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Spray Painting
Spray Painting new Life into Old Furniture
One of the fastest ways to bring new life to an old piece of furniture is to paint it. As we have all probably learned over the years though, painting certain things with a brush just isn’t a good idea. It can leave uneven marks and show brush strokes which will really detract from the quality of your piece. While some folks are wary of it, spray painting can actually be a great way to achieve a clean and professional finish. If you’ve tried it in the past only to be met with frustrating runs, globs and splotches, try the following steps and spray your way to a brand new, factory quality finish on your beat up old furniture pieces. New life is only a spray away.
Before you even take the lid of off the can of spray paint, you need to make sure that the surface which you are painting is ready to accept the paint. This means that it needs to be clean of all dirt, grease, grime, food, etc. The best way to get it cleaned up is to use an all purpose household cleaner and a rag. Wipe the surface down well and then allow it to dry. Once you are confident that it’s clean, use a piece of steel wool to buff any remaining gloss off of the surface of the existing finish. This step will ensure that your new layers of paint are able to stick very well. Paint bonds to a dull finish much better than it does to a shiny one.
The actually painting process is where a lot of people end up making mistakes, and this is what can make your project look shoddy. You don’t want runs, drips or blobs of paint, so the key is to apply very thin coats. You should be able to see through the first coat after you apply it. If you feel like you might be putting on too much paint, then you definitely are. The key is to not get the nozzle of the spray can to close to the surface. Hold it about 12 inches away and start out using short bursts until you get comfortable with the amount of paint that is released by the nozzle. Remember, it is much easier to add more paint later than it is to remove paint once you’ve applied too much.
If you do apply to much, you will know very soon, as it will begin to run or to sag. If you see this problem developing you must address it immediately! Use your finger the smooth out the run. This will smear the work that you have done so far, but it’s easily covered up by additional thin coats. Remember, when spray painting, think thin!
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