I have been painting furniture for years now. It is something I started doing out of necessity, but I found that I really loved finding pieces that needed a little TLC and bringing them back to life with a little elbow grease and a pretty paint color. Since I started this blog and have shared many of these projects, I always get asked what supplies would I recommend to someone who is just starting to paint furniture. So today, I am sharing the top 10 supplies you need to paint furniture with ease and success. (Just a head’s up, #10 is my favorite supply and one that you can’t do without…. EVER!)
10 Supplies You Need To Paint Furniture
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Paint Clothes
This is something I always think I don’t need until it is too late. I have ruined so many good clothes because I think I am not going to get paint on them and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME, I get paint on them! UGH! I don’t even think about it anymore. If I am painting anything, I put on paint clothes. Even a small piece of furniture. It is guaranteed that paint will end up on me at some point so I never skip this step anymore. Take it from me and keep your nice clothes free of paint. Paint clothes have to be a top priority when painting furniture.
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Tarp
You don’t have to have a “tarp”. It can be anything to cover the area you will be painting on. I have used old tables to put pieces on as I paint them. I have used towels, plastic tablecloths, and old blankets. It can be whatever you have on hand and it may be different for each piece. Paint splatters can travel a far distance ( 🙂 ), so I always make sure to have the area under the pieces I am painting, covered.
This is another thing I learned the hard way. I used to think the paint wasn’t getting anywhere when I painted, but after I picked everything up, I would see tiny paint specks all over the floor! I would spend a long time on my hands and knees peeling the specks up with my fingernails. It is such a waste of time and not needed if you put something down before you paint.
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Cleaner & Rag
You need to clean every piece of furniture before you paint. I always get asked what I use to clean my pieces and I think my answer surprises people. I usually use vinegar and water. Sometimes I use my Thieves cleaner and I have also used all-purpose cleaners. It all depends on the piece of furniture and how much it needs to be cleaned. I have used Krud Kutter Gloss-Off to clean pieces that have a shinier finish to them. This product will de-gloss as it cleans to its a two-for-one!
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Sandpaper
Sandpaper is a must with most furniture projects. There are projects it isn’t needed, but more times than not, you will use sandpaper at some point in your project. The higher the grit number, the softer the sandpaper is. So, if I am prepping a piece of furniture for primer and paint, I will use 60-80-100 grit sandpaper (the number depends on the piece). If I am sanding before I put on a topcoat, I will use a grit like 320 which will give it just a tiny sanding over the paint before I add a topcoat.
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Continuous Spray Bottle For Water
This is a secret weapon for furniture painters. This will help get rid of brush strokes. Sometimes, chalk paint and chalk mineral paint can be on the thicker side, so the spray bottle helps thin it out a bit and helps move the paint across the piece a lot better. When the paint is too thick, you will get more brush strokes. You can find an inexpensive, continuous spray bottle HERE.
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Good Paint Brushes
THIS IS A MUST! Good paintbrushes will make all the difference. They won’t fall apart on you while you are painting. Good paintbrushes will give you a better finish. They will clean up well and they can be used over and over again. This is another tip I had to learn the hard way. Buying the cheapest paint brushes cost me so much money and time. It cost more money because I had to replace the brushes after each use. They never held up and wouldn’t clean up well. I wasted so much time because the cheap brushes didn’t give me a finished piece I was proud of. There are many good brushes out there. I would recommend these for any painter.
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Primer and/or Stain Blocker
Again, depending on the piece, you may not need this, but I do use it for pieces that have a dark, red, or yellow wood tone. The stain-blocking products are my favorite because they do block the color from coming through the paint. I really like this stain blocker.
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Paint
Of course, if we are talking about 10 Supplies You Need To Paint Furniture, paint is going to be on the list. A good paint made for furniture projects is always a plus. I started out painting pieces with leftover wall paint we had. That was before I knew what I was doing and really before all of these amazing chalk paint lines had come out. Paint for furniture projects has come a long way! Now, you can find paint that is made for furniture projects and it really does give you a great outcome. I have tried many paint lines and love this paint line.
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Top Coat
I always get asked if I used a topcoat. I don’t use one all the time. It depends on what I am doing with the piece when I am done with it or how it is going to be used. If I had to give one answer, I would advise you to finish your pieces with a topcoat. It will add durability and will lessen the wear and tear on the painted piece over time. Topcoats come in different forms and some of them you may not even think of as a topcoat. I have an entire blog post dedicated to the best topcoats for painted furniture and the options I like the best.
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Plan B & C
My list of 1o supplies you need to paint furniture would not be complete without this. This is my favorite supply because no matter what your project is, you need it. You need Plan B & C just in case Plan A doesn’t work. With all of my DIY projects, I always have great intentions of making my first idea come together but projects have a mind of their own, and when Plan A doesn’t work out, be prepared to change directions. You have to be open and flexible when things aren’t going the way you planned.
The table in this post was my table from many years ago. My mom has had it in her home and she gave it back to me. I decided to paint it in Sawmill Gravy from Dixie Belle Paint. It is a beautiful beige/greige color. GORGEOUS! I did put a clear coat on the top as well and used the BOSS product before I painted.
I hope these 10 Supplies You Need To Paint Furniture prepares you for your first or hundredth furniture project. These supplies are a must no matter if you are a newbie to painting furniture or someone who has been doing it for a long time.
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If you liked this post, you will also love these tips for painting furniture:
10 Tips On How To Paint Furniture
How To Paint Furniture Without Sanding
Easy Way To Refinish Furniture Without Stain or Paint