Blog Layout

Painting Kitchen and Table Chairs

Sam Lutz • Dec 22, 2015
old kitchen
Whether you’re repainting your dining set to match a kitchen remodel or you’re trying to fix up a dining set you bought second-hand, painting your kitchen table and chairs is an excellent way to fix save money on the cost of new furniture. Dining sets get a lot of hard use, which means that if you’re painting them, you’ll want to be sure that you’re applying the coats with the proper care. These tips will help you paint your table and chairs well enough that the paint will stand the test of time.

Materials

  • Tarp
  • Sand paper
  • Tack cloth or microfiber cloth
  • Primer
  • Paint brush (variety of sizes, some with angled ends)
  • Paint

Process

The most important thing to remember as you paint your table and chairs is that sanding the surface of the furniture creates a rough texture to which paint can adhere. By thoroughly sanding the chair throughout the process, you help ensure that the paint will bond with the wood. See below to check out the entire process.
  1. Place the furniture on a tarp in a well-ventilated part of your house.
  2. Sand down the furniture with sand paper. An orbital sander can help you get the job done more quickly, but to sand rounded table and chair legs, you’ll have an easier time sanding by hand. If you’re sanding off an old finish that includes varnish, start with a coarse-grit sandpaper and graduate to a finer grit sandpaper as the varnish is removed. Try to remove as much of the old varnish as you can.
  3. Use tack cloth or microfiber cloth to remove the remaining saw dust from the table and chairs. You may need to dampen the cloth to fully clean the furniture.
  4. Paint the furniture with the first thin coat of primer. Use an angled paint brush to paint the narrow cracks and crevices. Use long brush strokes as you paint.
  5. Allow the primer to dry, then use fine-grit sandpaper to sand down any large globs of paint.
  6. Apply a second thin coat of primer.
  7. Repeat step 5.
  8. Paint the furniture with a thin coat of paint in the color of your choice. Use good quality water-based interior paint.
  9. Wait for the paint to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions, then lightly sand the paint with 220 grit sandpaper.
  10. Remove the dust from the sanding with a tack cloth or microfiber cloth.
  11. Apply a second coat of paint.
  12. Repeat the sanding process.
  13. Wait for the paint to dry, then apply a third thin coat of paint to the tops of the chairs, because this part of the furniture gets the most use.

Resources

For more information and another helpful perspective on this project, take a look at this helpful tutorial. You can also watch the video below.
We also encourage you to stop by Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture any time for the necessary supplies. We sell basically everything you need for this project, including the chairs themselves!  We look forward to giving you helpful advice, come in any time.
Wooden kitchen table | Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture Pittsburgh
By Chris Vendilli 20 Mar, 2020
There are all kinds of wooden furniture: modern, antique and everything in between. We’ve talked about style differences, but what about how it’s made and what it’s made of? Is there a large difference between the wood furniture of today and yesterday?
By Chris Vendilli 16 Mar, 2020
Colors are so fascinating. They make us feel, they help us express how we feel. The right colors can really set the mood in a room, or on an outfit. There’s a lot to color theory and what each of the colors mean. This St. Patrick’s Day we thought it’d be fun to explore a little about green.
By Chris Vendilli 24 Feb, 2020
One of the wonderful things about good wood furniture is that it doesn’t have to be merely functional. It can be beautiful as well. We’ve seen some amazing pieces made with wood stains that are more than just furniture, they’re works of art. So if you’ve got an old table, desk or other piece of wood furniture that needs jazzed up, why don’t you consider using some of our great stains to try one of these ideas.
By Sam Lutz 07 Feb, 2020
What's your furniture style? Here’s a few of the more popular styles and the kind of look they give your home.
By Sam Lutz 27 Jan, 2020
Wood is our most basic raw material used for creating furniture. Wood furniture is timeless, and the aesthetic options are endless. Let’s talk about a few today, shall we?
Restyle Your Home for the New Year | Ace Paints
By Sam Lutz 13 Jan, 2020
The 2010s saw an uptick in modern interiors, bringing in clean lines to decor and furniture, so what does the new decade have in store? Restyle your home for the new year with the latest trends.
By Sam Lutz 30 Dec, 2019
Are they bright and bold? Wild and wacky? It’s a thrill for our industry to learn what the latest “in” colors will be each year, and they never disappoint. The color trends for 2020 include shades of green, blue and pink, and each have an inherent welcoming quality.
water rings on coffee table
By Sam Lutz 16 Dec, 2019
Holiday parties are part of the magic of the season, but the cleanup is a pain—especially when furniture is involved. Prevent disasters with a few tips on how to protect your furniture during holiday parties.
What Do Holiday Colors Mean | Ace Paints
By Sam Lutz 02 Dec, 2019
The holiday season has arrived, and soon every corner will be decked out in red and green. But have you ever stopped to think about what holiday colors mean?
Remove Wood Stain from Furniture | Ace Paints
By Sam Lutz 18 Nov, 2019
Restaining an old piece of furniture with a new varnish color can go a long way, but first you need to remove the old stain color.
More Posts
Share by: