Painting a finished chair requires a bit of prep work to make the paint adhere. Solid wood furniture is as beautiful as it is durable, but the look of natural or stained wood does not complement every décor. Painting wood chairs gives them new life for very little cost, and it is simple enough for people who are new to do-it-yourself decorating. Take a little extra care in preparing your chair and you’ll get a durable and professional-looking paint job at a fraction of the cost of replacing it. Cover the area where you will be working with a drop cloth. No matter how careful you are, accidents can happen, so it’s best to take precautions. Go over your chairs with shop cloths to remove any visible dirt or dust if they came from a garage or yard sale. Be careful of spiders if the chairs have been sitting outside for any length of time. Clean your wood chairs thoroughly with a degreasing cleanser such as dishwashing liquid, or use a little bit of mineral spirits poured onto a clean shop cloth to remove oils and grease.
Examine the finish on the chairs. If it is smooth paint or stain, you don’t have to strip them. If the paint on your chairs is cracked or peeling, it will need to be removed. Apply a paste chemical stripper. Use a natural bristle brush because some strippers will damage synthetic brushes. Let the stripper sit until it bubbles, then scrape it and the old paint off with a hard plastic scraper or wide putty knife. Work with the grain and be careful not to gouge the wood with the corners of the scraper or the putty knife. Apply a grain filling paste with a clean shop cloth if you are painting over an open-grained wood such as oak. This fills in the open grain, giving your paint a solid surface to adhere to. Let the grain filler dry for at least 24 hours, though you may want to increase that if the weather is damp or humid. Sand the chairs lightly with 120-grit sandpaper. Roughing their surfaces up a bit helps the paint adhere and removes any stray paint if you have stripped them. Go over the chairs again with 220-grit sandpaper.
This will leave the surface rough enough for the paint to adhere, but smooth enough to guarantee a flawless finish. Paint your chairs with your choice of paint. Brush-on paints and aerosol paints both work well, so choose whichever you prefer. Read the label to make sure the paint will stand up to repeated cleaning, especially if your chairs will be used by young children. Let the first coat dry for at least 24 hours. Sand between coats of paint with 220-grit or finer sandpaper if you want a mirror-smooth finish. This is not strictly necessary, but if you do sand between coats make sure you get up every speck of sanding dust with a tack cloth before applying your next coat of paint. Seal your chairs with polyurethane to protect and seal them if you like. Polyurethane is available in both matte and gloss finishes and can be applied in aerosol form or with a brush or roller. Let the chairs dry for at least 48 hours before using them. Things You Will Need Drop cloths Shop cloths Degreasing cleanser or mineral spirits Chemical stripper;
optional Paint brush Plastic scraper or wide putty knife; optional Tack cloths Grain filler; 120-grit and 220-grit Paint Sealer Tip Warning References Bob Vila: Paint Makeovers - An Expert Tells AllUtah State University Cooperative Extension: Cleaning, Repairing and Reconditioning Wood FurnitureLowes: Refinish Wood FurnitureThe Frugal Girl: How to Paint Wooden Furniture Photo Credits Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images Suggest a CorrectionUser ReviewedHow to Paint an Old Wooden Chair Two Methods:Prepping the Chair's SurfacePainting the ChairCommunity Q&A There are a lot of possibilities when it comes to painting an old wooden chair. You can paint your wood chair to be a showpiece, a room accent, or to strictly serve a utilitarian purpose. After prepping the chair's surface, apply a design or a solid color in the paint of your choice. The nice thing about painting a wooden chair is that if you don't like the results, you can always start over again and repaint it.
Sand the chair to create a smooth painting surface, if needed. Fill any holes with wood putty. Tack off the chair. Pick a color or color scheme for your chair. Use a solid color, or a combination of contrasting or complementary colors. For a whimsical look, paint the seat one color, the back another and the legs another. For subtle touches, paint the entire chair a solid color, then apply accents, such as striping or polka dots, using an alternate color or 2. Place the chair on a drop-cloth to protect the surface below from paint spatter and drips. Allow to dry and apply additional coats as needed. Use spray paint for fast results. Be sure to shake the canisters thoroughly before applying. Use several light coats rather than 1 heavy coat as this discourages drips. Apply your chosen paint. Cover your newly painted wooden chair with a protective clear coat. It's critical that the surface of the chair be properly prepared so the paint will adhere to the chair and will not prematurely peel.
Paint can work wonders on your walls, but painting kitchen chairs is a great way to give furniture a facelift too. If you have kitchen chairs that feel dated or boring, don't rush out to buy a new set. Freshen them up with some paint and bring new life to your room. Painting kitchen chairs is a relatively easy project that takes some time and patience, but it's worth the work. Before you begin painting, make sure to remove any cushions or fabric from the chair. If you're unable to remove the cushions, cover them with plastic. Next, you'll need to prepare the surface by sanding it with coarse-grit sandpaper. This will create a surface that the paint can really adhere to. After you've finished sanding, make sure to prime your chairs. Many people choose to skip this step, but you shouldn't. Priming will ensure your chairs have a beautiful, clean finish. Once the primer is completely dry, you can begin painting your chairs. Remember to go with the grain of the wood and use consistent strokes with your paintbrush or roller.
Let the paint dry in-between coats, and make sure to seal the chair with a layer of polyurethane. This final step will protect your chairs from inevitable kitchen spills and general wear and tear, and it will also give them a glossy, even finish. If you need ideas on how to update your kitchen chairs, think outside the box. Scroll through Pinterest to get some ideas on colors, decorative finishes or other creative touches. If you just want to paint your chairs, consider using a bold color that will really shine in your kitchen. Try bright yellow for a cheerful set of chairs or consider a striking cobalt for a more sophisticated look. Emerald green, turquoise and coral are other fun shades to consider. If you want to get even more creative, use a different shade of one color to create an ombre effect with your chairs. Or mix and match a bunch of pastels including yellow, mint, blue and pink. Furniture that looks like it's been dipped in paint is a popular home design trend, and this technique works well with kitchen chairs.