Furniture is expensive, and when you want to redo your home, you may find there isn’t room for new furniture in the budget. Instead of purchasing new furniture, consider giving one of your old pieces a makeover with paint instead.
Giving your old furniture a fresh coat of paint is easy as long as you take the time to prepare the wood properly and purchase the correct supplies. You have to apply primer, paint, and sealant to get a nice-looking finished product, but when done correctly, the results are amazing.
Let’s look at the supplies you need as well as the proper method for painting your furniture. We’ll also discuss common mistakes people make when painting.
Can You Paint Any Type of Wood?
Before you begin adding a new coat to your furniture, it’s important to know whether or not you can paint your wood furniture. The good news is, you can paint any type of wood furniture.
This means you can redo those old chairs in the corner or give your wooden bed frame a new coat of paint, even if they are completely different types of wood. The only thing to keep in mind is that if a wood already has a nice finish on it, you will need to remove that finish in order for the paint to properly adhere.
Supplies You’ll Need

Painting wood furniture requires a solid list of supplies. Some of these are only required for certain types of furniture. Either way, it’s best to have all of the following on hand before you begin to ensure you can finish the job right.
- Sandpaper or an electric sander (on Amazon)
- Tack cloth
- A primer
- Paint
- Paintbrushes (at least 3)
- Drop cloth
- Gloss or protective finish
- Gloves
- Eye protection
- Face mask
- Masking tape
- Screwdriver (if there are knobs or hinges to remove)
Hopefully, you will have some of these things around your home already. Some of the personal protective items aren’t necessary if you’re painting your furniture outside rather than inside.
Choosing Your Paint
Beyond purchasing the supplies for painting your furniture, you will also need to take a little time to decide what type of paint to use. There are three major paint types on the market that people usually choose when painting furniture.
Matte
Matte is a paint style where there is no sheen or shine on the finished product. This is currently in style and can do an amazing job of dimming a bright color just enough to make it classy.
Matte paints are known for their timeless looks, so if you aren’t wanting to paint your furniture again when the styles change, a matte paint (on Amazon) is a good place to start. The best part is you can add a gloss (on Amazon) or satin finish (also on Amazon) to a matte paint to make it long-lasting.
Glossy
Glossy paint is one that will give you a slight reflection when it dries. While it is beautiful and easy to clean, it isn’t as trendy. But if you are looking for a more retro look, glossy paint can be the way to go.
The problem with glossy paint (on Amazon) is that you can’t play with the results as much as you can a matte paint. While matte paint can be changed based on the finish you choose, with glossy, you’ll have to do a basic sealant and call it a day.
Chalk Paint
For those who want to go old-fashioned or country farmhouse charm, then chalk paint is what you’re looking for. Chalk paint is the only paint on the list that can be properly distressed to embody the farmhouse vibe.
Chalk paint does require a little experience, however. If this is your first time painting furniture, know that matte paint is much more forgiving in the long run and can even have the same look as chalk paint (on Amazon).
How to Prep Your Furniture for Painting
The number one way to ensure your furniture painting project turns out the way you envision is to take the time to properly prepare your furniture. Here’s how:
Step 1: Clean the Furniture
The last thing you want to do is paint over dust, grime, or dirt clinging to your furniture. Take a damp rag and lightly scrub away any dirt or grime.
Step 2: Remove Hardware
If your furniture has any knobs or hinges, these need to be removed before painting. If they can’t be removed, they need to be covered with masking tape (on Amazon).
Step 3: Sand Your Furniture

Wood soaks up paint best when it is bare and the wood grains are exposed. Take sandpaper or a sander, and remove any paint or finish currently on your wood. Use tack cloth (on Amazon) to remove the wood dust that this will produce.
Step 4: Prime
Use a primer (on Amazon) to prepare the wood for a coat of paint. For best results, brush on a thin layer of primer and allow it to dry completely before you apply the paint.
How to Paint Wood Furniture
Once you’ve prepared your furniture for painting by cleaning, sanding, and priming it, it’s time to follow these steps to paint your furniture.
Step 1: Protect Your Area
Whether you are painting indoors or outdoors, take a moment to put down a drop cloth. Rogue paint will ruin your floors and can kill vegetation.
Step 2: Protect Yourself
Paint fumes can be strong and cause you to feel lightheaded. Put on gloves and a breathing mask so you won’t feel ill while you are painting.
Step 3: Paint
Your wood should be properly prepared already, but if it isn’t, take the time to do so before you dip your brush in the paint and begin painting.
Step 4: Repeat
Allow the paint to dry for an hour or two, then come back to look at it. If it isn’t the color you want, put on another coat, or maybe two. Once you have the color you desire, move on.
Step 5: Seal
Painted furniture that isn’t sealed will chip and fade quickly. Protect your investment by taking the time to seal your project once the paint has dried. Then allow it to sit for a full 24 hours before you move it.
Step 6: Put Your Furniture Together
If you took your furniture apart for this project or removed any knobs, once the sealant is dry, you can put it back together, and you are done!
Mistakes to Avoid
Painting your own furniture is a big deal, and there are many mistakes you can make along the way. Below are the most common mistakes so you can avoid them.
Rushing
Do not rush. You need to give your project time to dry between the primer, paint, and sealant, otherwise, it won’t look nice. You should also take your time while painting.
Not Sanding Before You Begin
Sanding is the most crucial step of painting furniture, and if you skip it, your project likely won’t turn out. Paint doesn’t adhere well to paint or sealant, so you need to sand to remove this layer before you begin.
Painting Thick Coats
While it might seem like a good idea to apply paint in thick globs, this will actually ruin your finished project because the paint won’t look smooth. Apply thin coats and allow them to dry between each one to get a professionally painted look.
Skipping Primer
Primer might seem like an easy skip, but without it, your wood will soak up gallons of paint. Using a primer will actually save you money in the long run as it properly prepares your wood and keeps it from absorbing a whole can of paint!
Skipping Sealant
After a sanding session, primer, and three layers of paint, you might feel like you should just skip the sealant. Don’t do this because if you do, your paint will chip off or get scratched within a few months. Sealant is truly the only way to protect your hard word for the long term.
Overall, it is quite easy to give your wood furniture a makeover with a fresh coat of paint. The trick is you have to do all of the steps and be patient while each layer dries. If you can manage this, then you will be left with an amazing piece of furniture that looks almost brand new.