How to repaint old furniture

To get started, place your chosen piece on a dustsheet, and remove fixtures such as handles and shelves.

Preparation
Wooden furniture is likely to have been treated with paint or varnish, and will have collected dirt and grease over the years. Before applying your paint, you will need to properly prepare the surface. You can either:
- Wash and abrade the surface using wet and dry paper with a mild detergent.
- Sponge down the surface then use an appropriate primer.

Paint
Wood primer should only be used on bare wood furniture. If your furniture has previously been painted or varnished, use a multi surface primer.
For the decorative coat, look for paints labelled 'for wood and metal', such as gloss, satin and eggshell.

Painting
If the piece has fine details like doors, start with these. Paint the door edges first, followed by the mouldings and inlay panels. Cover the surface with paint then use the brush to spread it evenly. Brush the paint left and right, followed by up and down strokes to ensure an even coverage.

When the inlays are done, move on to the top and bottom rails then the side stiles. Once the doors are complete, move on to the surrounding framework.

Once the front is done, paint the side panels before finishing with the top.