Transforming Treasures: The art of sourcing and painting second-hand furniture
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly when painting furniture became fashionable, but my rather patchy google research would suggest from the mid 1600’s to the mid 1800’s paint was the humble medium of choice for pimping up your cabinetry. According to other somewhat limited annals of history, painting your drawers, of the wooden type, was not just a country or folk art phenomenon, but was also the pursuit of the middle and upper classes who saw it as a way of keeping up with the Jones’s by disguising otherwise inferior and sometimes unfashionable pieces.
We’ve come a long way since those days, up-cycling and painting furniture over the last few decades has increased in popularity and a furniture makeover is more of an afternoon’s work rather than weeks in the workshop. Paint can be transformative and with a little bit of imagination it’s amazing what you can do with minimal effort.
SOURCING THE RIGHT PIECE
As a lover of old furniture, I’ve always packed my rooms to full capacity, much to the consternation of the rest of my family, who truly don’t see much of a need for a dresser whose sole purpose is to play host to my vintage cutlery collection, hand thrown pots and ever increasing packets of paper napkins that I appear to have a slight addiction for. Some things they will never understand.
Sourcing good furniture for a project has become a little more tricky over the years, I’ve found. An awareness of environmental issues, the need to retreat from our throw away society, and the ever increasing cost of living, has seen lots of us choosing to shop in local charity shops, second hand recycling centres, auction houses, browsing Facebook Marketplace and eBay. Whilst this popularity is fantastic news, contributing to lessening the big carbon footprint we talk of, it means that the sale-rooms of old are diminishing in both numbers and stock. This doesn’t however mean there aren’t good pieces to be had out there, you just need to put in a little extra effort tracking them down.
BEFORE |Laura Ashley Portobello 10 drawer unit
VISUALISE
Whether it’s a piece you’ve already got at home or you’ve picked something up recently, it’s always a good idea to initially work out where it’s going and what it’s to be utilised for. If it’s to be in a high traffic area where it’s likely to play host to keys, bags and the odd sweetie wrapper, or it’s a new storage facility for Lego or Peppa Pig’s fan club, then a good hardy finish will be important, but if it’s something you intend to use for more grown-up purposes, such as display or to balance out the room, then your transformation process should be a little less onerous. The key to the work involved lies largely with your vision for it.
Look at Pinterest, Tiktok and Instagram for inspiration and remember to take a few quick snaps of your project before you begin, and if you’ve time, during the makeover, as it’s always great to see the transformative process. This Laura Ashley Portobello ten drawer unit, picked up on Facebook Marketplace was given a makeover using Farrow and Ball’s Eggshell in Downpipe.
PREPARATION
Preparation is key, so a very nice and helpful time served painter told me once, although I've never been one to do things methodically, preferring a quick fix, "Bob's your uncle" with most projects. Who doesn’t want to race on to the finish line and see the end result. Over the years however those words ring true and from experience I would always encourage you to start any project by giving the piece a good sand either manually or with an electric palm sander. Not only does this serve to clean off any debris but it also gives your paint an excellent surface to adhere to. Always make sure you either do this outside or in a well ventilated room and crucially to protect yourself, always wear a mask. If the surface to be removed is pretty stubborn you can begin with a rougher grade of 40 or 80 grit working up to a finer 120 grit, to finish off. If you’re planning to paint a block colour, it’s not imperative to remove all previous varnishes or paints, so long as you’ve roughed it up enough so that your primer can grab on. The other option of course is to use a paint stripper like Nitromors. I tend to shy away from these, but if the varnish or paint is very old and thick and the sander just isn’t cutting it you can use these sparingly to remove more stubborn parts. It’s also useful if you have intricate detailing in the form of moulding that has got lost to the layers of paint. As with eveything chemical based, make sure you do this preferably outside and don’t forget the mask and gloves. If you do have to use this then always follow with another light sand just to prep for the paint. I’ve also learned over the years to give the prepared surface a good cleaning over with a product called sugarsoap. This is great for removing any dirt or loose sawdust, ensuring that the paint will glide on.
Always make sure before you start you remove (if it’s possible) all the ironmongery, either setting aside to refit later or to replace. Handles or knobs can make or break a piece in my opinon, so spend some time thinking about how the exisiting ones will look with the paint choice.
BEFORE | Unit picked up at local recycling centre Furniture Plus.
Sanding down and prepping for primer.
TO PRIME OR NOT TO PRIME
Whilst it’s not always necessary to use a primer, I find that by doing so you definitely save on your final paint colour, as then one or two coats is usually more than adequate. As you apply it you’ll also get a good indicator of whether the surface of your furniture needs any more work, with the option to lightly sand off any additional imperfections the primer may highlight. You’ll find too that the finished paint job looks and feels smoother as a result. Don’t however be a slave to perfection, I find that as with any piece of old furniture, it’s patina, dents and flaws are a nod to it’s provenance and timelessness.
At your local store you’ll find an assortment on offer, but a simple primer for wood and metal is ideal. The good thing too is that you can buy white if you’re planning on painting with lighter colours or grey if you're going darker. The best I’ve used to date is by Zinsser, Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Plus, affordable and does exactly what it claims.
WHICH PAINT TO CHOOSE
With so many different paints on the market, a visit to B&Q can leave you feeling overwhelmed by so much choice. Although from experience there always seems to be a helpful person in the paint mixing department, ready to offer up their own opinion on colour. Heed their input or not, the good thing is that advances in paint technology mean that there is quite literally a paint for every surface, so the process of deciding on the correct one to use has become so much easier. Whether you’re going all out with a complete kitchen cabinet makeover or sprucing up your garden pots after a hard winter, you’ll find specific products for your project. Make sure when you’re choosing your paint that you consider the finish you want. Personally I like my projects to take on a duller appearance, so tend to go for a matt or dead flat finish, however using a satin wood or an eggshell will give a soft sheen as well as durability. I also tend to look for water based products as they are so much kinder on the environment and your brushes and cleaning is therefore easy.
Apologies in advance to all you chalk paint lovers out there, however I am not a fan, there I have said it. To be honest I’m well over the shabby chic look of the mid 80’s. I don’t doubt the quality and usefulness of this paint as when it first appeared on the shelves of DIY stores it was hailed as a quick-fix route to transforming your furniture, and yes Pinterest was bursting at the seams with pictures of before and afters, however my own experience using it has never been very successful. Overall I don’t find using it any less labour intensive than the route I’ve mentioned above. I find usually it’s very thick in the tin so you need to water it down quite significantly before application and this usually means many coats are needed. It’s recommended that you apply a layer of wax on top, but I find it never goes on evenly, leaving a half shiny, half dull finish. Whilst I’m sure it’s a case of practise makes perfect, it’s never going to be my paint of choice (cue chalk paint devotees riot).
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
I’m often asked about which rollers or brushes give the best finish. From experience I find that a mini gloss roller gives the best coverage. When you use this alongside a flat edged, small, natural fibre brush, you’ll get perfect ultra smooth loading and release of your paint, and resultingly a great patina.
FINISHING OFF
Remember that most paints can take up to three weeks to harden or “cure” in painters talk, so I would recommend that you refrain from placing anything on surfaces until they feel completely dry to the touch. Whilst the odd scratch over time is enevitable, you can also give added protection by finishing off with a layer of matt clear varnish. I’ve found that yacht varnish works really well and although a bit more on the expensive side, it gives good, long lasting coverage and a tin will see your through many projects.
HINTS & TIPS TO REMEMBER
Preparation is key, so always have a think about what you intend to use the piece for, that will help in the painting process.
Always sand, so that the paint has something to adhere to, and make sure there’s plenty ventilation. Wear a mask and gloves, safety first.
Use an undercoat and primer in one as your first coat. This will save time applying several coats of your chosen colour and make the finish more durable.
Always, always thoroughly mix your tin of paint before starting. If you don’t do this you’ll end up with a shiny surface (true story).
Your finish will always look professional if you apply paint with a mini gloss roller.
If the piece has ironmongery, think of ways to re-use what you have, it’s amazing what some spray paint can achieve. If the handles or knobs aren’t to your taste, look on sites like Ebay and Facebook Marketplace for alternatives.
Sit back and enjoy what you’ve achieved.