Hi everyone, Denise from Salvaged Inspirations here!

Do you have an old painted piece of furniture you’d like to repaint?

There’s a big misconception that you have to strip a piece down for a professional finish. But, it couldn’t be further from the truth.

Don’t waste your time, energy or products stripping off all the old paint.

Materials List:

Here’s the ‘before’ for today’s makeover.  It’s a PERFECT dresser to demonstrate on because although the finish is smooth, it has layers of color with a faux textured/antiqued finish. It’s been glazed, waxed and top-coated.

How to Repaint Furniture

How To:

STEP 1 – REMOVE HARDWARE AND CLEAN

This piece was sitting in my inventory so all it needed was a wipe down with warm water. I clean it to get off all the grime, oil, and dirt.

STEP 2 – FILL HARDWARE HOLES | SCRATCHES

Once it’s cleaned and dried, I fill the hardware holes and any dents, pings or scratches with wood filler.

How to Repaint Furniture

STEP 3 – SAND SMOOTH

Using my favorite orbital sander, I used a 120 grit and sanded the dresser and drawers until they were SMOOTH TO THE TOUCH.

Don’t worry that it looks super ugly. I always have areas where the wood is peeking through and areas with paint but that’s perfectly fine if it feels smooth to the touch.

STEP 4 – PRIME

A stain-blocking primer is best when repainting. Don’t skip this step! The primer will give you a fresh canvas to work with!

How to Repaint Furniture

STEP 5 – PAINT

I mixed a custom color with Dixie Belle’s Driftwood and Cotton and the transfer.

The exciting thing about restyling and upcycling is it can ALWAYS be REPAINTED! As far as I know, this vintage dresser has had AT LEAST five different looks including the original finish.

To learn more about this masterpiece, head over to Salvaged Inspirations here!

How to Repaint Furniture

About the Author

Salvaged Inspirations

Denise is a blogger, self-taught furniture artist, writer, photographer and the owner/creator of Salvaged Inspirations. She is a lover of all things vintage, repurposed and restyled. A thrift enthusiast, she’s always in pursuit of the next creative upcycle.

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