Furniture Makeover Tips!

You all know how much I love to take a discarded furniture piece and give it a great furniture makeover.  Well, I have Furniture Makeover Tips from my favorite ladies who do some pretty incredible furniture makeovers.  I have rounded up the best and here is their tips and favorite products that they are loving.

These ladies are my favorites and they are so talented in more ways than just furniture makeovers.  In no particular order, here are their tips: 

 

Nancy’s tips:   #1 tip, use light, even strokes for a smooth finish.   #2 tip, Always clean your piece very well before starting.  #3 tip, Use small wood blocks to lift your piece off the ground for an easier painting of legs.   Nancy’s Favorite Tools:  A high-quality brush, Chalk Paintbrush and angled Purdy.  Nancy’s “Crushing-On” Product: Amy Howard Dust of Ages.

 

Kathy’s Tips:   #1 tip for painting furniture? Remove the drawer pulls before painting and apply painters tape over the hole on the inside of the drawer so paint doesn’t leak into the drawer. tip 2  Number the drawers when you remove them from the chest or dresser. They usually fit best in one spot! Also number doors on cabinets. tip 3 Use a good quality brush. I like using chalk paint brushes for latex paint too. Less brush strokes when the paint is dry.  Kathy’s favorite tool:  For hard to paint furniture like bookcases and table chairs I have to use the HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer. For furniture a good brush….not a roller.  Kathy’s “Crushing-On Product”: The layering block from FolkArt! It’s my new favorite for getting a two-tone distressed paint finish. No sanding required the “distressing” is accomplished by using the layering block to apply paint to the edges and details of the furniture piece. No mess, no fuss, and it really looks like a distressed paint finish.

Larissa’s Tips:  #1 tip: Preparation. It’s all about getting the piece you’re working on ready whether it be sanding or even something as simple as making sure drawers and hardware are working properly. Making sure a piece is correctly prepared makes all the difference in the finish.  Larissa’s Favorite Tools: I am absolutely picky about my paint brush to the point that I always take it out of the packaging and feel the bristles for flex and thickness. I learned while on a paint crew how that one tool can make or break your project and effects the wear and tear on your body. Outside of my brush is my HomeRight Finish Max sprayer.  Larissa’s “Crushing-On” Product: My favorite go-to paint is a typical latex made by Glidden that you can find at most home improvement stores. There is no need to break the bank on expensive chalk(y) paints when you can get the same effect (and a gallon of paint) instead of a quart for the same price.

 

Marian’s Tips:  #1 tip, Use a quality brush!  It really does make a difference in the neatness of the finished paint.  #2 tip, Take a few minutes to lightly sand the piece.  I know we all want to get right to the fun stuff, but the paint will adhere better if the surface is roughed up a little bit.  #3 tip, Don’t paint the interior top or sides of drawers.  Just a thin layer of paint can make it so the drawers stick.  #4 tip, If you’re new to furniture painting, start with a free or cheap piece of furniture that you can feel free to experiment on.  It’s a learning process and you don’t want to learn on a family heirloom!   Marian’s favorite tool:  A quality 2 1/2 angled and tapered sash brush with synthetic bristles.  It’s just the best for cutting in.  Marian’s “Crushing-On” Product:  I am definitely biased, but I am loving the new Matte Tough Coat in my line of paint.  It’s hard to not crush on my own products since I designed them to be just what I want!  It is a great way to seal chippy paint or any paint, really.  It’s self-leveling, non-yellowing and has the softest matte finish that looks good on a variety of furniture stylesI 

Karin’s Tips: #1 tip for painting furniture. Let the furniture SPEAK to you. It’s so easy to slap a coat of paint on something and it’s made over, but to really make a piece POP, sometimes the piece has to lead you in the direction. (I know that sounds like a hippy dippy answer, but if you have ever FOUGHT a piece of furniture you will know what I mean) It is like fighting with a toddler over what color sippy cup is best LOL!  Karin’s Favorite Tool:  My buffing brush that fits into my cordless drill. It has saved me so much time.  Karin’s “Crushing-On” Product:  NON-waxing mineral paint. Pure and Original and Cari Cucksey’s paint can both be buffed without wax and turn out fabulous

 

 

 

 

 

Christy’s Tips:  My painting tip for furniture would be to start at the bottom and work your way up. Start with the legs and paint the table top, dresser top, etc last so that part will be picture perfect since that is the surface people will notice the most.  Christy’s Favorite Tools:  #1: My Favorite can’t live without painting tool would have to be my Purdy brushes. I have several, and just love how soft they are and how smooth they make the paint glide on.  #2: This one might be strange and it’s not really a painting tool, but when I am painting a larger piece of furniture, I can’t live without my rolling stool. It’s hard to stand the whole time, so being able to paint comfortably makes it so much easier.  Christy’s “Crushing-On” Products:  I am a creature of habit, so sorry to say I don’t step out of my comfy little box very much when it comes to trying out new products. If you’re into spray paint, though, which I do like for smaller things, I am loving the Rust-oleum Universal Advanced Formula spray paint line. They have a nozzle that sprays more like a paint sprayer for awesome coverage. 

 

Wendi’s Tips:   #1.  As much as the furniture paint companies say that prepping isn’t necessary, I believe properly prepping makes a huge difference on how well a painted piece turns out.  #2. Using quality paints and supplies.  Good quality paints and brushes make a finish much more professional. I think the colors are better with more depth and the finished project speaks quality.  Wendi’s Favorite Tool: A quality 44-inchfoam roller, it’s great for smooth surfaces.  My favorite is the one Benjamin Moore carries.  They hold just enough paint to give a good coverage, and are soft enough so I don’t have to push down hard and that gives a much smoother and even coat.   Wendi’s “Crushing-On” Product:  I’m loving the Amy Howard line of paint products. Specifically the layering of the products that mimics aged patina.  I’m using a lot of her The Dust Of The Ages. it instantly adds dimension to a painted item.   

 

My Tips:  #1 tip,Furniture prep is the key to a long lasting furniture paint job.  Lightly sand down all furniture pieces, this allows for better paint adhesion and cleans the pieces thoroughly.  #2 tip, Try new techniques on a sample board before attempting on a piece of furniture, this will save time and frustration if the new technique does not turn out correctly.  My Favorite Tools:  A good quality paint brush, I love the Purdy 2-inch cub brush.  My “Crushing-On” Product:  I love using embossing cream on furniture pieces.  You can turn any piece of furniture into a carved beauty, like the piece above.    

Make sure you visit all of these sites(just click on the images) as you will find some pretty great inspirations from all of them and not just furniture!  

Thanks for sharing ladies!