Steps And Items Needed To Paint A Chest Of Drawers
If you want to paint a chest of the drawers by yourself but you are not a professional person, then don't worry you just need to collect some required items and then go through the steps carefully. Here is the list of required items and steps for this process:
Things You Will Need
- Drop Cloth
- Tools To Remove Hardware
- Sandpaper, 120-Grit
- Tack Cloths
- Latex Paint
- Wide Paintbrush
- Steel Wool
- Varnish Or Finish Coat
Basic Weathered Look
- First of all, you need to place a drop cloth under your chest of drawers. Remove the drawers from the chest and then you need to remove the hardware from your drawers. Set aside all the removed hardware.
- Next you need to gently sand your chest and drawer fronts with the help of a 120-grit sandpaper.
- Once you've finished the sanding process, now simply wipe the surfaces clean by using a tack cloth.
- Now it's time to paint your piece and drawer fronts with the satin latex paint. Apply the paint with a simple paintbrush and let the applied paint dry.
- Sand through with the applied paint to expose the wood by using steel wool or you can also use 120-grit sandpaper. Sand all the areas of your piece that would instinctively receive the most wear, such as along on the edges, the front of your drawers where the pulls are actually installed & the top surface.
- Now you need to sand along with the grain by moving your steel wool or the sandpaper parallel to the wood grain, not horizontal to it.
- Wipe your entire piece and the drawers with the help of tack cloth to remove any dust which comes after the sanding process.
- Apply a finish of clear varnish, to your piece with the help of a wide paintbrush. Follow your manufacturer’s application guidance.
- Apply the clear finish with brushstrokes which follows the grain of your wood. For example, if the lines of the wood grain are indisputable running across the top of your piece from side to side, apply the finish parallel to your wood grain.
- Let your piece dry completely. Replace your chest hardware on your drawers and then install your drawers to complete your project.
Expose A Second Color
- Simply place a drop cloth under your chest. Remove the drawers from your piece and also remove all the hardware from your drawers.
- Set aside all the hardware of the drawers. Gently sand the case & the drawer fronts. Now you need to remove any dust residue by using a tack cloth.
- Paint your piece and your drawer fronts with the help of a latex paint undercoat and then let the applied paint dry.
- Now you need to paint your piece a second time now with the topcoat. Let the applied paint dry.
- Sand through with the surface coat to expose your basecoat by using steel wool or you can use 120-grit sandpaper. Sand all the areas of your piece that would generally receive the most wear, along with the front edges and with the top surface and your drawer fronts.
- Now you need to apply a finish to your piece. You need to use a wide brush and then you need to apply the finish in the same direction according to wood grain & according to the manufacturer’s guidance. Allow the applied finish to dry.
- Finally, you need to attach your drawer hardware and replace your drawers to complete your project.
Tip & Warning
- Tip: You may need to apply a dark stain over your piece after the sanding process to expose the base of wood, wipe the dark stain off before it dries, gently staining your exposed wood a darker color.
- Warning: If your piece was formerly painted with the oil-based paint then you must use an oil-to-latex primer before painting with the latex paint. This type of primer allows the applied latex paint to stick to oil paint. This is also known as a binding primer. If you don't want to use this type of primer then the latex paint may not stick to your oil-painted surface. A testing kit is available at your nearby hardware stores if you are unsure if the surface is latex or oil.