How to Repaint a Wooden Piece of Furniture: Preparation and a Successful Finish

Repainting a wooden piece of furniture is one of the most rewarding DIY projects: it turns a dated or scratched piece into a like-new one, for a fraction of the price of buying. But the secret of a paint that lasts without flaking does not lie in the colour chosen: it lies in the preparation. Sanding, dusting, priming and finishing are the four pillars of a successful renovation. Here is the complete method.

Assessing the condition of the furniture and choosing the technique

Before getting out the paint, examine your piece of furniture. Raw or already painted furniture can be repainted directly after a light sanding. Waxed or varnished furniture needs an extra step: you must remove the wax or strip it, otherwise the paint does not adhere and flakes within weeks. To know whether the furniture is waxed, discreetly scratch a hidden spot: if a white deposit forms under your fingernail, it is wax. Allow a good sanding or a paste stripping before painting.

The materials you need

• Abrasive paper grit 120, 180 and 240, or an orbital sander for the large surfaces
• Fine steel wool or an abrasive sponge for the finishes
• Lint-free, dusting cloth (or white spirit to degrease)
• Primer (primer coat) suited to the substrate: raw or old wood
• Acrylic or alkyd paint: about 0.5 litre for 5 m² in two coats
• Flat bristle brush for alkyd, synthetic for acrylic, lacquer roller for the panels
• Stripping product (paste or liquid) if the furniture is varnished or waxed

Preparing the furniture: sanding, degreasing, dusting

1. Degrease the furniture with a sponge and soapy water, then rinse and let dry
2. Sand the surfaces with grit 120 to break the sheen and key the paint, following the grain of the wood
3. On waxed or varnished furniture, apply a stripper according to the manufacturer's instructions, scrape with a spatula then sand
4. Dust carefully with a microfiber cloth or vacuum cleaner: perfect sanding on a dusty piece of furniture is pointless
5. Fill the holes and cracks with wood filler, then sand with grit 180

Sanding has two aims: de-glossing the surface to give the paint grip, and smoothing the wood for a clean finish. Always sand in the direction of the grain, never across it, at the risk of marking the surface. On the mouldings and grooves, use a sanding block or folded paper to reach the hollows.

Applying the primer: the step that makes the paint last

The primer is non-negotiable on a piece of furniture. It evens out the absorption of the wood, seals the pores and creates a bonding layer on which the paint adheres firmly. Apply it in a thin coat with a brush or roller, focusing on the edges and corners. Let it dry according to the instructions (generally 3 to 4 hours for an acrylic), then sand lightly with grit 240 to remove any runs and dust off. You are ready for the paint.

Primer or not? The simple test

If in doubt: on raw wood, an acrylic primer is ideal. On an old piece painted in a dark colour, choose a covering (white) primer so the shade does not show through. On laminate or veneered furniture, apply a specific adhesion primer, otherwise the paint will refuse to stick.

Painting: two thin coats rather than one thick one

1. Paint the mouldings and the recesses with the brush first, then the large surfaces with the lacquer roller
2. Apply the first thin coat, crossing the passes and smoothing in the direction of the grain
3. Let dry for 6 to 8 hours for an acrylic (24 h for an alkyd), then sand very lightly with grit 240
4. Dust off and apply the second coat in the same order, without overloading the roller
5. Check at complete drying (24 to 48 h): if the base shows through in places, apply a third coat only on those areas

The finishes: matt, satin or gloss

• Matt paint: contemporary, sober effect, hides small irregularities well
• Satin paint: the ideal compromise, hard-wearing and washable, recommended for kitchen furniture
• Gloss paint: very hard-wearing and easy to clean, but it reveals every surface flaw
• Varnish finish on top: a coat of clear matt varnish protects the paint from scratches on heavily used furniture

The mistakes to avoid

• Skipping the wax removal on waxed furniture: the paint flakes off in patches within weeks
• Overloading the roller or brush: runs that leave visible ridges
• Painting without a primer on raw wood: the wood absorbs the paint unevenly and the result is blotchy
• Sanding against the grain and leaving scratches
• Reassembling the furniture before complete drying, which sticks the doors and drawers

Drying, reassembly and maintenance

Let the furniture dry for 24 hours minimum, ideally 48 hours before refitting the doors and drawers, handling the pieces by the edges so as not to mark the faces. Retighten the hardware without forcing so as not to split the wood. For maintenance, a slightly damp cloth is enough; avoid abrasive sponges and solvents. By following these steps — degreasing, sanding, priming and two thin coats — your repainted furniture keeps a beautiful appearance for years, and you can reuse the same method for your whole range of furniture.