Choosing the Best Paint for Furniture
July 25, 2023Painting furniture can be an inexpensive and easy way to transform outdated pieces or give newer ones an instant classic appeal, but not all paint products offer equal results.
Your choice of paint will dictate both its prep work requirements and its long-term durability. The ideal finish for furniture should dry quickly while providing sufficient coverage.
No-sand paints
Painting furniture can be one of the most fulfilling DIY projects, whether it’s saving a thrift-store find or revitalizing an unwanted piece from the curbside. But choosing the appropriate color paint is paramount to its success!
No-sand paints are designed to adhere to various furniture surfaces without priming or sanding, providing a quick and simple way of creating classic or eclectic looks with its clean finish.
Rust-Oleum Spray Paint is easy to apply and leaves an even coat on different surfaces such as plastic. Available in an array of colors and finishes – matte, eggshell or semi-gloss finishes – it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, making this the ideal choice when selecting high traffic furniture paint options. Washable with soapy water after each scrubbing session ensures lasting beauty!
Chalk-based paints
If you want to give an old piece of furniture new life, adding a fresh coat of paint may help give it that fresh start it needs. Unfortunately, clearing space and sanding an older item are both tedious processes; luckily there are numerous no-sanding furniture paints on the market which will save both time and effort!
Chalk paint, a water-based product, can be applied to most surfaces without priming or sanding; its fast drying time makes it perfect for covering existing finishes such as oil-based and latex paints. Furthermore, chalk emits minimal VOCs while offering a range of colors from pure white to soft pastel hues like powder blue.
Annie Sloan chalky paint is a favorite among DIYers and those refurbishing and refinishing furniture. Available in 32 colors, Annie Sloan chalky paint can be sanded or layered for an eclectic feel, as well as being offered as part of Retique It chalk finish product kits that contain your preferred shade plus topcoat polycrylic, brushes and more!
Oil-based paints
Furniture paint options vary significantly when it comes to your choice. There are chalk, latex, two types of milk and oil-based options – each offering their own set of advantages and disadvantages that should fit within any given furniture painting project and budget.
Oil-based paints (also called alkyd paints) offer the toughest finish available. Their porous surface saturation creates a hard finish without visible brushstrokes or flaws; however, these more expensive varieties emit lots of VOCs, necessitating proper ventilation when using them.
Modern water-based oil paints that reduce VOC levels while still offering superior durability have emerged, with Benjamin Moore’s Advance waterborne alkyd-hybrid paint being one such product. It offers all of the same benefits of traditional oil paints without yellowing and settles very well, though more prep work may be required; plus there’s no top coat needed!
Water-based paints
Water-based paint can give your furniture an entirely different appearance, offering many colors and textures to choose from. Fabricoat Dark Fabric Paint, for instance, can restore faded upholstery or hide stains without altering its texture.
Country Chic All In One Decor Paint is another fantastic choice, providing both primer and top coat in one convenient formula that dries quickly with low VOC emissions.
Milk paint and acrylic/alkyd enamel hybrid paints offer additional opportunities for upcycling furniture, being typically more durable than latex and easily distressed by sanding down to create distressed effects. But, you might still require protective clear coat to seal in all these lovely hues – Wise Owl One Hour Enamel offers fast drying times while remaining abrasion resistant in a range of colors available in flat, satin and semi-gloss finishes – another option worth considering is Wise Owl’s One Hour Enamel available in flat, satin and semi-gloss finishes to get that worn look you desire if desired!
