If you are like me and tend to tire of your possessions easily, it pays to go to thrift shops and garage sales for shopping. I pay $5 for a beat up old coffee table or chair, sand it down and paint it. After I'm done with it in a few years or so, it still looks like new, I place it in my own garage sale for $15. I have never lost money on this technique, usually I make about two to three times the money. I get to change my decor often without spending much money. It is so much fun to make something look so different!
By Susan from Elkhart, IN
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have a wooden dining room set with 4 chairs and cupboards but they look very worn out and old fashioned. I was thinking about repainting them but can't decide what color to choose. Can you help me out?
By ANGELA
You can paint it with a brownish-red paint or a color that is a little bit dark and then try to put a varnish on it so the color would really stand out or shines. If you really want your wooden dining room to look good and new, you better choose a new table-cloth, new things to put in it and just make sure that the cloth that you will use suits to the color of the chairs.
Good luck! I hope my answer helped you!
I am interested in painting wooden furniture to reuse in a new home. I have a table with chairs and hutch, end tables and a coffee table that I want to give a new look to. Also, since the dining and living room connect, should I paint all wooden pieces to match? I am very new at painting to re-use!
You want to paint furniture a COLOR? Why not stain it? Wood is so beautiful!
If the furniture has a shiny coat, it will need a good sanding. After you sand you will have to prime the furniture first. It may look blotchy after you prime but this is normal, it is just to cover the wood so the paint will have good adhesion.
I agree with both. You can paint everything one color and it no longer matters if they match. I have done this with white and it really brings a bright and light color to the room. Stains have also come a long way, and you can get cool colors, so take some time and go see your paint expert. Even if you don't buy the paint there, they can be of invaluable service.
I'm with Glen'sMom- wood tones are ALWAYS in style- your shapes/styles can be mismatched, but think about doing all of them in the same tone, with a stain- wood is a "natural" classic, and will never go out of style! Surprisingly, most woods will take stain in the same family of color, even if it's a different tint- and will look fantastic together, as a group.
If you have furniture that you don't like for some reason. Even its shape or style, paint will give it an entirely new look. I suggest black, but would consider charcoal.
I've had great success with an inexpensive product called liquid sandpaper. This is applied to the furniture right before you paint your first coat. It leaves the surface dull and tacky and helps the paint adhere. We salvaged an old, unattractive bedroom suite this way. It was blonde wood, very 60s, very dated. The right paint color made it look fantastic and contemporary. I also pray painted the metal handles and saved a lot of money. We purchased it from a private party for $85 for the whole set. It also came with an almost new (guest room use) box spring and mattress. It has served us well for years. Good luck!
I had an old dresser given to me that was still solid but looked very used! I just sanded it a little to rough it up a bit. Then use regular white enamel paint from Walmart to paint it. Spray painted the handles with gold paint.
I have a shelf/coat hanger made out of unfinished pine. I would like to paint it distressed black. Does anyone have a good, easy way of doing this?
Do you want some of the grain of the wood to show? If so, thin your paint with water (about 1/2 paint, 1/2 water and apply. You can distress the wood by hitting it with sharp objects ie, hammer, pick, chains. Etc. If you do not wish to have the grain show, then I think you would just paint it after distressing it.
Paint it black and then sand it with sand paper. Or if you would like another color to show through, paint the undercoat one color and then black, then sand, it will bring out the undercoat.
I would prime first and, yes, if you want the grain to show sand it a little first.
I need to repaint a baby bed. What kind of paint is safe? I have started using an enamel based paint. Is this OK? It has a flat feeling to it. Could I use a gloss over it? Ideas anyone?
First make sure the paint is lead free. The paints I have used all stated that they were safe for infants and toddlers. I would reccomend reading the label, if in doubt ask someone where the paint was purchased. Take Care ! JAN
i would check with say sherwin willams cause this paint will go in the babys mouth better safe than sorry
I believe the best paint is Milk Paint you can find it on the internet if you google "Milk Paint" and also non toxic paint you will find links . Try this link
www.eartheasy.com/
Gina
I'm trying to paint a piece of furniture black with a dull finish, but it has a shine. How do I dull it?
By Michelle
How do I paint old furniture?
By Jack Zhang from New York City
I have just painted my daughter's room to match a comforter set we bought. The top half is white, the bottom is chocolate brown, and a dark pink stripe goes around the middle. I repainted an old bedroom set tan (it was originally off white/yellow?). I'm afraid that now the finish may be too light. Should I try using the brown wall paint and a decorating finish on the furniture or leave it alone?
Could you highlight the bedroom set with chocolate and pink? Like chocolate drawer fronts with pink knobs. Or maybe decorate it with some kind of stencil? I don't think you should paint it brown like the walls because it will disappear into them.
Hi, try painting a large piece of wood the tan color and then sponge paint the darker color over it,do it a couple of different ways to see if you like it and then paint your furniture .If you didn't like it you haven't ruined your furniture.
My new custom made bed (pine) was treated with linseed oil. I was assured it's non-toxic. Well, it has been 2 weeks, and the bed still emits an odor. It gives me a sore throat and cough. What can be done? Can I paint it over with a latex paint? I am allergic to all household chemicals, so the paint should contain no VOCs.
By Irena from Portland, OR
