Do you like your dining table? It has probably been used for several decades. The table is made of high-quality wood, durable, it’s a shame to throw it away. But the paintwork is cracked, scratches are visible, and the color has become dull. What to do? Show your creative skills and start restoration. Today, furniture decorated with your own hands gives the style of the room light notes of vintage and rustic romance. How to paint a wooden table to make it the highlight of the room?
Benefits of painting
Using staining, you can quickly and effectively decorate old furniture. This process can easily be done independently at home, and the following is possible:
- choose the desired color scheme;
- perform quality work;
- the finished furniture will match the general style of the room;
- During the operation of the table, you can change or supplement the decor.
Therefore, to paint a table with your own hands, you only need to use your imagination.
Which paint to choose?
If you need to paint wooden furniture, then choosing a paint will not be difficult. Any composition is suitable for painting work. When choosing, you should take into account only one nuance - it is better to buy paint, depending on the type of wood. Below we will consider the most popular types of paints and varnishes.
Water-dispersed
The material is intended for painting wooden surfaces located in heated rooms. If in the future you plan to place a table on a terrace or veranda, the paint will begin to swell and peel, as it will not withstand climate changes. The composition is non-toxic; during operation, no harmful substances will be released that contribute to the development of allergic diseases. The material lays evenly on the prepared wooden surface, dries quickly, and has water-repellent properties.
This paint allows you to treat any surfaces made of wood, but it is not recommended to clean them with aggressive chemical compounds. During operation, the coating may wear off due to mechanical damage.
Oily
How to paint the table to give it brightness and shine? Oil paint can achieve this effect. Previously, in order for the coloring to be uniform, it was necessary to apply several layers of material. Today, modern dyes have been produced that allow you to achieve the desired result while requiring less consumption.
The only drawback is that oil paints have a sharp, pungent odor that can persist even after the coating has completely dried.
Acrylic
The most practical and universal is considered to be paint with an acrylic composition. Painting the tabletop can be done either with a brush or with an aerosol can. Compared to other compositions, acrylic paint is resistant to changing weather conditions, odorless, easy to apply, dries quickly, affordable, and has various color shades.
Alkyd
If you paint the countertop with alkyd paint, you can say with confidence that the product is one hundred percent protected from moisture. When the composition is applied to the surface, a thin film is formed, which helps protect the surface from various types of damage. It would seem that a stronger material cannot be found; a painted object will serve for many years. But, as practice has shown, such paint wears out quickly, so the coating will have to be renewed periodically.
Alkyd paint must be applied to dried wood; if the surface is wet, bubbles may form on the coating.
Enamels for wooden surfaces
Using enamel, you can repaint an old table beyond recognition. The paint will give the surface a glossy or matte effect. At the same time, the tabletop will be protected from mechanical damage, corrosion and thermal influences. Very often, kitchen tables or wooden objects that will be located outdoors are painted with this paint. In order for the restored item to last as long as possible, it is recommended to cover the surface with waterproof varnish in 2 layers.
The table can also be painted with nitro enamel; it dries quickly (within 15 minutes) and gives the furniture greater strength.
How to age wood
Brushing wood with your own hands, giving it the look of aged wood, is quite simple.
Not all types of wood lend themselves to this type of finishing.
It is better to take materials with a pronounced texture. These are ash, pine, oak. Exotic species - beech, maple - do not lend themselves well to this type of processing. They do not do brushing on MDF panels.
To obtain the desired effect, we treat the old surface with a metal brush, grinder or drill with a wire attachment.
During processing, you must wear safety glasses and a mask.
Chemical method
We clean the surfaces with sandpaper and wipe with ammonia to darken. The texture of the wood will become more pronounced and distinct.
If you overdo it, the wood will become loose.
We sand the top of the treated furniture with an abrasive, go through it again with fine-grained sandpaper and varnish.
Patination
Apply patina to the treated surface. This could be stain or other means. Deep pores will darken against a light background.
You can select materials to paint in the desired color and completely cover the surface, wait until it dries, then carefully remove part of the top layer with a sponge.
Enamel
We apply the desired shade of enamel to the wood, wait until it dries, and paint the second layer with a lighter shade with a liquid consistency.
After drying, we go over it with sandpaper.
The first layer will appear on the furniture. You will get the effect of aging and wear.
The surface is varnished in 2 or 3 layers and wiped with a rag until shiny.
Tools and materials
In order for the restored surface of a wooden table to be painted with high quality, the following materials will be required:
- Sandpaper. With its help you can clean the surface of the old layer of paint.
- Antiseptic for treating wooden furniture. To prevent the appearance of mold, fungi, and termites, the surface is treated with a special compound that will help protect objects from destruction.
- White primer. It will allow you to hide chips and cracks, reduce paint consumption, and also increase its adhesion to the surface.
- Waterproof varnish. Protects paint from exposure to water and increases its service life.
- Masking tape. This is a tape that can be used to prevent unwanted paint from getting onto certain areas of the object.
- Newspapers or covering film. If the table will be painted indoors, it is necessary to spread film or newspapers on the floor so as not to stain it.
Also for work you will need:
- rollers and brushes;
- paint tray;
- protective clothing (gloves, goggles or mask).
If you need to disassemble a wooden table before painting, use a screwdriver.
Good paint is the key
Let's remember that properly preparing the surface for painting is only half the battle. A lot depends on the paint. Your requirements will be satisfied, first of all, by enamel, which creates durable coatings with high mechanical resistance. It is easy to get scratches and damage when using the table. For example, Dulux Rapidry . This is a universal, quick-drying acrylic enamel with a mild odor. A table painted with it will also be resistant to high temperatures and will not turn yellow or fade.
Black, green or red? Don't throw away your old wooden table - just paint it, preferably an attractive, surprising color.
Surface preparation and painting
If painting will be carried out completely, it is better to disassemble the table. For partial restoration (for example, if you only need to process the countertop in the kitchen), such actions do not need to be performed. Use masking tape to cover the areas that you do not plan to paint.
Let's get down to the main work:
- Sand the entire surface of the table top and legs with sandpaper (you can use a sander).
- Prime all surface defects. The primer should be chosen to match the paint used.
- Before painting the table, cover the floor with paper, newspaper or film.
- If you use a spray can for painting, shake it before spraying. The distance to the object should be about 30-50 cm. Pour paint from a can into a tray and dip a brush or roller into it.
- Now you can start painting the table, trying to distribute the paint evenly. First we cover the tabletop, then the legs.
- After complete drying, apply another layer of material. To do this, you can use spray paint for a more uniform coloring.
- When the product is completely dry, sand again to obtain a slightly rough surface.
- To fix the paint on the surface of the table, treat it with acrylic varnish.
- After 10 hours, you can remove the tape from the decorative elements.
In the video: painting furniture with white acrylic varnish.
How to paint a countertop
The tabletop is a flat horizontal plane, so repainting it usually does not cause any difficulties. The book-table should be painted in the open position. Before applying paint, you should carefully inspect the surface and, if there are any defects, eliminate them. Small irregularities are sanded off. More noticeable cracks or depressions are filled with wood putty. It is added with a slight excess and, after hardening, the excess is removed with sandpaper.
The technology for applying paint depends on its composition and type of packaging. Paintwork materials from cans are applied with a brush or roller, aerosol paints are sprayed. Some paints, such as alkyd paints, are applied in two layers. Between the first and second application, the time interval specified in the instructions should be maintained.
In one color, close to the previous one
When painting in a color close to the previous one, there should be no problems. It is enough to choose a paint that is as close in tone as possible to the previous coating. If it is a transparent varnish, then it is recommended to take an identical shade or one or two shades darker than the old one. With this approach, it will be possible to refresh the appearance of the wood, leaving the main color unchanged.
Painting a light surface with dark paint and vice versa
Repainting a light surface dark or black is not difficult. If the previous color is significantly lighter than the new one, then it is recommended to apply the paint in several layers, even if it is opaque. The layers should be thin, this will make the coating smoother and avoid unsightly streaks. Before each application, the paint must dry completely. Another option for darkening antique wood is to treat it with stain and then coat it with clear varnish.
Sometimes you need to turn a brown kitchen table or desk into a white one in Provence style. When changing a dark color to a light one, you cannot do without a primer. It is convenient to use acrylic primers. They are odorless, dry quickly and have a neutral shade that allows you to create a good base for the main color. In addition, acrylic primers can even be applied to laminated wood without the sanding step.
Beginning of computer desk restoration
The first thing you need to do is completely disassemble the computer desk, unscrewing all the furniture bolts, and sand the surfaces with sandpaper. At the same time, in places where serious flaws are found, it is worth using putty to correct them. The grit of sandpaper does not matter because the consistency of acrylic paints is usually quite thick and is quite capable of hiding scratches.
After sanding, all that remains is to wipe all the elements with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly.
