal dresser but hate pine furniture. Thought I might paint it but think it is varnished. What prep work would you suggest I do to prepare it for painting. I have a small pine bedside cabinet which is also varnished – thought I might try painting this first as a practice project. Many thanks in advance for any advice you have. Sonya
Sonya, thanks for your question. The simplest approach is to use Anne Sloan chalk paint – 2 coats straight onto clean varnish, protected by a couple of coats of clear soft wax. It does have a very neat finish, and is durable.
To paint with conventional satin /eggshell paint, sand the varnish (I use wet n dry, grade 120, wet) to provide a key. Apply thin coat of Zinsser BIN – it is smelly but does stick the best. Blackfriars Problem Solving Primer is water based alternative, and in the same league as BIN. Over the primer, apply 2 coats of acrylic or oil eggshell, depending on your comfort level. Sand between coats with a 220 or smoother, vacuum clean, wipe with tack rag…
Mythic now do a self priming satin latex. It is getting good reports. Comes in several sheen levels, any colour. So that requires a good sand and 2 coats. Its an option, one I will be looking into at the first opportunity for sure, as Mythic in general is non toxic, almost no odour, comes in several interesting sheen levels, and variuls products have delivered on practically every count for me so far this past 12-18 months.