5 Must-Have Products for Every furniture Makeover
Ok friends! This is the bare bones. This is where I started out too. If someone broke it down to me in 5 simple steps, I would not see the overwhelm that many people often find when tackling a dresser makeover!
I will keep this short and to the point. It’s just paint. if you don’t like it, you can strip it off and start over. The best part? You are in the right place to find all of my favourite products that I use from stripping furniture to drilling holes for new hardware - but that is a conversation for another time. Check out my blog about my favourite products to do all KINDS of refinishing. Now lets talk shop.
To get started, these 5 things are literally all you need from start to finish on a WOOD piece of furniture.
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So, what are the 5 things you need to achieve ← this look?
TSP (**Read the exception below)
Sandpaper (180 or 220 grit is great for prep)
Paint Roller Set - You really just need the paint roller and handle
Paint - this is MY personal favourite brand.
Instructions
TSP is important for cleaning. PREP is the most important part! If you use the Fusion TSP Alternative, you only need a little bit diluted with water.
Using your Lint free cloth with the TSP mix, give your furniture a SOLID cleaning. You will be both surprised and disgusted by the amount of dirt that comes off.
After your piece is clean, sand the entire piece down. Yes - EVERY INCH. What does the sandpaper do? Let me be clear… PREP IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! Sanding your piece dulls down whatever finish was originally applied to it. The sandpaper gives the paint some “teeth” to grip onto. You may not see it, but it makes a huge difference. Last for prep - wipe down the piece AGAIN with your lint free cloth! Get rid of all the dust you kicked up while sanding.
Now the fun part! You get to paint. Make sure your roller has paint evenly distributed - you don’t want wavy paint lines. If you are finding your roller dries out quickly, you can mist it with some water. I recommend this mister! Water will only work if you are using a water based paint like Fusion Mineral Paint. If you are using acrylic or oil based paints, do not mist your brush with water.
If your paint feels a bit rough once the first coat has dried, give it a light sanding with 220 or 180 grit sandpaper. I would not recommend grit lower than that for this step - the deeper the scratches, the more you will see it through your paint. Once you have completed painting, allow 24 hours to dry. You can reapply the original hardware as is, or if you want to update the original hardware, checkout my tutorial on refreshing vintage hardware! Alternatively, you can measure the distance of the holes on the drawer pulls and purchase new, modern pieces of hardware. Most pulls have spacing that is easy to accommodate. Checkout my favourite modern pulls here!
*** If you clean with TSP and start sanding, but you notice a film developing on your sandpaper, you may want to consider cleaning the piece again with Mineral Spirits.
If you would like a more detailed explanation with many more awesome photos of yours truly, click on over to the next blog with a full step by step on refinishing furniture - including two tones and drilling for new hardware.