Furniture that might otherwise go unnoticed can be given new life by giving an old varnished cabinet a makeover. Painting is an easy way to give the cabinet a new look, whether you’ve discovered a hidden gem at a thrift store or want to update a family heirloom.
A dated cabinet can be transformed into something that fits your style with a little planning and the right materials. It’s not as difficult as it sounds, and after following a few easy steps, you’ll have a gorgeous, personalized piece that looks great in your house.
To guarantee the success of your cabinet makeover, this guide will take you step-by-step through every step, from sanding down the old varnish to applying the final coat of paint.
| Step | Description |
| 1 | Clean the cabinet thoroughly to remove dust and grime. |
| 2 | Sand the varnished surface lightly to create a rough texture. |
| 3 | Apply a primer to help the paint adhere better. |
| 4 | Let the primer dry completely before painting. |
| 5 | Paint the cabinet with your chosen color, using even strokes. |
| 6 | Allow the paint to dry, then apply a second coat if needed. |
| 7 | Seal the painted surface with a clear protective finish. |
An old varnished cabinet can look completely new by painting it, and it’s not as hard as you might think to do. Without hiring an expert, you can makeover your cabinet with the right preparation, which includes careful sanding and paint selection. From removing the old varnish to applying the final coat, this guide will walk you through every step, guaranteeing a stunning and long-lasting finish that gives your furniture a new lease on life.
- How to prepare a product for painting
- What kind of paint is used for the cabinet
- How to re-prime a cabinet
- How to paint a cabinet
- How to age a closet
- Video on the topic
- STYLISH REMAKE OF A SOVIET CUPBOARD / REMAKE OF OLD FURNITURE / how to remake an old dresser
- REMAKE OF OLD FURNITURE.REPAINTING A GDR POLISHED CABINET.WOOD CARVING?EASY!!!
- Painting POLISHED FURNITURE
How to prepare a product for painting
Advice: You can make any cabinet that has peeling paint stunning and eye-catching. As a result, you should paint old models rather than discarding them.
Characteristics of antique furniture:
- It has better quality.
- Natural materials are used for its production.
- Furniture items are more reliable and durable.
Various materials can be used to make cabinets:
- From wood.
- From chipboard. Such material absorbs less moisture than wood. Therefore, chipboard will take longer to dry, it is much easier to create the desired color on it, a thinner layer of primer is used, compared to wooden products.
Furniture must be ready for painting by doing the following:
- Remove all removable elements:
- handles;
- hinges;
- drawers;
- doors.
You ought to have a perfectly clean cabinet frame as a consequence.
Recommendation: When painting or preparing furniture, work should be done in a clean, well-ventilated space; outside is preferable when there is no wind.
Before beginning the painting process, you must:
- Sandpaper of different grain sizes.
- Flat brush.
- Sponge or rag.
Next, get the surfaces ready for paint:
- Use a sponge or rag to remove all dust and dirt from the cabinet.
- Remnants of old paint and varnish are removed with sandpaper (see. How to remove varnish from wood: methods of performing work). The process is carried out in circular, sweeping movements.
- First, use coarse-grained sandpaper.
- The cabinet is completely cleaned of any irregularities, varnish and paint residues. This will enable the new coating to go to the surface smoothly and smoothly.
Suggestion: Be careful not to remove the veneer layer when sanding the surface. If not, you’ll need to sand the surface again to get rid of any holes and unevenness.
- After processing the cabinet with coarse-grained sandpaper, the surfaces are swept off dust with a flat brush.
Advice: A rag will not be sufficient to remove dust from a cabinet or chest of drawers. As a result, you won’t be able to get rid of it entirely, but you risk clogging the residual dust into the surface, which will lower the quality of the cabinet paint job.
- Places not treated with coarse-grained sandpaper are treated with paper with small grains.
- The cabinet is swept again with a brush to remove dust.
- The room in which the work is carried out is thoroughly cleaned, cleaned of dust. A dusty room will worsen the quality of painting.
What kind of paint is used for the cabinet
Acrylic paints should be preferred over all other types of paint.
- Bright color.
- Has virtually no smell.
- It is quite easy to dilute with water to get the desired color.
- This paint is fairly easy to wash off, which allows you to correct mistakes when applying the coating.
- Water evaporates after the paint dries, and the coating becomes more durable.
The cabinet does not have to be painted in a single hue.
In this instance, you could try experimenting with using two colors:
- Beige for the base.
- For details – a brighter color.
You can use white acrylic paint and add the desired color to it if you’d like to go with a different shade or color. You can test the shade’s appearance on a small section of the furniture before deciding on it. As a result, the ideal color is chosen based on its saturation.
How to re-prime a cabinet
Reprime the surfaces of a cabinet before painting it with care using your own hands.
- The primer will prevent the surfaces from absorbing moisture, which will contribute to high-quality drying.
- The desired color will not be lost. After applying paint to the surface without a primer, after drying, the color may change slightly, due to the absorption of part of it into the material.
The best primer to use is one with an acrylic base. This primer’s ingredients work well with the chosen acrylic paint. The directions for using the acrylic primer will assist with treating the surface in a straightforward manner.
When employing a primer:
- It must dry completely.
- It is necessary to make correct calculations of the surface areas to be treated, which will allow you to purchase the required volume of material.
- The cabinet is primed with a roller, in a fairly thin layer.
- The cabinet is left to dry completely.
How to paint a cabinet
Prior to painting a previously varnished cabinet again, you will need to buy the following supplies:
The owner’s preferences and abilities should be considered when selecting a tool, but using a brush is more practical. The latter is easier to use and more dependable.
- The paint is applied over the entire surface in an even, uniform layer.
- It can be used to conveniently paint hard-to-reach places.
Advice: Only premium tools should be chosen when selecting brushes and rollers for painting. If not, the surface to be painted will have brush fluff that comes from a subpar brush. Selecting brushes with varying sizes will facilitate the task at hand.
The following technologies are used in cabinet painting:
- The first layer is applied with paint of a lighter color than the selected one.
- Its composition should be liquid.
- When hardening, the paint is diluted with water.
- The surface can acquire a different color, which depends on the number of layers applied:
- with one thin layer, the structure of the wood is visible, this is well suited for the Provence style;
- a thicker layer is obtained after applying several layers of paint.
- Each layer is applied only after the previous one has dried.
- In this case, strokes are applied only in one direction, then you get a uniform color and original structure.
Advice: To keep colors from blending when using two or more colors, seal the borders between them with masking tape.
- After a few days, a thin layer of matte transparent varnish is applied to the cabinet. It will better protect the painted surface from possible damage.
- After the varnish has dried, all previously removed parts are attached to the cabinet.
This means that, as this article’s video demonstrates, you can turn an old wardrobe into a stylish and unique piece of furniture.
How to age a closet
An old cabinet can be painted to give it a completely featureless appearance and be used as a garage or balcony piece of freshly painted furniture. However, it can also turn into a chic rarity that transports you back in time and serves as an authentic interior decoration.
Advice: When painting, only use matte shades. Gloss is utterly inappropriate for creating an antique effect.
The surface of the cabinet is primed with a specific primer before painting it to resemble an antique. This will stop wood oils from soaking into the finished surface and improve the paint’s adherence to the wooden base.
You’ll need the following equipment to finish the job:
- Good quality brushes of different sizes.
- Roller.
- Foam rubber.
- Aerosol.
Application technology for coatings:
- Painting begins on an inconspicuous side of the cabinet, which will allow you to get your hand in and determine how much paint to take on a brush or roller, and, if necessary, change the shade of the paint.
- The front wall of the cabinet is painted.
- A second layer is applied, after the first has dried, after about three hours.
The surface can be "aged" in a few ways:
- "Wrapping" or "scraping". To do this:
- paint is applied;
- the coating dries;
- rub with sandpaper the places where furniture wears out, for example, on the handles, in the corners. You can rub down to the primer or to the wood.
- “The effect of the old coating showing through”. In this case, the product is painted in two layers: paint of a different color is applied with a dry brush in the required places. The movements should be light, almost airy. This technique is called “dry brushing”.
- “The effect of a dirty surface from time”. This effect can be achieved by unevenly coating dark wax in places where human hands touch the cabinet.
- An original and attractive technique is to apply several layers of paint, one on top of the other. For example:
- green paint is applied to a cleaned and pre-primed surface;
- the next layer is bronze or gold;
- the final layer is also green.
Use coarse sandpaper to clean the cabinet’s surface once the paint has dried. One paint should be able to be seen through the other in this instance. A finer sandpaper is then used to wipe the surface.
The surface is then treated with a thin layer of water-diluted whitewash after a specific outcome is achieved. Applying a craquelure varnish to the cabinet is the last step.
You can breathe new life into an old varnished cabinet by using these steps. At first, the process might seem overwhelming, but with the correct resources and a little perseverance, it can be handled. A smooth and long-lasting finish can be achieved by carefully preparing the surface, selecting the paint, and applying it.
Recall that the joy of doing a hand-crafted furniture makeover is well worth the effort. By doing it yourself, you’ll not only save money but also have the chance to perfectly customize the cabinet to match the decor of your home and your style.
The outcome will undoubtedly be a special and unique addition to your space, whether you’re revitalizing a piece you found at a thrift store or giving new life to a priceless family heirloom. Have fun during the process and be proud of the changes you’ve made.
