Painting walls is one thing, but there are a few different measures you need to take in order to ensure that your furniture-painting project is successful.

• It is best to prime all painting surfaces to prevent stains from bleeding through the new paint.

• Primer must match the type of paint you have chosen. For furniture it's best to use a satin or semigloss finish in either a latex or an oil-based paint. Never leave primer unpainted.

• If you choose a latex paint, a latex primer is an excellent choice for most uses. It goes on easily and blocks most stains, but it doesn't have the odor of an oil-based primer.

• Although you can use oil-based primers with latex paints, you must use an oil-based primer with oil-based paints. Oil-based primers offer superior adhesion and stain blocking, but they do have a strong odor. When using oil-based primers and paints, make sure you have good room ventilation.

• When you're painting, start at the top and work down, smoothing paint drips as you work downward.

Expert Painting Tips: Latex paint comes in a variety of sheens, including flat, low sheen or satin, semigloss acrylic latex and oil-based enamel. Oil-based paint can be used for both exterior painting and interior trim work; it's also very durable and easy to clean.