Old Unfinished Furniture

Here is another tip on How To Paint Furniture. By ‘old unfinished’ furniture I am referring to furniture that that has had a chemical stripper applied and all the old paint or varnish removed. What we have left is raw wood or perhaps even base metal if you have a metal chair or table or other piece of furniture. (Just remember that you must use special metal primer over metal).

Take a look at your piece of stripped furniture. See if there are any holes or dents and if so, use wood filler to fill these in. On metal surfaces check with your local hardware store for a specific product for metal as products have different names in different countries.

Next you will need to check for any loose areas where the wood has lifted or come apart from the rest of it. These will need to be glued and a clamp applied until the glue has completely dried. I personally use PVC glue but once again, check with the experts at your local hardware store. These are the guys who will be supplying you with your materials so it pays to be on good terms with them.

Once the glued areas and/or the areas where you have applied wood filler have dried you will need to sand them back and finish with a soft clean cloth to remove any dust. Once the area is cleared of sawdust then your piece of furniture is ready to be primed, stained, varnished of painted.

NOTE: Safety issues:

Perhaps I should have placed this at the top of the list but please take all reasonable precautions. The dust from sanding, the fumes from paint and thinners, wood fillers and any other chemicals must be treated as toxic at all times. Do not use indoors except in a well ventilated room. Wear a dust mask when sanding but be aware that a dust mask will not protect your eyes or your lungs from chemical fumes. Check out the proper protection and wear goggles too. I may seem like I am being over-cautious but let me tell you, no nicely painted or varnished piece of furniture is worth losing the sight in an eye or gaining a respiratory disease.

Painter Paul

How to Paint Just About Anything (Better Homes & Gardens)