How to Paint Furniture

Considering your first furniture painting project and don't know where to start? If you're a beginner, or even a seasoned DIY-er, we have the articles, videos, tutorials, and discussions to get you started. Here's what you need to know about painting everything from tables to dressers and nightstands to chairs. You got this.

How to Paint Furniture Without Sanding | Chalk Based Paint Application

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Updating Furniture With Paint

Prep the furniture: Clean the piece with solution and a rag, and remove any hardware including drawers and doors.
Make sure to protect yourself: Stripping furniture, using a power sander and even paint can be harmful, which is why heavy duty gloves and protective eyewear are a must.
Strip and sand your piece: In some cases, furniture will need to be stripped before anything is done. In all cases, furniture should be lightly sanded.
Paint with your desired color: Layer thin coats of paint on the furniture, allowing it to dry in between each coat to prevent uneven surfaces.
Protecting your furniture: Use a polyurethane varnish as the final coat to protect the finished piece, enabling the new paint to last longer.

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Top DIY Furniture Painting Projects

Here are our top furniture paint projects, submitted by our very own Hometalk users.

How to Paint Furniture: Step by Step Tutorial

A detailed overview on how to paint outdated furniture using chalky finish Furniture Paint. Learn the necessary steps to prep, paint and protect your newly painted surface.

Vintage And Restore By K

Jazz Up Your Decor With Furniture Paint

Painting furniture has always been a great way to get a custom home decor piece without the budget-busting price. Curbside finds, hand-me-downs and thrift store deals can be totally transformed in a matter of hours with this simple DIY. In recent years, the popularity of painted furniture has skyrocketed as upcycling and repurposing have come into vogue.

Best Of Hometalk

5 Family Room Ideas to Create a Cozy Retreat

In this article, you’ll see 5 family room ideas to create a cozy retreat for you and your family. The name “family room” conveys a warm and inviting area, one where you might envision playing card games with the kids, curling up by the fire with a good book or catching the big game on tv.

Best Of Hometalk

Learn How to Paint a Room Like a Pro With These 7 Tips and Tricks

Painting a room is one of those projects that most people always have on their to-do list. And most folks don’t really look forward to it. Painting takes time and effort. But painting a room is one of the best ways to update the look of your home without spending a fortune. And if something goes horribly wrong, it’s typically an easy fix. Here are seven of the best tips and tricks for how to paint a room!

Best Of Hometalk

IKEA Rast Dresser Turned Apothecary Chest

Love the look for Potter Barn furniture but don't love the price? Here's an IKEA hack for you!

Kara S.

Refreshing Update to Our Tired Kitchen Table

Our kitchen table was tired and really needed some updating. With a few coats of General Finishes Gel stain and Milk Paint, we have a brand new table!

Shannon Kelaher Mcwilliams

Quick and Easy Furniture Refinishing Tips for a No-Stress Makeover

How many times have you passed up a cute little table on the side of the road or a bargain dresser at a yard sale because it didn’t match your decor or it needed a bit of work?

Best Of Hometalk

Crackle Paint Technique

I've been wanting to make a huge distressed sign in our house for a while now, so I finally did it! I can't seem to get away from using sandpaper to rough up the painted surface (this is a technique I've always used since I started painting for a living), but this go-around I also incorporated a new technique: using white glue to create a crackle finish. It's really easy but can also be tricky, however, I'm pretty happy with how my distressed sign came out.We want to help you DIY, so some of the materials in this post are linked to sellers. Just so you know, Hometalk may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page.If you're looking for other fun painting projects in your home, then this awesome painted furniture section has some great painting ideas for your living room!

Rob & Courtney M, Hometalk Team

Painted furniture (thrift furniture) with Chalk Paint and Dark Wax

Painting my guest room furniture that I purchased either in Habitat Restore, Salvation Army, or other thrift stores - I have been practicing using Annie Sloan paint and wax on small pieces of wood and this is my first finished piece with this paint. I also included the drawers to a dresser I am working on. I love this paint and wax...it makespainitng furniture easy....you get what you pay for with Annie Sloan products.

Mildred O

How to Paint Furniture: Step by Step Tutorial

A detailed overview on how to paint outdated furniture using chalky finish Furniture Paint. Learn the necessary steps to prep, paint and protect your newly painted surface.

Vintage And Restore By K

Jazz Up Your Decor With Furniture Paint

Best Of Hometalk

5 Family Room Ideas to Create a Cozy Retreat

Best Of Hometalk

Learn How to Paint a Room Like a Pro With These 7 Tips and Tricks

Best Of Hometalk

IKEA Rast Dresser Turned Apothecary Chest

Love the look for Potter Barn furniture but don't love the price? Here's an IKEA hack for you!

Kara S.

Refreshing Update to Our Tired Kitchen Table

Our kitchen table was tired and really needed some updating. With a few coats of General Finishes Gel stain and Milk Paint, we have a brand new table!

Shannon Kelaher Mcwilliams

Quick and Easy Furniture Refinishing Tips for a No-Stress Makeover

How many times have you passed up a cute little table on the side of the road or a bargain dresser at a yard sale because it didn’t match your decor or it needed a bit of work?

Best Of Hometalk

Crackle Paint Technique

Rob & Courtney M, Hometalk Team

Painted furniture (thrift furniture) with Chalk Paint and Dark Wax

Mildred O

Furniture Painting Videos

Looking for step-by-step DIY video tutorials on how to paint furniture? Here you go.

How to Paint Furniture Without Sanding | Chalk Based Paint Application

Don't you just hate the mess sanding can make? Wouldn't you love to be able to apply your paint and achieve that same beautifully smooth finish without sanding? In this brand new tutorial, we'll show you our tips and tricks on how to apply Country Chic Paint to get the clean, smooth finish you love!

Country Chic Paint

How To Makeover a TV Tray

I had these two old TV trays that were scratched up and used... instead of throwing them out, I decided to try something new.

Abbie M

How To Create a Faux Concrete Finish on Furniture

Up your faux-finishing game by mastering the technique! Watch our new video tutorial to learn how to create a faux concrete finish on your furniture.

Country Chic Paint

How to Create the Faux Granite Look in Five Easy Steps

Welcome to my easy guide on how to create stunning faux granite furniture using old furniture and just a few materials and, most importantly, with a small budget!

Abbie M

Hometalkers' Favorite DIY Furniture Painting Projects

We have compiled the best furniture paint projects from Hometalk users for you here.

DIY Nightstand Makeover Using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

This was my first time using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I made over some nightstands I bought from a used furniture store and I couldn't be more pleased with the results! (But there were definitely some lessons learned along the way...)

Lindsay Caudle

Faux Azul Copper Table Top Tutorial

This was great fun. More of an experiment in how messing I can get. After researching many pictures of copper patina. I came up with the theory that there was so many differences in copper that I couldn't possibly go wrong. So here goes. No fear and the start on my new year. It's all about the fun .

Sharleen Wolfe

Intergalatic IKEA Hack

My little boy Joshua is obbesessed with STAR WARS and anything OUTTER SPACE! So when he said he wanted a cool bedroom for his 9th birthday I knew just what to do. With a budget limited to $250 for a full bedroom set, we went on the hunt! With a little help from Goodwill, IKEA, Unicorn SPiT & Famowood Glaze Coat, me and Josh are here to show YOU how to take the IKEA HACK from Level 1 to Level OUT OF THIS WORLD!

Unicorn SPiT Gel Stain, Paint & Glaze in One

Abandoned to Refined

One night my friend texted me asking about furniture restoration. She had saved an old dresser from the trash but did not know how to make it beautiful again. It was an older style, antique dresser. It was wood but it had veneer drawer fronts. After some back and forth we discovered her style and color preferences and made a plan. I couldn't wait to turn this poor, decrepit dresser into the ravishing beauty she deserved to be!

Felicity Wallace

Amazing $5 Table ReVamp Using Wrapping Paper and Mod Podge

I found this cute coffee table for just $5 at our local thrift shop. After nearly a year of changing its placement in the house, I finally decided to jazz it up.

Katie Reed

Looking for Her Afterlife "Marilyn" #SpitChallenge

This Antique French Chifferobe was covered in white primer, white paint and years upon years of abuse and neglect. She never lost her original mirror and her solid Tiger Wood construction stood strong waiting for someone to find her and bring her out of being masked and allow her to shine again in all her glory.

Frances Brewer- Schaber

DIY Nightstand Makeover Using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

Lindsay Caudle

Faux Azul Copper Table Top Tutorial

Sharleen Wolfe

Intergalatic IKEA Hack

Unicorn SPiT Gel Stain, Paint & Glaze in One

Abandoned to Refined

Felicity Wallace

Amazing $5 Table ReVamp Using Wrapping Paper and Mod Podge

I found this cute coffee table for just $5 at our local thrift shop. After nearly a year of changing its placement in the house, I finally decided to jazz it up.

Katie Reed

Looking for Her Afterlife "Marilyn" #SpitChallenge

Frances Brewer- Schaber

Popular DIY Furniture Painting Discussions

What are Hometalkers discussing about their furniture paint projects? Join the talk.

How can I make over a bedside table cheaply and easily?

/> Linda Wither

I have a table in our bedroom that is about 50 years old and has alot of old wood finish and polish ....how can I redo this table easily and cheap ??? Would almost like to keep it a wood finish....thank you

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How do I paint particleboard furniture?

/> Susy

View discussion

How do I make cheap laminate cabinets darker?

/> Donna Shaw

I have light orange/honey oak cabinets that are part laminate. Is there a way to make them darker other than dark paint? I still want the wood look but stain will not adhere to the laminate part. I still want the grain of the wood to show, only darker

View discussion

How can I paint metal?

/> Cynthia

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New Furniture Painting Projects

Want some new ideas for painting your furniture? Get trend-setting inspiration here.

DIY Knockoff Card Catalog: With a Surprise!

I have been crushing on some amazing antique card catalogs and just could not bear the $1000 price tag that comes along with them. So I came up with a solution...my own Knockoff version for $60. I started out with this cabinet that I found for $30 at my favorite thrift shop.

Tami @ Curb Alert!

Mid Century Modern High Gloss Credenza With Geometric Drawers

Sometimes a piece just needs some paint to help give it a new look and work with today's decor. This Broyhill Premier credenza was one of those pieces. A two tone look would accent the modern design while still showcasing the gorgeous walnut drawers which would be balanced out with a wood base.

The Weathered Door

Cabinet for a Friend

My friend had a cabinet she wanted something done with. It was old and worn but I saw a diamond in the rough.

Ginny O

Freshening up an Old Hoosier for Gardening Storage.

My back porch Hoosier cabinet had deteriorated enough that I was worried it was going to become unusable. So I set out to freshen it up a bit and chase off the spiders. More info and pictures are available in the blog post.

Somewhat Quirky

Painted Kitchen Cabinets

Short story ...my children made me breakfast in bed and one left the oven door ajar (Not Me did it) resulting in the plastic laminate melting on doors and drawers on each side of the oven. Now how could I be mad at my sweet angels who were only trying to please me on my birthday? I lived with them like that for years when one day I pulled on a piece of the laminate and it peeled right off, very easily. Oops! Now what? It looked worse then ever now. So I peeled ALL the laminate off ALL the cabinets. Now I got myself in a big mess! So I just winged it. Didn't read anything about how to paint cabinets, just did it ....and a good thing, because they came out better then I'd ever expected. I like them a lot better then the white. All for $60 and a lot of time!!