How to paint antique furniture with your own hands?

Surely, many houses will have old and ugly furniture that has gone out of fashion a long time ago. It is very a pity to throw outdated tables, cabinets and chairs, so you need to urgently take some measures. Many who want to update the interior without unnecessary financial costs, ask themselves: how to paint antique furniture with your own hands? In fact, it is very simple, but first you need to find out what is needed for this procedure.

to contents ↑

Preparation for furniture painting

Any furniture can be remade to your taste if you approach this process responsibly. Now on the Internet there are a lot of different ideas for painting antique furniture with your own hands. However, do not grab the brush and paint your chairs, first you need to carry out preparatory work:

1. A room should be prepared where subsequent manipulations with furniture will be carried out.
2. It is necessary to remove all furniture fittings (metal parts, handles).
3. Clean the furniture surface from the old coating (varnish, paint) with the help of special compounds.

If the preparatory phase was successful, then the matter will go much faster, and soon you will have completely new design details in the interior.

to contents ↑

We paint furniture at home

In order for you to please the result of the restoration of old furniture, you must definitely use the following tools and materials:

• Protective rubber gloves.
• Putty for wooden surfaces.
• Sandpaper.
• Paint roller and brushes.
• Acrylic primer.
• Rubber spatula.

The painting process consists of three step-by-step actions, the implementation of which is mandatory.

Step 1:

1. First, the wooden surface must be treated with sandpaper. Using this procedure, you can remove old paint.
2. Then the treated surface will need to be thoroughly polished.
3. If cracks have been noticed on the surface, they must be puttied.
4. After the putty is applied, the surface must be sanded again.
5. Next, apply acrylic primer and leave everything to dry completely.

Important! Acrylic primer must be purchased in the same color as the paint. So the future product will look more harmonious.

Step 2

This stage is focused on painting. In choosing the paint you need to be very careful, especially when it comes to the restoration of old children's furniture. Paint should be as harmless as possible for the child's body.

Recommendations:

• Acrylic paint is best suited for painting a crib or cabinet, as it does not emit harmful substances.
• If you plan to paint not only a children's locker, but also other furniture, it is recommended to use a special spray gun. He evenly distribute the coloring composition over the entire surface.
• It is recommended to glue small parts with adhesive tape so that the coloring pigment does not get on them. Then they can be painted in a different color, after removing the adhesive tape.
• To obtain a contrasting shade, the paint should be applied in several layers. Moreover, each of them must dry before applying the next layer.

Important! To obtain a vivid result without flaws, staining begins with light colors. So it will be easy to eliminate minor flaws in the painting process.

Step 3

After the product is completely dry, it can be covered with acrylic varnish. So the furniture design will look complete. The procedure can be carried out about three times, but at the same time you need to wait for each coat of varnish to dry. A great idea to paint antique furniture is to use craquelure lacquer. After setting, it leaves noticeable cracks that give the subject a look of natural old age, but it looks very elegant.

Important! You can also paint the furniture with decorative wax. This option is suitable if your product is painted in dark colors (brown, blue or black).

to contents ↑

Restoring old furniture

Previously, in almost every house one could meet a polished wardrobe or a cupboard, since such furniture was very beautiful. However, over time, the shiny surface becomes dull and the cabinet no longer looks as beautiful as when purchased.

If you feel sorry for throwing away quality, but aesthetically ugly furniture, you will have to resort to its restoration. The process of updating polished products involves several simple steps:

1. Surface treatment with acetone or alcohol-containing compounds.
2. The old polish is removed with a spatula and a special hair dryer.
3. Sandblasting.
4. Chips and cracks are processed using putty.

The primer must be applied, in order to avoid the appearance of cracks and chips. After the soil has dried, the surface must be treated again with sandpaper and polished well. After performing these manipulations, you can paint the furniture. Acrylic paints should be used for painting, as they are of higher quality and environmentally friendly. You can decorate a dried product as you wish - this is a matter of fantasy.

Important! Primed wood products must be mandatory, since it is the primer that preserves the quality of furniture for a long time.

to contents ↑

Restoring leather furniture

If you find noticeable scuffs on your leather armchair or sofa, do not rush to throw them away. You can transfer the matter to the hands of professionals, as they have all the necessary materials and tools to solve this problem in their arsenal. However, if you want to figure it out yourself, be patient and recommend it.

The procedure for updating old leather furniture includes several steps:

1. Acquisition of paint for leather products of the desired color.
2. Degreasing the surface with acetone.
3. Staining.

Important! Experienced experts recommend slightly wetting the surface when painting - so the paint holds better. It is better to apply the coloring matter from subtle areas, gradually moving to the center. It is necessary to paint a leather product in several layers, while each of them must completely dry. To complete the result, you can apply a special matte or glossy finish.

to contents ↑

Useful Tips

• To update the design of old furniture, it is very important to preserve the material from which it is made, therefore it is recommended to use stain. It is perfect for creating an “antique” design, and its color range is very rich.
• If you want to receive a product with a glossy surface as a result of restoration, buy a thixotropic dye.

to contents ↑

Stock footage

In this article, we have offered you some ideas on how to paint antique furniture and make objects more attractive. Choose the option that suits you, based on the interior features of the room where such furniture will be located, and work hard for the glory to give it an interesting and cozy look.