| Painting Unfinished Wood |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-205 |
|
|
|
advertisement
|
Q: My teenage daughter and I have finally found a project we can do together -- painting unfinished furniture for her room. Can you give me some dos and don'ts for painting furniture?
A: (Bruce Johnson, Ask DIY Woodworking Expert) I'm a real believer in unfinished furniture for children's rooms, because if they pick out some wacky color, you can always repaint the furniture later. Preparation is the key when you paint unfinished furniture -- you don't want to just slap on a coat of paint. Here's how you prepare: - Sand the furniture. If you get inexpensive unfinished wood, it can be pretty rough, and you may need as coarse a sandpaper as 100-grit. But for most pieces you can start sanding with medium-fine sandpaper, perhaps 150-grit (figure A), to smooth out any nicks and scratches the furniture has picked up along the way. Finish with fine sandpaper, say 220-grit, to achieve a smooth surface. Once you've settled on sandpaper, get out the sanding block (figure B). It's contoured nicely to fit your hand and also to keep your fingertips away from the wood. Note that you don't need the power of a belt sander for furniture! Save that for floors.
- Sand in the direction of the grain.
- Remove the dust created by sanding. If you're going to use an oil-based paint, remove the dust particles with a tack cloth, which is basically cheesecloth with varnish added to it for picking up dust. If you're going to use latex paint, you can pick up the dust with a damp cloth or sponge.
- Choose a brush and paint. The two decisions go hand in hand. It used to be that people used oil-based paint because it was more durable. That's no longer true. Latex paint, which is water-based, is now as durable as oil-based and doesn't have any fumes, which means you can work indoors. Because it's also environmentally friendly, I choose latex paint consistently. If you're using latex paint, you'll need a nylon-bristle brush. Don't use a natural-bristle brush, because the bristles will swell out of shape when they come in contact with the water in the paint. The sponge brushes are cheap, but they don't give you a very smooth finish. Nor do you want the $1.29 nylon brush, because it sheds. For the best results buy a medium-quality brush for around $6 -- there's no need to buy the $20 model!
- Paint sticks better to primer than it does to raw wood, so put a coat of primer (figure C) on first. Primer normally comes in white, but you can have the paint store tint it to the same shade as your paint. Dip your brush into the paint, covering only about a half-inch of the bristles. If you oversaturate the brush with paint, you risk leaving brushstrokes on the furniture. It's also messy! Brush the primer on in the direction of the wood's grain, working it in with short strokes as you go. Prime all the surfaces.
- Let the primer dry and then sand it lightly, remembering to wipe off the dust from sanding afterward.
- Apply your second coat of paint, also painting in the direction of the grain of the wood.
More Questions for Bruce:
Q: I'm installing hardwood floors. I was told that I should blind-nail the boards. What does that mean?
A: You only blind-nail when you have tongue-and-groove boards. One board has the tongues, one the grooves. To blind-nail, before you fit the boards together, drive your nail through the tongue of the board, not through its face. That way, when you place the next board, its groove hides the head of the nail.
Q: What's the best kind of glue to use for repairs on wood?
A: My favorite is called yellow woodworker's glue.
Q: I want to cut down some laminated shelves, but they keep chipping on me. Can you help?
A: The only way to get a nice clean cut on laminated wood is to get a special saw blade. A woodworking blade has teeth that are slightly canted out; you need one where the teeth are perfectly aligned. Web site resources for Painting Furniture: Repainting Patio Furniture from DIY Net.Com Painting Furniture from HGTV.Com Painting Furniture from Family.Com Painting Pressboard Furniture from New Homemaker.Com Books: Handpainting Your Furniture
By Kerry Trout
ISBN: 0891349804
North Light Books (2000)
1507 Dana Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45207-1005
Phone: 513-531-2690
E-mail: datac@fwpubs.como Painting Furniture: A Practical Guide to Hand-Painted, Broken-Color and Faux Finish for Furniture
By Rosie Fisher
ISBN: 0316283789
Little Brown and Company Inc. (1988)
Time Warner Inc.
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Phone: 212-522-8700
Web site: www.twbookmark.com
| 
)
)
)
)
