We are continuing to make progress in the Garagemahal. The painting is moving forward from 8:30 every night until @ 10:00 and then from 6:30 in the morning until 8:00. So far the end tables and china cabinet are painted and ready to distress, the drawers and doors on the large piece are done and Hubby is painting the cabinet tonight. During the heat of the day we have been out resale shopping for the new house. Look at the table I got for $20.00! Solid wood. This one is going to become a sofa table with some modifications.
Not much exciting here at the city house this weekend. We are continuing to get the house ready to put on the market so that means we are doing a ton of really boring stuff like redoing the caulk in the bathtub, replacing a torn screen, patching drywall in the garage, and cleaning the fireplace. All necessary stuff, but BORING. We did get out first thing in the morning to go to the Habitat for Humanity garage sale and a large neighborhood garage sale. More on that later, because I did make a purchase, and scored a fun curbside rescue that is going to make a great project piece. I also got started on the little sewing cabinet, but I don’t have it finished because my glaze and poly are at the Garagemahal.
Because I get asked several times a week how I learned to paint furniture and I know you really don’t care that we now have a new screen on the window, I figured now was a good time to share with you the tiny amount I know about painting furniture. When I get asked about painting furniture the answer is pretty simple. I make a lot of mistakes, I read a lot, I use You Tube I read blogs,and I make more mistakes.
First, I would direct you to Lowe’s Creative Ideas Magazine. I signed up for it at Lowe’s and I get the online version on my iPad.
I also check out books at the library from time to time, and we subscribe to Home Handyman magazine too.
I also recommend four e-books.
Three from Mandie at Altar’d Designs. She is an amazing local artist. Altar’d Design
Another e-book I recommend is from Jeff, a furniture restorer and all around great guy. Facelift Furniture
They all offer great insight and information into what works. Both have their own approach.
I actually type in exactly what I am looking for on You Tube and usually find a video that answers my question.
I check out Pinterest all the time. Want to know how to distress furniture? Type it in the search box and this is what you get:
At the request of a few friends I am going to sort of walk those of you not too board with this amateur’s attempt at furniture refinishing.
The supplies I use on solid wood furniture:
Liquid sand
Palm sander
Behr Interior Satin paint with primer
My favorite off white- Innocence
My favorite brown- Revival Mahogany
My favorite green- Happy Camper
Behr Faux Glaze
Purdy Paintbrushes
Foam Sanding Block
Rustoleum Polyacrylic
Old cotton t shirts for rags
Minwax stain
I love dark walnut
What I do:
Clean the furniture with water. No chemicals. If the piece is going to be stained, sand it down with the palm sander. If it is ornate or just going to be painted, I use liquid sand. Wipe on, keep using a clean area on the cotton rag.
Use good brushes to paint.
Apply the paint in multiple thin coats. Sand between coats if you see ridges in the dried paint.
Glaze- I use one cup paint to 1/4 cup paint. I use a charcoal color for black or my Revival Mahogany for brown tones.
Paint on, wait a minute then wipe off-with the grain of the wood using a cotton rag. Leave a little extra in the corners and ridges.
Stain the wood pieces. Wipe on the stain with a rag wait a minute then wipe off excess with a clean rag. Reapply when dry if you want something darker.
Polyacrylic the finished piece with several thin coats of poly. Sand lightly between coats.
