How to Paint Over a Stained Picnic Table
- 1). Sand the stained picnic table using 150-grit sandpaper. Sandpaper helps renew an older surface for easier painting and better durability.
- 2). Place the picnic table on a plastic sheet.
- 3). Prime the picnic table using a stain-blocking primer. Stain-blocking primers help prevent wood oils and other natural stains from seeping through the paint. If you don't prime the surface, you can expect paint staining in just a few months. Prime both the top and underside of the table. Picnic tables regularly feature slatted tabletops, so an airless spray gun is useful to get primer inside the tight slatted grooves. If the table is a solid piece, you can use a regular roller or paintbrush. Let the picnic table dry for at least 24 hours.
- 4). Paint the stained picnic table using exterior oil-base paint. Oil-base paint holds up better against weather damage than latex paint. An airless sprayer is good for slatted surfaces, or you can use paintbrushes and rollers for a solid tabletop. Paint all sides of the table. Even though nobody will see the underside, a coat of paint protects the underside from weather damage.
- 5). Apply a second coat of paint after two hours. Do not use the picnic table until the final coat has dried for a full 24 hours.
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