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How to Properly Paint a Wooden Dresser
Sam Lutz • Aug 18, 2015
Whether you’re trying to revive an old dresser you already own or hoping to freshen up a piece you found at a garage sale, a good coat of paint can make old furniture pieces look like new. Though not particularly difficult, painting a dresser does involve many steps. Following this tutorial will help you through the process.
Materials
- Tarps
- Screwdriver
- Microfiber cloth
- Sandpaper (a mixture of fine and coarse)
- Painter’s tape
- Oil-based primer
- Paint brushes and small roller
- Latex Paint
- Polyurethane varnish
Process
- Set up your work space. Lay down a tarp and put the dresser on top of it. Lay down another tarp on the ground nearby so that you’ll have a place to set the drawers. Gather all of your other materials into one spot so you’ll have easy access to them.
- Take apart everything that can be easily taken apart. Take out the drawers and remove the handles with a screwdriver. Leave the screws inside the handles so they won’t become lost.
- Clean the dresser. Remove any dirt and debris on the dresser using a microfiber or tack cloth. Clean the dresser inside and out to avoid the possibility of dirt getting into the fresh paint.
- Sand the wood. Use sandpaper to rough up the surfaces you’ll be painting. Always sand in the direction of the wood grain. This will create a surface to which the paint can adhere.
- Wipe down the dresser again. Remove any sawdust from the surface of the dresser with the microfiber/tack cloth.
- Tape the edges. Use painter’s tape to tape all edges where paint should not be applied. In order to do this, you’ll need to decide what parts of the dresser will not be painted. It’s typical to paint only the outside of the dresser and to leave the inside unpainted. While you may choose to paint the sides of the drawers where they run along the track, keep in mind this could result in the drawers becoming sticky or difficult to open. Whatever you decide, tape along the edges of any areas where paint won’t be applied.
- Prime the surface. Coat every surface of the dresser to be painted with primer, then wait for the primer to dry. Remember to use a primer that covers wood knots when painting a piece made from knotty pine. Primed areas should include the handles (but not the backs or the screws). If you have a roller, use the roller to apply the paint over the wide, flat surfaces of the dresser. Use the paintbrush to coat the corners and narrow spaces. Wait for the primer to dry before moving on to the next step.
- Paint the primed part of the dresser. Coat the primed part of the dresser in a thinly applied, even layer of paint and allow it to dry.
- Sand the painted part. Use a very fine-grained sandpaper to lightly sand the painted parts of the dresser.
- Paint second coat on the dresser. Once the second coat has dried, it’s time to decide if you need to paint a third coat on the dresser. If the dresser needs a third coat, remember to sand between applications of paint. When the final coat has been applied, wait for the paint to dry before moving on to the next step.
- Apply a coat of polyurethane varnish to the surface. This will help protect your dresser from spills, chips and scratches. If desired, paint the dresser with two coats of varnish.
Resources
There are a variety of sites online that walk carefully through the process of painting wooden furniture. Below are a few especially useful tutorials:
If you’re looking for more tips and advice, or just need to gather materials in order to get started, stop by Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture. We’ve got everything you need to paint your furniture. We’re here to help!
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