Furniture painting, how to do it yourself and what you need for work

A good way to decorate, renew or give elements of the decor a certain style is furniture painting. From any, even the oldest interior items, you can create a unique work of art. Everything is limited only by imagination and a reserve of patience.

What furniture is best to use

Restrictions in the choice of subjects, of course, no. The main determinant of suitability is the material. To implement the plan, old furniture made of wood is better suited. This is precisely its value in relation to modern products made from particleboard and fiberboard. "Furniture from sawdust" is definitely not suitable.

A wooden surface is easier to work with. Old paint or varnish can be easily removed, various defects (chips, cracks) can be removed or left to give the effect of "aging". In addition, most drawing methods are designed specifically for wood. Any pattern or ornament looks good under a varnish on a wood texture. Suitable furniture covered with natural veneer. An example of this is an old cabinet or chest of drawers made of multi-layer veneered plywood. After removing the old varnish or paint, the surface is primed, painted in the required color and a drawing is applied.

But furniture from modern materials should not be deleted from the list. Facades from MDF, covered with acrylic, after some preparation can be painted in any style. Acrylic coating is a layer of paint polished after drying. This type of coating is often used in the manufacture of facades of kitchen sets.

Modern paints and varnishes allow you to apply them on top of various coatings. There are also paints designed for painting glass without special preparation.

Popular painting options

The most common option is a simple decorative painting of furniture. This is mainly the application of small elements, ornaments or repeating patterns. For a simple drawing, paint of the same color is used, and to simplify the process, templates or stencils for painting are used. This type of decoration is suitable for modern furniture. Gilding is widespread. This type of painting is typical for interiors in classical styles. Under gold decorate curly elements of furniture decoration.

A more complex option is art painting. This is quite painstaking work, all stages of the bark are performed manually, including the smallest details. The painting on the furniture can be in the form of a pattern or a small fragment, as well as a complex three-dimensional drawing. Authors work is especially appreciated.

A separate place is the manufacture of antique furniture. This also includes the restoration of old furniture. The work uses various painting techniques and styles. Surfaces and finishes are “aged” in various ways. Antiques are very popular among wealthy people and collectors. Usually this type of decoration is made to order.

Necessary tools and materials

Paint for coating

The final result depends on the choice of paint directly. The basis for the coating is a primer. It should be designed for woodwork. A primer based on acrylic does a good job.

For the top layer, any latex or acrylic paint is suitable. The surface is best made matte. Gloss does not always look good. A good option would be spray paint. This will apply it evenly.

Art paints

For painting on furniture, acrylic paints are often used. They are well suited for drawing various patterns. You can also use oil mixtures. Their traditional purpose is painting.

Lacquer

It acts as a protective coating. Perhaps the use of alkyd or acrylic varnish for furniture. Like paint, it can be matte or glossy. Drawing a layer of varnish on top of the picture is the final stage of work.

Brushes and paint roller

To apply a primer and coat of paint over a large area, a roller may be needed. A wide brush will help to cope with curly elements.

Paint brushes, pencil, paper and ruler

It is convenient to draw small patterns and lines with the help of thin art brushes. For acrylic paint, it is better to use brushes with synthetic nap. It will not stick together. Oil paint will require a brush with a natural pile.

A simple pencil, paper and ruler are useful for creating sketches and marking the surface under the picture. In addition, you may need to make patterns or stencils for painting.

Surface preparation tool

You can clean furniture from old varnish or paint by sanding it with sandpaper. It will require "sandpaper" of different grain sizes for a more thorough surface treatment. In some places, the old coating will have to be removed with a spatula.

You can remove some types of varnish or paint from old furniture using special chemicals. You can find them at any hardware store.

To remove dust should be stocked with rags. Brush with a long and hard pile will help to remove dirt from crevices and other inaccessible places.

How to create a design and realize an idea

Do-it-yourself furniture painting is a long and painstaking work. The process can take a long time. Sometimes it takes more than one day or even a week. It is especially difficult if there is no experience in such a matter, it does not matter, we paint old furniture or give a new look to modern objects.

For beginners, some tips are not superfluous:

Any work begins with a sketch or sketch. You can develop a design yourself or borrow the idea of painting furniture from photos on the Internet. In any case, it will be easier to transfer the drawing from paper than to invent everything on the go;
In the absence of experience, do not immediately take on a large amount of work. To get started, write a small object;
If there is an opportunity to sort furniture - do it. It is much easier to work with individual parts;
Free space. There should be enough space for work. It is possible that the furniture will have to be rotated, tilted or moved;
Do not neglect the quality of surface preparation. Sanding defects can ruin the look of even a very talented painting. Dust and fine particles produce the same result;
Primer is a must for painting or painting. On a surface covered with soil it is easier to work;
Each layer of soil, paint or painting requires careful drying. Minimum - a day for each layer.

The process of implementing an idea consists of several stages. The first of them is preparation for priming and painting. The classic version with old wooden furniture involves removing the paintwork. To do this, you need sandpaper of large and medium grain size or a special chemical agent - washing and spatula.

After cleaning from varnish and paint, the surface must be sanded with fine “sandpaper”. This will get rid of excessive roughness and small scratches. If the furniture has large chips and cracks, they are putty and sanded;
The next step is applying the primer. This is done with a brush or roller. Drops and sagging should be avoided. In an extreme case, you can get rid of them using a sponge, or wait for the layer to dry and sand it with sandpaper;
This is followed by painting. The paint is applied in two or three thin layers. The result should be a smooth and even surface. After drying, you can proceed to the most interesting, but no less laborious stage - drawing;
Painted furniture is not necessarily an antique wardrobe or chest of drawers covered with patterns on all sides. More often it is a small pattern or a repeating pattern. To apply the same patterns, use a stencil or template. It can be simple stencils of butterflies, small patterns or large patterns with a complex pattern.

There is more than one way to print on furniture. Hand painting is especially appreciated. The highest skill can be considered painting. Combining various painting methods and techniques, it is possible to create truly unique things:

Those who do not own the brush can use the decoupage technique. This method is usually used on small pieces of furniture, but you can decorate and large surfaces;
The final stage of the work is coating the painting with transparent varnish. It is advisable to apply several layers. This will save the picture from accidental damage and will make it possible to wipe or wash furniture.

The art of painting makes any item unique. You can paint furniture using any traditional or modern trend. The painting of furniture in the Russian style is very popular: Khokhloma, Zhostovo, Mezenskaya. Each of them is unique in its own way. And of course, nothing prevents you from creating your own, no less unique style.