Clean thoroughly with a vacuum and a cleaner like Krud Kutter to remove dirt and odors. You can use old clean t-shirts which can just be thrown away after. You can also get rid of smells in furniture by setting a small bowl of white vinegar inside the drawers or cabinet for a few days.
For some techniques you will remove the drawers. Some techniques are better with the drawers left in place. If you remove the drawers, you should number the back side so you’ll know exactly where they go later. Even if they look like the same size often they don’t fit as well in the other spaces.
Remove all drawer pulls and knobs. You can replace them with new hardware, you can paint the hardware or you can clean it by soaking it overnight in a crockpot filled with water.
Lightly sand by hand if your furniture has a glossy surface.
For rough or already-painted pieces sand thoroughly with an orbital sander. Only use an orbital sander on real wood, not laminate or manufactured wood.
Use a wood filler like Famowood or Sculpwood to repair cracks and chips. It dries hard and can be sanded. For larger repairs try QuikWood Epoxy Putty.
Make sure all drawers slide well, joints are firm and doors open and close easily. Sand the edges of drawers or doors if they’re sticking. Rub candle wax on the bottom of drawers to help them slide more smoothly.
Use painter’s tape to tape off any areas that you don’t want painted, tape over hardware holes from the inside so paint won’t drip through, or any areas that you’re planning to leave stained.
There are times that you will want to use a primer on furniture painting projects to avoid bleed through.
On very dark, red, or orange surfaces (mahogany, cherry, maple, dark stain) probably not necessary if using a dark paint color.
On very shiny pieces, after lightly sanding
On wood knots or damaged areas such as water rings
On ink stains or markers
On furniture that has an odor that you can't remove
Best Paint for furniture?
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