Don’t Be Fooled: It Isn’t Just Painting Furniture
- Thin Line 29
- Nov 9
- 3 min read
Every now and then I’ll hear someone say something like, “Oh, you paint furniture? That seems fun and easy.” And I get it — the internet is full of quick before-and-after clips where a worn dresser magically becomes stylish in 12 seconds.
But let’s be honest: it isn’t just painting furniture.
A proper refurbish is not about slapping on a coat of paint and calling it a day. If you’ve ever actually done it, you know there’s a process — a real process — and it’s the difference between a piece that looks good for a week and a piece that looks good for years.
So let’s walk through what really goes into bringing an old piece back to life.
1. Finding the Right Piece
Half the battle is in the hunt.
You’re looking for:
Solid wood
Good structure
Dovetail drawers
Clean lines or beautiful curves
Potential — not perfection
Not every dresser on Marketplace is worth the effort. Some simply aren’t built to last, and no amount of paint is going to change cheap material.
2. Inspecting and Repairing
Before you even think about paint:
Drawers might need sanding so they glide right.
Tracks may need replacing.
Hardware may need deep cleaning or polishing.
Veneer might be chipped and need repairing.
Sometimes the top isn’t level and needs flattening.
This part is quiet, slow, and usually takes longer than anyone expects. But when you skip it, the piece feels cheap, even if it looks good.
3. Cleaning (More Than You Think)
Old furniture holds:
Wax
Polish
Pledge build-up
Grease
Nicotine
And the occasional mystery residue from 1984
If you don’t remove all of that? Your paint won’t bond, your finish won’t cure right, and you’ll end up frustrated.
A good deep clean usually takes longer than the painting itself. And one good cleaning is not enough. You'll clean it multiple times especially after you sand.
4. Sanding
Not everything needs to be sanded to bare wood — but certain areas do.
The goal:
Smooth surfaces
Remove old finishes where needed
Give the paint something to grip
Prep for stain if you’re keeping natural wood elements
Sanding is dusty, time-consuming, and not glamorous. But it’s where the piece starts to wake up.
5. Priming (When It’s Needed)
Priming isn’t about color. It’s about control:
Stain bleed-through prevention
Tannin blocking
Adhesion
Surface uniformity
When someone says “I didn’t use primer and it was fine” — they were lucky. Or the piece wasn’t a bleeder. Or they haven’t seen what happens after the furniture sits in a warm room for 30 days.
The better question is: Do you want it to last?
6. Painting — The Part Everyone Notices
Once you get here, the paint almost feels like the reward.
But technique matters:
Direction of strokes
Thin, even coats
Dry time
Temperature and humidity
Not overworking the paint
This is where people think the magic happens. Truth is, this part is only as good as the groundwork you did before it.
7. Topcoat and Curing
If you want durability, you need a finish that can withstand:
Coffee mugs
Kids’ hands
Keys thrown down
Real life
Topcoat is what separates “painted furniture” from refinished furniture.
Then comes curing — the slow, patient part nobody sees.
8. Staging
This is what gets your piece noticed — or scrolled past.
Lighting, décor placement, angle, backdrop. It matters. This is where you help someone imagine the piece in their home.
The Difference is in the Care
Anyone can paint furniture. But refinishing takes patience, discipline, and an eye for detail.
It’s not rushing. It’s not cutting corners. It’s not fast.
It’s respect — for the piece, the wood, and the craft.
So the next time someone says, “That looks easy,” just smile.
If they know, they know.
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