Tips to ensure that painted furniture doesn't lose its wooden charm

You're probably already thinking: but why should I paint wooden furniture when it's the wood that makes it valuable? Why hide the beauty of wood under a coat of paint? And by painting it I don't diminish its value? For the most part I have to agree with you. Indeed it is blasphemy to paint a beautiful walnut or a beautiful palindrome wood that looks like silk. The pattern, the grain, the colour, the sheen are elements that make the wood special and that we can lose if we cover it with paint. But there are times when painted furniture looks even better and no one will believe it's not made of wood. You can even make combinations by painting only part of the furniture, which makes the wood look even better. Let's see what these are.

Softwood furnitureis often dyed, but that doesn't mean it's not equally successful and appreciated. Softwood has knots and when there are too many of them, they can become distracting, especially on large furniture. The best option in this case is to partially stain the furniture. This breaks up the monotony and the unpainted part will stand out, emphasising that the furniture is made of wood.

This option is also often adopted in factories. The style is called country cottage and is very popular, especially for kitchen furniture because it has a very warm, friendly look. Most of the time a polyboard or countertop keeps the wood out of sight.

Total staining is also an option. If the wood is coated with a thin layer of paint, any imperfections are covered, and if a patina is also applied, its structure will be highlighted.

Another reason for choosing dyeing is because ofwood stains which for some is not acceptable. In factories, dyeing is one of the methods that saves a lot of hassle. Not always the stains that appear on wood are pleasant. Often they can be in the form of stains or appear as large differences in colour between components of the same piece of furniture. The paint will hide any defects and even out the appearance. If it is chosen to finish the furniture with various patinas or to paint it, then it will not only look like a piece of furniture painted to hide defects, but a special, special, even precious piece of furniture.

You can even paint only part of the furniture. This way the busy look is lessened and the uncovered wooden part will be even more interesting with those colour differences.

There are some species of wood that do not have the particular design, they aremonotonous. ÎIn addition, their staining is difficult, with all sorts of spots appearing due to uneven absorption. This is the case poplar and other rapidly growing essences. When stained, stains appear and a smoothing is needed which sometimes turns the appearance plastic. So a much better option is dyeing followed by patination. Such a finish on a furniture with a special design can turn a poplar furniture into a special one.

Most commonly, however, the furniture we have had for some time is painted and we want to make a change. At least that's the conclusion after the many messages I get from people who want to paint their old furniture themselves. Most of the questions are about how they can make the change without the risk of the new coating peeling off or how to make the furniture still look like wood. Here are some tips for those embarking on such an adventure:

• degrease the furniture first. Over time, no matter where it has been sitting, furniture gets covered in a layer of grease and grime. In addition, the use of special furniture cleaners has added a layer of wax over which nothing adheres (except dust🙂 ) Cleaning is best done with water and detergent, then wiped well and left to dry. The use of solvents is not recommended because it can soften the lacquer layers that the furniture has been finished with in the past;
• sand lightly before applying paint to increase grip. After sanding remove dust with a cloth;
• check before you start, on a hidden side, the compatibility between the new paint and the old coat. They may not "get along" and the final appearance may not be as desired. Water-based paints are best because they are compatible with almost anything. The chalky ones can even be used without sanding first;
• use do-it-yourself (DIY) products. They are specially formulated for easy home use without the special requirements of factory applications;
• don't give many thick layers, you will turn your furniture into a plastic object. Apply one, maximum 2 coats of paint. This is enough to cover the old coat. A thick coat, in addition to looking plastic, can crack over time;
• if the converted furniture is made of wood with pores, highlight them by applying patinas or coloured wax over the paint. Keep in mind the above advice because a thick layer can clog pores and lose the effect;

• if you have used patinas always apply a clear coat (wax or varnish) to fix and protect the appearance. If you use wax, be aware that it has no temperature resistance, so don't put hot objects on top. If the items will be used in the bathroom or kitchen use moisture resistant products;
• you don't need to completely paint a piece of furniture to change its appearance. Take the example of factories that make tables with painted frames but not tops, or chests of drawers and kitchen cabinets with unpainted poles. You can also use the method to transform a classically designed piece of furniture into a modern one, or to bring some colour into the home.

• if you are a fan of old-looking furniture, use successive layers of different colours for the change. Don't try your best to apply the coats perfectly, but don't apply the next coat until the first one is completely dry. Otherwise the paints will mix and the effect will be different. If you want the bottom coat to show through even better, sand the top coat away. The effect is called distressed;

• in the case of chest of drawers you can choose to paint only the frame, the drawers remain unchanged. It's a way to further highlight the design of beautiful wood.

Painted wooden furniture has its own special charm. If done well, it does not detract from the value of the wood, which continues to 'feel' under the paint. But it's true, it would be a shame to hide wood with a special design under the paint.