If you read the longest blog post in history (a.k.a. the reader survey results), you know that there were some questions about furniture painting – what finish to use, why is the paint peeling, etc.
Since I am a woman for the people and cannot let my people down, I decided to start a little Painting 101 series with basic tips and tricks for painting furniture.
The first thing we are going to chat about is:
Why is my paint peeling?
Tips and tricks to keep paint from peeling and scratching off your furniture.
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Usually the reason paint ends up peeling off a surface, is because it didn’t fully adhere to the surface as it was supposed to do.
There are a couple reasons why it may not have adhered correctly:
Reason 1. The surface wasn’t clean.
Anytime you paint something, it is so important to clean it first. You don’t have to do soap and water (unless its really nasty), usually just a wet cloth will do the trick. With any piece of furniture I paint, I always wipe it down first with a wet cloth to remove any dust and dirt. If the piece is really gross, like has been sitting in my garage for months, I will pull out the shop vac and run that over it first, then come back with the wet cloth.
After you have wiped down the surface with a wet cloth, you need to go back over it with a tack cloth. A tack cloth is literally just that, a tacky cloth that feels a little sticky. You just wipe it over your piece and it will pick up any remaining dirt and dust.
Mint + Coral Nightstand Makeover
Reason 2. The surface had a topcoat or finish that kept the paint from adhering as it should have.
There are some paints out there that you can paint directly onto just about any surface. One of those is Velvet Finishes, which if you’ve been around here for the last few months, you know that’s my new favorite furniture paint. Depending on what type of surface you are painting though, you may still need a primer with that paint and you will most likely need it if you are painting with regular latex paint. If the furniture you are painting has one of these types of finishes, you will need to sand and/or prime it before painting:
- A thick waxy finish
- A shiny, glossy finish
- Laminate
- A polyurethaned finish
I recommend doing a quick sanding if the piece has any uneven spots or if its just really super shiny. Does that make sense? You won’t need to sand it down to the bare wood, just rough it up a bit. After you have sanded, run the tack cloth over the piece and apply a primer.
If you are painting a piece of unfinished furniture, there is no need for sanding. However, depending on the paint you are using, you may need to prime it. If you are using a regular latex paint, you will definitely want to prime it with something like Zinnser or Kilz primer. All you will need is one coat. It will just keep the furniture from soaking up your paint and taking coat after coat after coat of paint. If you are using a paint that requires no priming first, you can skip that part.
Vintage Radio turned Bar Cabinet
After you’ve prepped your piece as needed, its important to remember a couple of other things when you get ready to paint:
3. Apply Thin Coats of Paint.
I’m guilty of it too – trying to put on thick coats to minimize my work time and because I’m just plain lazy. You will get the best protection and finish on your furniture if you apply thin coats of paint. To speed up the process, I will often use my HomeRight Finish Max Paint Sprayer when the weather permits. If I can’t spray a piece, I use a high quality paintbrush and/or roller.
IKEA Tarva Dresser turned Drink Bar
4. Protect It.
Some paints already have a topcoat built in, such as the Velvet Finishes paint that I mentioned before. High gloss paints are usually pretty tough too, but not everyone likes that super shiny look. If your piece is going to be seeing a lot of use, you need to put a good topcoat on it. I like to use Protect or a Polycrylic. With this step you can also use a paint sprayer or a high quality paint brush. A good topcoat will make your paint job stronger and hold up against little circuses that may be roaming around.
5. Let It Cure.
Just because the paint or the topcoat is dry to the touch doesn’t mean that its fully cured. It can take paint and/or a topcoat up to three weeks to fully cure sometimes – this is especially true when its really hot and humid. Typically, once a piece is dry to the touch I will move it to its “spot,” however I try not to put anything on it until 2-3 weeks later – especially no magazines and papers, they will easily stick to paint that isn’t fully cured and leave some of their ink on the piece.
Do you have any tips and tricks to keep paint from peeling or on protecting painted furniture pieces?
Need more painting tips and tricks?
Painting 101: Topcoats and when to use them– a guide to topcoats and when they should be used.
FAQ: Painting Furniture – questions I’ve been asked over and over again about furniture painting and then some.
A Guide on What Types of Paints to Use on Various Surfaces – all the different types of paints and what surfaces they work best on.
How to Paint Walls in less time with less mess – a great little tip for getting your walls painted in less time.
And you can see all of my furniture makeovers here.
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chris aka monkey says
great post jenna and spot on too prep is as important as painting xx
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Thanks, Chris!
Lisa says
I have a dining room table that had a laminate top. It was in storage and the heat caused the laminate to peel. I pulled all of laminate off and it’s pressed board underneath. How would I paint it? The table top is smooth.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Ok. So, the only time I have painted pressed board was on countertops where I peeled off the laminate. Those were not smooth, so I went with it and got a stone look. But, you are saying this pressed board is smooth? If so, I would give it a light sanding, prime it and then paint over it. Give it a topcoat as well.
DawnLyne says
Thank you so much! I knew the minute I read your article what I “didn’t” do on the pieces that have chipped. One I didn’t prime, one I didn’t wipe down properly after sanding, one I didn’t let sit long enough after painting. Oh well, paint, read & learn.
I do have a question?
I have painted my chandelier a black lacquer spray paint. After hanging it over the bed I have realized my horrid mistake…(it looks like a HUGE black spider, no joke!) I now want it a light green to go with my light coral walls. Is there any hope of a primer sticking to it?
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Glad the article was helpful, DawnLyne! On the chandelier – they make a spray paint primer. I would use it on the chandelier and then respray it. I think it should work. 🙂
Jill says
I use gray primer when painting over dark colors, or white primer, if it’s a piece that can be easily sanded. A chandelier would be too much work for me, I would attempt a gray primer 1st. It has worked for me every time so far. Once you have a good even coat of gray primer, almost any color comes out beautiful, no matter how much lighter shade it is.
Additionally, I was trained by professional painters and they have told me to do exactly what you covered in this article, but I am told to take ALL your steps, EVERY time.
Thank you for sharing your experience in this article. It is very informative.
Jill
Jenna says
Great to hear, Jill! Thanks!
Julie says
Have you used Protect over chalk paint? I’m wondering what the finish looks like.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
No Julie, I haven’t. The Protect has a satin like finish, so I’m thinking it would probably give that sheen to the chalk paint.
Lauren says
Thank you for this post!
I do have a question… what should you do when you have a piece of furniture that has peeling paint and you want to re-do it?
I picked up a dresser from the thrift store with the intention to repaint it and fix it– the paint on the top was picking in a few places. Now that it has sat in my garage for one month, the paint on top is peeling (likely because of the heat and humidity!). What is the best way to strip this paint off?
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Yep, Lauren, you will definitely want to strip it off. You’ve got two options. If you are going to re-paint it, then sand the piece down until the finish is smooth. Prime it, then paint it. If you want to stain it, strip the piece with a heat gun or furniture stripper, sand it smooth, then stain it. There’s a post here on stripping furniture: https://rainonatinroof.com/2015/04/how-to-strip-furniture-and-restain-it/
Athena says
Thank you so much! I knew the minute I read your article what I “didn’t” do on the pieces that have chipped. One I didn’t prime, one I didn’t wipe down properly after sanding, one I didn’t let sit long enough after painting. Oh well, paint, read & learn.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Trust me, Athena – it took a long time for me to learn this stuff!
Carisa says
Hello! Thanks for the helpful tips!! I do have somewhat of a silly question. I have a wood dresser that I want to prime and paint with regular Valspar latex paint. For ventilation purposes, I planned on doing the project in our garage but it’s really hot and stuffy in there and I’m concerned with even the doors open, would the heat affect the painting adhesion/drying? I have a spare room in the house but it’s just not as ventilated.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Hey Carisa! Is the heat humid heat? Where I live, it is very humid right now. I still tend to paint furniture in the garage, however it usually takes it a little longer to dry and I have to wait at least a few weeks before putting anything on top of the furniture because its still tacky for a little while. I’ve painted furniture in my house before and as long as your primer isn’t too smelly, you should be fine. Could you open a window in that room?
Theresa says
My new-to-me home has a couple of spots on the kitchen cabinets (near the stove) that are chipping. The chipped aresa are where the steam from boiling water evaporates. I believe the house was remodeled about two years ago. The cabinet paint is shiny – I believe high gloss. Is there anything I can do to touch-up these chipped areas? The remainder of the cabinets are in excellent condition.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Hi Theresa! Yes! First off, do you have the paint color that was used on the cabinets? If not, take a cabinet door off and take it to Home Depot or another hardware store and get them to color match that paint. Also get them to confirm the finish (semi-gloss or gloss) to make sure you get the right finish. You’ll probably have to buy a quart of the paint. Sand the areas that are peeling until its smooth, then wipe them down with a tack cloth to remove any dust and dirt. Prime those areas with Zinnser or Kilz primer, then paint over them with your cabinet color. It might be a good idea to even put a Polycrylic sealer in the same sheen over those cabinets – or at least those spots – to prevent them from peeling again. Hope that helps!
Marilyn Kahlo-Burton says
Thanks Jenna for a great tutorial! I love to read articles on DIY painting in hopes of always improving my projects! Yours was really helpful! Most especially the part about letting the paint cure! I have ruined a few pieces by not allowing enough time and lifted an object from a surface only to have the paint come completely off!!! ugh!All that work for naught! Now I know!! I do have a paint tip that has worked well for me in terms of how nice the finished surface turns out as well as, I believe, durability. After each coat of paint, I allow it to dry overnight and then sand it with a fine 200 or higher grit sandpaper. Just sand it lightly. Wipe again with damp cloth and retack, then on with the next coat of paint. Beautiful paint surface and have never had it wear or peel unless I did NOT let it cure! LOL. Thanks for the post! I’m signing up!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Great tip, Marilyn! I will admit that sanding between coats is something I need to improve on – I get in a hurry!
amandathemommy says
Hi there,
I just had doors, cabinets and niches painted an antique white and glazed all over my house. I had this professionally done as I’m not that handy. This was completed about 6 months ago. Well, the niches are peeling, and I noticed little hairline cracks everywhere… I’m freaking out that all the paint I’ve had done all over my house is going to start peeling. Do you think that’s the case? And is it fixable? I’m sick to my stomach! It was SO much work!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Where it’s peeling and cracking – is that in corners and around seams – places like that? If so, I think a bit of caulk might be your answer. You would need to caulk the cracks and then touch up with the paint.
Lisa D says
I wish I would’ve found this BEFORE I started my project. Okay, I redid a dresser as my mom suggested a paint with primer in it and said I should be fine. I painted it. It looked gorgeous. Started peeling by day two. Then my stepdad told me to use a spray sealant. I bought polycrilic spray because it said it dries clear…it’s yellow in spots. It keeps getting worse and still peeling. Do I need to just let it sit for a couple of weeks? Will it eventually harden? It did have a shine to the wood and I didn’t sand (had no idea I had to after my mom said just paint and go). Or do I have to try and peel it all of and start over? Is there any other way to get it to stop peeling? Thanks!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Hi Lisa. You could try to use a clear liquid brush-on polycrylic. This might stop the peeling. Just test it out in a spot and wait and see. I can’t guarantee it will work though. If it doesn’t, I would sand it – get off all the peeling spots, rough up the finish and then prime it with just a regular primer – Kilz or Zinnser. Follow up with your paint and topcoat. Sorry you’ve had such a time with this project!
Pam says
I am painting over a black crib to make it white. I sanded the crap out of that piece and washed it down with warm soap and water let that dry for about a week and then I proceeded to paint with latex paint. My first coat chipped in a few places but it may have been knocked around in the garage I’m not sure. Now that I have a second coat and it looks like a third might be necessary I am using a roller at this point instead of a brush. My question is should I go back and prime this or just continue painting and letting it dry properly and then use polyacrylic on it ? Thank you!!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Has it chipped anymore, Pam? If not, I think you would be ok to go ahead and finish painting it then top it off with a polycrylic. If it has chipped or scratched more, then I would lightly sand it, prime it, then paint and topcoat it.
Jessica says
I painted a laminate desk and hutch with Valspars new furniture paint, I normally use chalk paint but decided to try a new paint. I was told I didn’t need to prime which was not correct. I know how this beautifully painted large desk with two coats of polycrylic and it chips with the lightest touch. Is my only option sanding the entire piece down and redoing it??? If so, Ill probably just buy a new desk :\
Thank you for your time!
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Hi Jessica! Unfortunately, I do think that sanding it down would be the best thing to do in this situation if it’s chipping so badly. I’m so sorry to hear this!
Scott says
We lived into a house a year and scalding ago and painted everythings: walls, doors, trim, and built in cabinets. Everything was cleaned but now the white that was used on doors, trim and cabinets peels easily, especially when scratched. We used a premium primer and painted combo from Home Depot. To be honest, its not that I’m lazy but I don’t really want to strip and repaint everything…want can we do???
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
I feel your pain, Scott. So it sounds like you did everything like you should have with the cleaning and all. I’m wondering if you got a dud can of paint. Maybe try to sand just the spots that are peeling a little and repaint with a different paint?
Carol Lopez says
I recently hired someone to paint my all my white interior doors a deep dark brown with a highly rated primer+paint Home Depot paint in satin finish. My painter cleaned and lightly sanded all 18 doors. However, I notice my doors easily get scratched, ei. I recently reached for my doorknob and my nail accidentally grazed door and it got scratched exposing the white paint underneath. I paid a lot of money and it took a long time complete the job. Is there a product I can put over the current paint to seal and avoid this problem?
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Hi Carol. You could try giving them a coat of polycrylic to protect them. I do think it might help.
Geraldine Nickson says
Hi I’ve painted my table using rustoleum paint which says on the tin that there is no need to prime or sand down. I have sanded a little just give a key but now I’m noticing that the slightest touch and the paint chips. Please suggest how I can stop the chipping? Many thanks.
Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof says
Hi Geraldine. If you don’t want to sand and repaint the whole thing again, I would suggest trying a Polycrylic topcoat on it.
Wendy says
I had an old dresser that had been painted, it had a slightly shiny finish to it, so I sanded it down and cleaned it up before I painted it. I painted the dresser with 2 coats of paint. After several days I have noticed that the paint wants to peel off. Did I not sand it enough or do I just need to let it cure longer? We are wanting to use this in a nursery for a changing table so we do not want to have to worry about the paint coming off. Not sure what I did wrong or what to do next.
Jenna says
You might not have sanded it enough, Wendy. I would suggest sanding it again and then using a good primer on it, then repainting it. If it’s going in a kid’s room, you might want to give it a topcoat too to help withstand all rough and tumble the kiddo might give it down the road.
En says
Hi! I live in a basement apartment and the kitchen cabinets were painted by the former owner in a horrible textured paint. I want to paint them but I want them to have a smoother finish. What should I do to make them smooth w/o sanding them?
Jenna says
If you want to have them smooth, I’m afraid you’ll have to sand them first, En. Sorry!
Lisa says
What is the best way to paint new built ins being installed into a newly constructed house? Not sure what type of primer and paint to use on them. My fear is them peeling. Mostly made of high quality MDF
Jenna says
Hi Lisa! Start with a latex primer like Zinnser or Kilz. Then, use a semi-gloss or gloss paint. This will make them easily cleanable and also provide protection. Hope that helps!
Sara says
Hi Jenna! I just located your awesome space on the Internet while researching peeling paint. I’m just about to pull the trigger on painting my kitchen cabinets with GF Lamp Black and possibly some Antique White. I did use Old English Lemon Oil to ‘spruce’ up my stained cabinets a few years ago. I’m very worried the GF Milk Pint won’t adhere due to the oil. I’ve washed the cabinets, sanded off the gloss and used 50/50 denatured alcohol and water on them as prep. Do you have any other suggestions or experience repainting wood in which Old English or an oil soap such as Murphy’s has been used? I’m scared as hell-but would really like it to adhere. Love your site!
Jenna says
Hi Sara! Unfortunatley, I don’t have any experience with painting over something that had Old English on it previously. It sounds like you’ve done all the right prep work though. Maybe test it out in small spot first to make sure the paint adheres properly?
Elizabeth Fickling Reese says
Hi, We recently painted our bedroom with very expensive Valspar paint. The walls were paintable paneling. The paint said primer and paint so we just washed the walls. We did one coat and let dry overnight then applied second coat. Much to our dismay we can scratch the paint off with our fingernails.We really do not want to sand an entire bedroom. Is there anything we can do to protect it from peeling or scratching off?
Jenna says
Oh no, Elizabeth! What a pain! I think what I would try in this situation is going over the walls with a good primer such as Kilz or Zinnser then coming back with your paint. Ask the folks at the paint counter too where you bought the paint, they might have some insight on something similar that has happened like this with that paint before as well.
Sarah says
I’m having a spray paint issue that I hope you can help with. I spraypainted the legs of a white Ikea desk gold (damn Pinterest!) with Valspar metallic spray paint. First I lightly sanded and primed with Kilz, then I put 2 coats of paint waiting 24hrs between coats. It looks good but scratches very easily. I want to put a protective clear coat on it so I tested by only spraying the top bar which will be covered by the desk. The paint turned speckled and peeled! Any advice? I used Valspar clear coat in satin finish.
Jenna says
Hi Sarah! I’ve had this happen before and I can’t be 100% sure what the cause was, but to fix it, I sanded off all the speckled parts, cleaned the area really well, let it dry completely, then re-did it. That fixed it for me.
Nancy Dickson says
Hi Jenna. Thank you for this! I’m at the tail end of the process of painting my dressing room cabinets (from a wood color to BM Newburyport Blue) and now must wait for them to cure, I guess. It’s hot and humid here (July, after all), so your post saved me. I am so desperate to install the new drawer pulls and was only going to give 72 hours to cure after the polycrylic coats, but I guess I’ll wait the extra three weeks while I’m away. So antsy though!
My question is about how you set or prop up pieces that need to be painted on both sides. After sanding, do you typically complete all steps on one side (prime, two coats of paint, polycrilic) and let that fully cure before tackling the other side? I am struggling to lay my cabinet doors down in a way that they don’t adhere to whatever they’re resting on, and I’ve had to do tough ups as a result. I appreciate any help! Nancy
Jenna says
Hi Nancy! Good call on waiting – the humidity can really mess with painting things. To answer your question, what I typically do is sand both sides first, then I put the side up that will show the least (like the back of a cabinet door) and paint it first, then poly it, let cure, then I do the front side, or the side that will show the most. I do it that way just in case if when I flip over the newly painted side, it might happen to get an imperfection or two in it if the paint didn’t quite cure completely yet.
Heidi Stoll says
Jenna! I recently purchase a HUGE two piece hutch with intricate carvings. Originally it was just a wood finish and then someone painted it black. I did a rough sand where I could, a fine sand, then tack cloth. I purchased a glossy white paint with primer. It was too white, too glossy. I purchased a satin ‘vanilla’ color, paint and primer together and did the final coat in that. (I had the Kilz Primer on my list and the paint store guy talked me into the paint/primer in one.) It’s now ‘sitting’. Is there any hope that it will actually cure. I’m feeling like I should have sent it out to have someone professionally do it. I’m fine with it being a shabby chic look and may even attempt to sand the edges to distress it but what I’m worried about is the paint peeling in big ‘chunks’ if I attempt that. Since we are doing a remodel it can sit for several weeks where it is and will only be used for storage and displaying. I actually left the interior cupboards black because it was such a monster I just didn’t want to tackle it. If it does peel in any spots, can I attempt to sand and repaint those areas or will it just keep peeling? It doesn’t have to be picture perfect. It’s old. I get it. I’m just stressing after all this work. I guess my question is, if I let it sit for several weeks, is there a chance it will cure. I know I’m asking you to predict the future of a piece that you’ve never seen. Help!
Jenna says
So sometimes, it does take some pieces longer to cure than others. A lot of times it even depends on the weather. I’ve seen some pieces not be fully cured until after a month.
Jackie says
I recently painted my kids furniture from green to blue. I sanded it and painted it a flat blue which i love. Do i need to apply a topcoat if something? If so what would you recommend?
Jenna says
If it is a flat finish, then yes, I would recommend putting a topcoat on it. You could use a polycrylic satin or semi-gloss, whichever you prefer.
CJ Clark says
I am painting an interior door. I used acrylics for the prep coat and (then sanded and did) two, thin, acrylic gloss coats. It wasn’t ‘covered’ enough and was a bit rough so, a week later, I sanded again. But ended up with what appeared to be peeled paint coalescing into tiny balls on the surface, which I could brush off but made me think it hasn’t adhered to the primer prepared surface. What do you think? I don’t want to apply a final coat and find that I need to sand the whole lot back and start again.
Kristin says
Hello! First of all, thank you for all the really solid information you put on your blog and the awesome projects! I love the lattice wall! I know this is an older thread but had a question…I redo a console (laminate) table this year. I used a high stick primer and regular latex paint. Then polycrylic. I thought I let it cure for a week or so (can’t remember). However, even 6 months later, when I put something on it (picture frame, glass vase, candle holder, etc), I get a mark on the table. I had a wooden painted letter that has left white lines on my pretty navy console. Any tips on removing the marks and recoating with poly? Do you like the Velvet finishes Protect product better than regular Miniwax polycrylic? Thanks in advance for your help!!
Cynthia says
Hi Jenna,
I am looking for an “after the fact” solution! I have recently had my kitchen professionally painted and already it is chipping and peeling. I am certain the painter did not properly prep the surface but he will never admit fault. Is there any after coat that I can apply that will harden and protect the surface?
Thanks for your input!
Cynthia