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Pad Patter 6/14: Refinishing furniture

Dalis

Dalis

Jose Cuervo is NOT a good friend
Joined
May 6, 2011
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Ok, I know I asked some time ago to see who of you were handy-women. I also remember getting a really good amount of gals that were good with tools and fixing stuff.... now... do we have anyone that knows how to refinish furniture or cabinets?

I am thinking of refinishing my kitchen cabinets using Annie Sloan's chalk paint.

I know that since I have oak, I still need to do a primer, which totally sucks, but I don't want to see the vein of the wood.

Any DOs or DON'Ts that I should know before I tackle this monster?
 
You'll want to sand the cabinets at least lightly before you apply the primer...just to give it better grip on the varnish (or whatever is on it).
 
Jen said:
You'll want to sand the cabinets at least lightly before you apply the primer...just to give it better grip on the varnish (or whatever is on it).
Click to expand...

Yes! And just be patient. We painted our oak cabinets and it took longer and more coats than I was expecting. But, just hang in there and take your time to do it right and it will be worth it.
 
I agree about being patient. I am the worst with that when painting and it always turns out sloppy when I'm impatient and I then I hate it and want to do it over. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chalk paint when you finish... I'm hoping to repaint my kitchen table with it in the fall.
 
I thought you didn't have to prime with Annie Sloan at all?? That was the appeal of it, well, besides the gorgeous colors!
 
AmyG said:
I thought you didn't have to prime with Annie Sloan at all?? That was the appeal of it, well, besides the gorgeous colors!
Click to expand...

I didn't think so either, but maybe it has to do with it being oak and not wanting the grain to show through?
 
any time i've ever painted or refinished any kind of cabinet or dresser, i have found that several lighter coats of paint tend to work out better than a few heavier coats... less dripping and running and whatnot. also, always make sure you go with the grain. maybe it's a no-brainer, but better safe than sorry to not mention it.
 
AmyG said:
I thought you didn't have to prime with Annie Sloan at all?? That was the appeal of it, well, besides the gorgeous colors!
Click to expand...

That is true, but with Oak you get the grain of the wood which is exactly what I HATE about my cabinets. So to avoid seeing the grain of the wood I have to prime. I am most likely priming in black, not sure yet depends what color we end up using.
 
toriloowho said:
I didn't think so either, but maybe it has to do with it being oak and not wanting the grain to show through?
Click to expand...

EXACTLY, I don't have to sand either before the prime, but I have to ask again. I saw a few demonstrations last Summer and it's fuzzy in my head.
 
Sara and I are in the middle of a project with Annie Sloan paint! We found an awesome changing table to refinish for her nursery. We did the apron and top in Annie's pure white and the drawers in Provence. That's probably my personal favorite Annie Sloan color. We are going to do a pink chevron stencil on the top. As soon as it's done, we will share some pics. :)
 
I am in the process of re-doing my cabinets right now. It's a slow go since I have a new baby. Mine is a different look that what it sounds like you are going for but we have oak cabinets and I am using the Annie Sloan Old White with the clear wax and a little dark wax too. I wanted a shabby chic/vintage farm house look to match the rest of our house re-do so the grain doesn't bother me. I really don't even notice it with the old white. I did no sanding or priming. The only thing I have found is that it is taking more coats than I thought it would. It usually takes me about 3 coats.
My steps:
Paint the 3 coats. Then I let that set for 24 hours to give the paint time to set up
Next, I sand the edges where I want the oak coming through. Then I put on a coat of the clear wax and let that cure for about 24 hours.
Then, use a light coat of the dark wax in the crevices and let that set for 24 hours.
I will eventually go back over it all with another coat of clear wax.

Just the 1 coat of clear wax I have on now is pretty durable. Any spills I have had on them has wiped right off. My best piece of advice is giving 24 hours in between each of the steps. It really makes a difference in how the paint and wax work together. Also be prepared to go through some paint. I am on my 4th can and at almost $40 a can it can add up. Of course, it's much cheaper than new cabinets so….

here are a few photos that I took with my phone tonight so not the best quality but maybe you can see a little of what I am talking about. Good luck with your project. Show us photos when you are done.

This is what my cabinets originally looked like:


After painting and distressing:




Here is a picture I had in one of my PL weeks of one set of them finished, well all but the new hardware:
week-22b_zps6e1475a7.jpg
 
Last edited:
Wow Amanda - those look GREAT!!! Good luck Dalis..my main thing is just to use Annie Sloan paint - I have used other chalk paints from local antique stores and none of them painted as well as the Annie Sloan paint I finally ended up with. And don't be afraid to add a little water to the paint since you need a good 3 coats anyway - helps it from drying out and lets it settle in a little better as far as for brush strokes.
 
You don't have to prime or prep with Annie Sloan chalk paint. It's pretty awesome! I've used it for a couple of projects but not for something that gets alot of use. I'm guessing you'll need to check into how durable it is and if there is an extra finishing step you might need to take to make it last longer.
 
gracielou said:
I am in the process of re-doing my cabinets right now. It's a slow go since I have a new baby. Mine is a different look that what it sounds like you are going for but we have oak cabinets and I am using the Annie Sloan Old White with the clear wax and a little dark wax too. I wanted a shabby chic/vintage farm house look to match the rest of our house re-do so the grain doesn't bother me. I really don't even notice it with the old white. I did no sanding or priming. The only thing I have found is that it is taking more coats than I thought it would. It usually takes me about 3 coats.
My steps:
Paint the 3 coats. Then I let that set for 24 hours to give the paint time to set up
Next, I sand the edges where I want the oak coming through. Then I put on a coat of the clear wax and let that cure for about 24 hours.
Then, use a light coat of the dark wax in the crevices and let that set for 24 hours.
I will eventually go back over it all with another coat of clear wax.

Just the 1 coat of clear wax I have on now is pretty durable. Any spills I have had on them has wiped right off. My best piece of advice is giving 24 hours in between each of the steps. It really makes a difference in how the paint and wax work together. Also be prepared to go through some paint. I am on my 4th can and at almost $40 a can it can add up. Of course, it's much cheaper than new cabinets so….

here are a few photos that I took with my phone tonight so not the best quality but maybe you can see a little of what I am talking about. Good luck with your project. Show us photos when you are done.

This is what my cabinets originally looked like:


After painting and distressing:




Here is a picture I had in one of my PL weeks of one set of them finished, well all but the new hardware:
week-22b_zps6e1475a7.jpg
Click to expand...

These look great, Amanda!
 
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