Here’s the long awaited 
second part of my occasional series on Shabby Chic furniture painting techniques….
(Don’t forget to read Preparing wooden furniture for painting Part 1)
So now you’ve got your beautifully clean, smooth, piece of furniture ready to paint. But first you have to prime it. Otherwise your Shabby Chic paint won’t stick to the surface. Primer is sometimes called ‘wood sealer’ and that’s exactly what it does. It stops the bare wood sucking up your paint and, in the case of pine, it also stops resins oozing out of the wood and spoiling your finish.
Primers can be water based or oil based. It’s best to choose a lead free one, for your own health and for any toddlers who might just decide to teeth on your precious piece of furniture Some all-in one-primers are combined with an undercoat. You can use these but they are probably not needed for the Shabby Chic look.
Do not just use emulsion paint! Despite what some web sites and books might suggest I’ve never found it gives a good finish and you don’t want to see your good work ruined 
Where to do it?
You need to work in a well ventilated space, especially if you are using an oil-based primer. You need to be somewhere that wind blown dust isn’t going to be an issue while the primer is drying and somewhere that little fingers (yours included!) won’t be tempted to touch too soon “Just to see if it’s dry yet” – it isn’t!
In a garage with the back door open on a nice day is ideal
Put down plenty of newspaper and wear comfortable, old clothes and shoes. Tie you hair back and wear a hat if you can.It’s no fun having to get primer out of your hair or peeling hairs off your otherwise perfect paint job!
You Need
First get everything you need for the job ready. There’s nothing worse than suddenly realising you’ve forgotten something
- A few old, clean, t-shirts or other soft cotton lint-free cloth
- Wood Primer
- Selection of paint brushes (2″, 3″ or 4″)
- Foam paint roller (optional)
- Wire wool
Instructions
- Wrap the t-shirt round your hand and gently go over the surfaces to make sure they are absolutely smooth. If not it’s back to the sand-paper till the piece passes this test!
- Cover the whole piece with a coat of primer. You can use a 3″ or 4″ brush for this to give texture to the finished piece. For a smooth effect use a small foam roller. Personally I’d use the roller till I knew what I was doing.
- Allow to dry for several hours. It’s hard to be precise about this, it depends on moisture conditions on the day. It is much better to leave it too long than try to rush things! I’d leave it overnight (8 hours) even longer if you live somewhere damp or it’s in a cold garage.
- Once it is totally dry (not before!) lightly rub the surface with the steel wool.
- Wipe the dust off with another old, clean t-shirt.
Ready to Paint?
It’s time to decide exactly what you want the finished piece to look like. There are many possibilities. Do you want to use a technique like decoupage? Will you want a crackled paint finish or a plain one? Are you going to distress a top coat of paint to reveal an underlying colour?
You are on your own now as you have prepared your furniture for painting.
My pine bench which is more than a year old has suddenly, since being moved to face the sun, is dripping with pine resin. I can no longer sit in it. The wood has also opened up. Previously treated with varnish, oil based then water based blackboard paint and finally with Ronseal exterior wood paint. Help please. Mrs Page
Maybe move it back out of the sun.
Hi Mrs Page
Oh dear – poor you
It’s a perfect example of why you really must use wood primer in the case of new raw pine. Varnish just won’t do the job. I’m assuming your bench is outside?
Blackboard paint gives a nice finish but it just isn’t tough enough for outside. The exterior wood paint wouldn’t sit happily on top of that water based blackboard paint so there will have been problems there too.
You will need to sand it right back. Some job! Use a mask when you are sanding and work in a well ventilated area. Every trace of paint and varnish needs to go.
You could use a commercial stripper but it’s a nasty job.
Once you are back to the wood use a good quality primer, Ronseal does one. Look for any knots in the wood and give them a dab first and let these dry.
Give it an all over coat and allow to dry for a few days. Keep it out of the sun while this is going on.
You then need to use either a furniture stain (in which case no need to use sealant) or an oil based exterior paint, the same one you had before as a top coat should be fine.
Let me know how it goes
Linda
have you written part 3 yet? Please – parts 1 & 2 are great, but I need help with part 3!!!
Hi Liz
LOL thanks for the nudge! I will post Part 3 very soon. Sorry about the delay
Hi Linda,
Is there a part three yet? I’ve got a table all primed and ready for the next steps
Wow, some nice tips here, thanks very much.
really some nice and useful tips for painting wooden furnitures…i was looking for this kind of tips for along time..it will me lot to paint my furnitures…and i am waiting for part 3..
Great article. This series is so useful to me!
Thanks for the tips. I appreciate your post.
This is the first time I comment here and I must say you give us genuine, and quality information for other bloggers! Good job.
p.s. You have an awesome template . Where have you got it from?
Hi,
I’ve always wanted to give this a go but never had the confidence. I love the way you write with humour, very inspirational and motivational. I’m off for a browse around the charity shops to find a small table to make a start on. Thanks for getting me up off my backside. Good luck to everyone else giving it a go, I’l be back to keep in touch (yes yes, I know – that sounds like a threat lol) CLASSY CHIC
Hi
Could you tell me which type of paint I need for the shabby chic look? And where is the best place to get in London.
Many thanks!
I like to use an acrylic emulsion paint and you can buy that just about anywhere in London. Go for a quality brand and if you want to use a colour other than white or cream do have a look at Farrow and Ball colour range – they have a lovely chalky quality that’s just perfect. I’m very fond of their Calke green. Mm…. nice but expensive, B&Q is just fine
Have you done part 3 yet , cos that’s the part I need – to get the effect of an old / antique look with some off white paint ( or cream )
It’s a wonderful article. I need to repaint my pine wardrobe. Thank you for the tips on preparing wooden furniture for painting.
DId you ever write part 3, I can’t findit on the website anywhere?
Thanks
Andrew
Hi, i’ve sanded, primed and painted an old oak bedstead, solid pine chest of drawers and pine and mdf wardrobe. They all look great in their ‘almond white’ – but everytime my daughter puts anything on a surface or lightly knocks into a piece, the paint almost peels off – what have i done wrong??? should I have used something on top of the paint? some sort of varnish? all help appreciated – thanks
Hi Kim
What sort of paint did you use? If you used ordinary emulsion peeling and flaking like that can sometimes be a problem. What you need to know is what to do now! If you are sure you gave the furniture enough coats of paint ( 2 is an absolute minimum!) then try using clear wax to add a protective finish. Annie Sloan does a good clear wax that’s perfect for the job. Follow the instructions carefully and let me know how it goes.
Could you tell m which Farrow and Ball you would recommend using. They make so many different types of paint! Don’t want to get the wrong one! Thanks. Your article was very helpful
hello, can anyone tell me where part 3 is? thankyou
Hi there, just wondering if you are going to do part three….only I have this beautiful old looking table and can do with all the help I can get! The first two parts you wrote were wonderful and such a big help to me. I followed all your tips and it’s really worked a treat so far. I really dont want to mess it up! Thanks and sorry for the added pressure!!
Hi, love your articles. They’re very motivating, I just purchased chairs at auction and I can’t wait to personalize them with my very own interpretation of shabby chic!
Looking forward to part 3
Bests,
Hi
Still waiting on part 3 – I guess you are very busy but I am ready to go!!
Regards
Trish