Got the do-it-yourself itch but little time or cash to spare? Look around at the furniture you already have. Some of it probably could use a refreshing coat of paint. In fact, a new color may put the "wow" back into a room.
Too timid? Don't be.
"Everyone should have lots of courage and confidence," says Neil Wertheimer, editor-in-chief of Fresh Home , a new DIY magazine that features three table makeovers in its summer issue. "This is not hard! A piece of wood furniture is wood and screws and coating, and all three are easily fixed and replaced."
The key to a good redo is to take your time and work through all the steps. Mr. Wertheimer should know. He admits to skipping a critical step -- the primer -- in the past, and paying the price with a less attractive piece.
"The primer creates something for paint to adhere to so much better. It's made to be sticky for paint," Mr. Wertheimer says. "Paint does not stick well to old finishes and old paint and to whatever else might be on there."
John Gidding, a judge on HGTV's $250,000 Challenge , has seen, and done, a lot of furniture rehabbing as an HGTV designer. He says primary candidates for a paint job often are a handed-down dining room table and chairs.
"The reason for this is they're expensive," Mr. Gidding says. "You either get something really cheap or you take what your mom gives you."
Either way, these dining sets often don't fit a couple's style, and painting them can fix that.
Mr. Gidding offers one caveat: Don't paint the antiques. Ever. They'll drop in value.
Instead, he suggests painting a room a color that complements the color of an antique piece to help it blend in, no matter how monstrous.
"I advise not spray-painting Louis the 15th furniture," he said.
Spray paint will work, however, on lesser wood pieces.
"We use (spray paint) for everything around here," says Veronica Toney, associate decorating editor at BHG.com, the Web site for Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
She says it's inexpensive, easy to use and doesn't leave behind pesky brush strokes. The trick is to spray slowly to avoid drips and uneven painting. For larger projects, be prepared to stop often or have extra hands at the ready: That nozzle can be tough on index-finger muscles.
The first step in any wood-furniture rehab project, says Mr. Wertheimer, is to inspect the piece for structural and visual flaws. Tighten loose legs, grease sticky drawers, buy new knobs, etc. Use wood putty to fill in any cracks or holes. Then, lightly sand the piece and go over it with a tack cloth to remove the dust. Finally, prime it, paint it and, if necessary, give it a protective layer of polyurethane.
A piece that sits around and looks pretty but isn't actually used? That doesn't need the protective top coat. But other pieces need at least one coat of polyurethane.
What about furniture other than wood? Mr. Gidding advises against painting plastic furniture because it'll likely chip. Metal furniture can be tricky to paint, too, so use a primer and paint especially made for metals. Wicker spray paints easily.
Thankfully, most furniture is forgiving. Lay on a bad paint job? Sand it, prime it and paint it again.
"Sometimes you just have to have a laid-back attitude about it and know that you'll have to throw on another coat next summer," Mr. Gidding says.
Ready to jump into the furniture-rehab game? The experts share tips:
- Decide whether you want to distress a new piece for a vintage look, or paint an older piece to give it new life.
John Gidding, of HGTV's $250,000 Challenge, suggests updating old furniture in new ways: For one chair, he painted the legs gunmetal gray and the rest of the chair black.
- He advises "going crazy" with color on smaller furniture pieces. A single hallway chair could go orange, teal or purple. But if you paint a chair a lively color, reupholster the fabric seat (if it has one) in a neutral color and pattern.
Neil Wertheimer, the editor-in-chief of Fresh Home magazine, also advises getting creative with color. "Show your personality. Take more risks," Mr. Wertheimer says. "If you don't want to take a risk on your wall paint, take a risk on your smaller furniture."
Jewel tones, such as ruby red or purple amethyst, are popular right now, he says. Metallic paints also may add interest; some come with a sandy texture.
Veronica Toney, associate decorating editor at BHG.com, suggests creating textures or adding patterns to your paint job. She advises DIYers to decoupage wood furniture, too. The BHG.com site has "how-to" instructions for several such projects.
- When determining a finish, consider how the furniture will be used and where you'll place it. Use oil-based paint for pieces that will take a beating, such as a nightstand or hallway table. They also might need a protective layer of polyurethane.
Among latex paints, the semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes are more durable and easier to clean than flat finishes; Ms. Toney says that's why BHG.com uses high-gloss finishes for furniture. But Mr. Wertheimer notes that the glossier finishes also reveal more smudges and wood imperfections; a compromise is to go with a satin or eggshell finish.
"Generally, I recommend people think 'aesthetics' first, durability/cleaning second," Mr. Wertheimer said. "Today, all brand-name paints are pretty tough and well made."
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