Is your stained wood looking a little dated or damaged and need a refresh?
If your stained wood trim, cabinets, doors, furniture, or most any other stained wood could use an update with a coat of paint, make sure to prepare the stained wood before painting so the paint will stick.
Here are the steps for how to paint over stained wood properly to get a durable finish that will last.
photo courtesy of Nomadic Lass flickr.com/photos/nomadic_lass/5620231751/Remove Hardware
If your stained wood item has hardware, such as a door knob or furniture pull, remove it before proceeding for the best results.
Now is a good time to give your hardware a good cleaning.
Clean
Clean your stained wood item to remove any dust, dirt, cobwebs, or other yucky stuff you don't want mixed in with your paint.
You can use plain soap and water to clean.
If you have any oily or greasy areas, clean them using TSP.
Remove the Gloss
Most stained wood has been coated in a glossy polyurethane or varnish.
If you paint over these glossy surfaces directly, the paint can't properly grip the surface which may cause the paint to crack, chip, or peel off.
In order to allow the paint to grip to the surface of your wood, you should sand away the gloss. You do not need to sand away the stain, just rough up the glossy surface.
If you do not want to sand your stained wood, you can use a paint deglosser or liquid sandpaper instead.
Some people love to use Glidden Gripper primer instead of sanding.
Clean
Yes, you have to clean again.
Clean all of the sanding dust off your wood before painting.
If you do not remove the sanding dust, it will get into your paint and make your finished surface bumpy.
You can start by vacuuming the sanding dust, then wipe the excess using a tack cloth.
Repair
If you have any nicks, scratches, dings, or other problems with your stained wood, repair the spot with wood filler.
You may need to use 2 coats.
Once completely dry, sand and clean the area again.
Prime
Paint over your stained wood with a paint primer first.
You can use oil based or water based latex primer - you can even use spray paint.
If you are planning on using oil based paint, use an oil based primer.
If you are planning on using a water based latex paint, use a water based latex primer.
You can apply the primer with either a brush or roller.
You can even apply the primer with a roller to get the paint applied evenly, then use a bristle or foam brush to brush out the roller marks.
Many people like to use a Flood Additive that helps make paint smoother to reduce brush marks.
If you are planning on painting your stained wood with a color other that white, consider having the paint store tint your primer in a color similar to your final paint color.
Allow your primer to dry per the manufacturer's directions.
Don't worry too much if the stain color is not totally concealed by the primer.
If you use a high quality paint that includes primer, you can skip this step (Chalk paint might work well without priming also, however follow the directions on the particular paint you are using).
Paint
Using a quality paint (either water based latex, oil based, or spray paint), paint over your previously stained wood.
You may need 2 coats of paint to get the coverage you desire.
Make sure each coat is completely dry before applying the next coat.
Top Coat
You can use a top coat of polyurethane over your painted wood if you wish, however it is unnecessary if you use a high quality paint.
Another option is to use a paste wax to add a bit of shine to your finished painted wood.
Other Articles You Might Like.....
No More Mistakes! The Foolproof Guide to Picking Paint Colors
How to Clean a Paintbrush with Dried Paint On It
The Impact of Color on Mood: A Guide for Decorating Your Home
For more information, see the video below.
>
