How to Paint Unfinished Wood Furniture
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SK's Unfinished Pine Vanity
Finishing Un-Finished or Bare wood Furniture
The types of bare wood furniture that can be found are typically fir, pine, cherry or oak. Every type of wood will need to be finished with the correct types of products.
I am going to concentrate on the most available unfinished furniture which is made from pine. Pine is one of the softer woods, readily available, inexpensive and easy to work with. When pine has been built into a piece of furniture, it will usually have been sanded to almost smooth. You will need to seal the wood with a liquid called a sanding sealer. This will help bring the fibers to the surface, which then is simpler to sand smooth. - 2
SK's Finished Pine Vanity
Using 100 grit sandpaper, sand the entire surface, always sanding in the direction pf the wood grain . As the wood becomes smoother, use higher grit sandpaper. I usually end up with 220 grit sandpaper.
When the surface is as smooth as you would like and before staining or sealing, clean the surface with a tack cloth. You can buy tack cloth at any local building supply store.
When this step is finished and the piece is completely dust free, clean the area around where you have been sanding. I generally just lift the piece up and place a new, clean cover cloth on the ground under it. I will then clean the piece again with a clean tack cloth. - 3
SK's 9' Amouire
Depending on if its paint or stain color, you will have a different process. Let's start with stained applications.
Wipe on stains are the easiest to work with. You wipe it on and depending on the depth of color wanted, you wipe it off. This might take more than one time to get the depth of color wanted.
Always apply and wipe in the same direction as the wood grain. Let this dry. After the color is completely dry, you will need to sand again. I use 220 grit; working into higher grit the smoother I want the finish. The point here is to smooth, not remove the color.
Clean your area again and tack cloth clean the piece to ready it for a sealer.
You can use many different types of sealer. Water based, Turpentine based, oil based or even wax based. The water and oil based sealers work in the same manner. The water based is easier to clean up after and have fewer fumes.
Using a fine bristled brush, brush the finish on in the same direction as the wood grain. Let dry. I fine sand in between three coats of sealer. Remember to tack cloth clean after sanding.
Wax based sealers work a little different. After final sanding and tack cloth cleaning, you will use your wax as a polisher. Wipe it on let it dry and then buff. Keep clean soft cloths handy. This takes some elbow work. You can wax the piece as many times as you have the energy. - 4
SK's Finished Amouire
Painted woodwork
The prepping of your piece for paint or stain is the same. When the piece has been sanded and cleaned with a tack cloth, you can proceed to paint.
The sanding sealer that you used before sanding will help your paints and stains look more even. When painting wood furniture, I use a primer as a first step. Apply with a fine bristled brush. Brush your primer and paint in the direction of the grain.
Don't over brush your paint as it's getting tacky, it will go globby on you. If this happens, quickly wipe off with a damp cloth and start again after the wood is dry.
After the first coat of paint is dry, I lightly sand with a high grit sandpaper and clean with a tack cloth. Repeat the process with three coats.
If I am trying for an antique look, I might color my primer, and then paint with a different color. After painting the top color in two coats, I let it completely dry or cure at least a week.
After the piece is dry, I lightly sand the areas of typical use and it knocks back the top coat color to see glimpses of the color underneath.
I will go one step further and wipe on a thinned out darker color over the whole piece and quickly wipe it off leaving some of this darker color in the crevasses and around artistic elements.
When I want a very antiqued looking piece, I won't prime my wood. I paint with my main color twice, sanding lightly between coats. After the piece is dry and cleaned, I will use fine grit sandpaper to sand edges and highlights till some of the bare wood shows through. I can then use a thinned darker paint to wipe on and wipe off. This stains the bare wood a darker color and leaves some of the antiquing in and around decorative elements.
I will clean the dry piece and do a final, fine sanding. Clean with a tack cloth and use a wax to polish the piece.
Good Luck
Have Fun
SK Sartell
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