How do I paint wood furniture so that it will not flake?
Question:I have an old wooden bedroom set. (I doubt that it is solid wood). I would like to get rid of the oak color and paint it white... How I do this without the paint flaking/scratching off? I have a headboard, chest, dresser, and bookshelf.
Answers:
Preparation is everything when rehabilitating wooden (solid or MDF) furniture.
The wax will have to removed. A weak ammonia solution would do that. Wear goves and have a window open for ventilation. You should rinse this off with clear water and wipe with many clean rags. TSP dissolved in water also works and also requires rinsing.
I painted a dining room sideboard from the 1950's and an Edwardian gramophone stand last summer. The sideboard was in very rough shape because the previous owners had let the surface become quite dry. I doubt if it had seen wax for 30 years, when I got it. I only had to wet wipe it down before priming.
The gramophone cabinet was a walnut-veneered piece that had to have the wax build up removed prior to priming,
I went to the hardware store and asked what kind of primer would have the least amount of stink and be the most effective. I think that I used a shellac-based for the gramophone cabinet and whatever latex primer that I had laying around for the sideboard. Shellac-based primer dries in minutes.
Since the paints were very deep colours, I applied two coats of a semi-gloss latex. When that was dry, I applied two coats of water-based clear urethane.
The finshed products are now a stereo cabinet (the sideboard) and a liquor cabinet with a light when you lift the old gramophone lid. They take pride of place in our living room.
My mother painter a dresser for me and my sister which never once flaked. It did chip from a few knocks when we moved, but that was carelessness and had nothing to do with the paint.
We live on a well and septic tank. As a result, we do not clean our painting tools. Therefore, I use inexpensive but appropriate rollers and brushes.
You need to clean it with water and TSP to get all oils, grease, wax off the furniture. I would go another step farther and then sand everything down with a medium grit sandpaper. Use an oil based paint. I know that my mom did one for me when I was a little girl and I still have the dresser. No chips or flaking.
Prime it, paint it, and then gloss it.
if in doubt it is solid wood then spray paint it.Just take your time and it will look nice.My daughter just painted her dresser and it came out real nice...
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