Prepare
Clean, degrease, scuff anything glossy. Nothing that follows will hold if this step is skipped.
Paint
Two thin coats rather than one thick one, in a single direction. The first is allowed to look uneven.
Seal
Wax for a soft finish on a decorative piece, varnish for a table, a countertop or a cabinet door.
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Depending on the PieceChoosing Your Technique
Chalk Paint
The matte, velvety finish, and the most forgiving paint to apply: it grips almost anything without primer and can be touched up without leaving a line.
It’s the default choice for a dresser, a bookcase, a frame or a rattan piece. Seal with wax to keep the finish soft.
Mineral Paint
Harder once cured, and washable. It’s the one to choose for a surface used every day: kitchen cabinet fronts, a dining table, a stair railing.
It needs a slightly better-prepared surface than chalk paint, and it’s less forgiving of going back over areas that are half dry.
Wax and Varnish
Wax nourishes the finish and makes it soft to the touch; it can be renewed and repaired, but it won’t protect against a forgotten glass of water.
Varnish forms a film. On a piece of furniture that gets heavy use, it’s what you need — and it’s applied in very thin coats, otherwise it drags.
Touch-Ups
A chip gets filled, sanded flat, then repainted with a brush by dabbing rather than dragging: dabbing breaks up the line of the touch-up.
Always keep a little paint left over from the project. A remade batch of paint never gives exactly the same tone.
Frequently Asked Questions About Technique
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Do I Need to Sand Before Painting?
Rarely. Clean, degrease, and only scuff very glossy surfaces so the first coat grips.
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How Many Coats?
Two, in thin coats. The first is allowed to look uneven — that’s normal and it won’t show in the end.
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Do I Need to Seal?
Yes, on anything that will be touched, washed or rubbed. Wax for a soft finish, varnish for furniture that gets heavy use.
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How Do I Avoid Brush Marks?
A brush that’s loaded but not dripping, a single direction, and don’t go back over an area that has started to set. Marks level out on their own as the paint dries if the coat is thin.
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Does It Hold on Melamine?
Yes. Degrease thoroughly, scuff the gloss with fine sandpaper, and let it cure longer than you would on wood before putting it back into use.
Learn Live
Our online workshops go through the whole method, with your questions answered as you go.