Spray painting furniture white advice (paint, sand, headboard, color)
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Hi there, I have two pieces of furniture I want to spray paint white to match my daughter's room.
Both are currently a natural wood color with gloss/stain.
-One is an older rocking chair with a criss-cross wicker seat (all wood).
-The other is a children's toddler bench that also acts as a toy chest (all wood).
I’ve never spray painted furniture before, what is the best approach to doing this?
Do they need to be sanded down? Also how many cans of paint do you think it will take?
Personally I would use a chalk paint because it's easier to control the flow and application of the paint and you don't have to do any surface prep except wiping down the wood. However, if you are set on spray painting, for me, I would rather use a primer coat first instead of sanding; then finish up with a top coat of latex spray paint (or enamel if you want a shiny surface.) YMMV.
Hi there, I have two pieces of furniture I want to spray paint white to match my daughter's room.
Both are currently a natural wood color with gloss/stain.
-One is an older rocking chair with a criss-cross wicker seat (all wood).
-The other is a children's toddler bench that also acts as a toy chest (all wood).
I’ve never spray painted furniture before, what is the best approach to doing this?
Do they need to be sanded down? Also how many cans of paint do you think it will take?
Thank you for your help!
The best way for you to approach this is to visit a local paint store and ask for advice. But in general, you need to sand off the gloss finish before painting the pieces.
For spraying paint, you will need to set up a paint booth, usually made of a large box, to contain overspray. Don't spray around your vehicles. Do spray on a warm, settled day, which is neither hot or cold. If you spray inside, do it in a basement. Here are pretty good instructions.
My advice is don't do it, have it done. White in a spray can does not cover well. It will require several coats just to cover the stained wood. You can easily go thru 6-8-10 cans here and still not have the desired effect- white furniture. If you still want to try this, don't try to make it cover at all. Know that it will require several coats otherwise you're going to end up with a runny mess. Yes, you'll need to sand enough to knock the gloss off it. I would then strongly suggest wiping it all down with alcohol before spraying. The alcohol will remove any grease or furniture oils from it. Otherwise you'll end up with what is called fisheyes where the paint won't stick at all and basically runs away from the area. Buy the best spray paint you can get. I'd suggest Rustoleum High Performance spray. It's available at most Walmarts but it's not a cheap date for the amount you'll need. Take your time and know it won't be done in a day because you'll be waiting for it to dry completely before recoating. Make sure that the area you're doing this is covered up as a lot of spray paint is going to go in the wind and all over. It would best if it was outside, no wind, and most importantly, no bugs. You'll still need to lay down something to catch the over spray. If you spray it outside, make sure the neighbors car isn't down wind. You might be repainting his car if the over spray carried to his car, or your car too.
The best alternative for you is to paint it with a brush and apply it in thin coats. Stretch the paint as far as you can get it. Buy a high grade enamel in whatever sheen you want but pay a lot for it. The difference is the titanium dioxide level in the can. TD is what makes it white and what makes it cover. The more TD, the fewer the coats it will take. Use a 2" angle sash brush of good quality. You can use a latex based or oil based paint but know the latex, while easier to use, will be soft and easily damaged for about 30 days. After that, it's just as strong as an oil based enamel. You'll need to sand and clean with alcohol too. More than likely, a quart of paint will do it. Rust-Oleum Professional High Performance Enamel Spray - Walmart.com
Paint fisheyes:
You are going to think I m crazy, but.....I would ask around at a few collision places. They have spray "booths" and I have personally had a hamper done years ago and also a wicker headboard. I have never had much luck with wicker spraying to satisfy myself.
I'm not going to expand on the virtues of the painting process- but I will make one recommendation, the rocking chair seat (as you described it) is called "rush". Leave it the nature color. The paint will continuously flake off when anyone sits in the chair.
Clean the wood thoroughly with a solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate). Wipe dry, then spray with cans of water-based primer. Do a thin layer of primer, let dry, then go over again with another thin layer to catch places you missed. Let that dry, then spray with the high gloss white that you want to use. Again, do two thin coats. To make spraying from a canister like rustoleum be easy on your hands, get a little device that clasps the can and allow you to squeeze to push down on the little button that activates the spray. So much easier and only costs a few dollars. To avoid mess, either spray in the garage over a tarp or newspapers or spray outside when there is zero wind.
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