Finishing Furniture

As you can see, I perfer to paint in a white tone. 

Hint One: Buy furniture with all the handles.  Handles are expensive and can cost $4.00 each or more.

Hint Two:  Use good paint brushes, not the one dollar throw away brush or roller.  The marks from rollers and brush strokes are hard to remove.

Hint Three:  Wash out your brush if it is a hot day, every 30 minutes or so and dry, start again.

Hint Four:  Wipe the piece until it is clean and fresh.  Remove all dust completely or it will be in the paint and try to fix that one . . .

Hint Five: Paint in one direction only, not back and forth

Hint Six:  Use 120 grade sandpaper inbetween coats.

Hint Seven:  Rinse out your painting rag after each wiping episode.

Hint Eight:  Keep away from web paint

First, don't by painted furniture, if it is painted, sand it with a sander. Don't buy furniture from someone who smokes unless you want to leave the furniture outside for a month and then scrub it throurghly with a very strong cleaner, inside and outside and then let it sit some more. All residue from smoking must be removed and then put two Bounce in each drawer daily for a week, changes these everyday, spray with Fabreeze and hope for the best. It is easier to just donate furniture from a smoker than clean it.


I use Home Depot paint. I apply one to two coats of Gripper (like Kilz but will stick to any surface without sanding. I use a eggshell finish, custom mix Spice Delight BEHR paint. I am changing that to a bit more Ivory as for Shabby it is just a bit too white. I do one coat of this paint, sand the edges or wherever I think I am going to finish sanding, wipe with damp cloth to collect all dust between each coat. Do one more coat. Sometimes a third is needed to be sure it looks good. I sand light between coats. Allow 2 hours or more dry time between coats. Sand the edges one more time and wipe with a damp cloth. Apply one light coat of POLYACRYLIC varnish, allow to dry for one day. I have yet me master the matte finish that is so popular. I sell a lot of furniture doing just this.

I have a booth in Main Street Antique Mall, Mesa, AZ, that is currently 8' x 12" but is growing to 12" x 12" on the first of August.  I am dong very well with this adventure since the patterns are a bit slow right now.

Let me know what you think of my change of direction.  I do still sew but this makes money for my family.  That was why I was doing Applique patterns.  I really enjoy this and was not brave for a long time.  Finally one too many things we are doing without and here I am on this fun adventure of painting and selling furniture.  I would have dreamed this for myself.  I have done a lot of things over the years but this is really fun!

Please continue to enjoy the Free Pattern that Grace Jewell has graciously done for us.  Check out our website to see what other fun thing we have there.

Happy Quilting, Nancy