I’m still swooning over this bathroom 😍. Espe I’m still swooning over this bathroom 😍. Especially the floors! 
Head over to Paintingbythepenny.com for a step by step guide on how to paint a harlequin floor pattern, the products we used, how to achieve a crisp paint line, and the mistake I made during the process 🫠. 
#paintedfloors #harlequinfloors #floorpaint #newblogpost #bathroomdesign #bathroomremodel #vintagebathroom
Budget Friendly Bathroom Makeover ✨ •Painted t Budget Friendly Bathroom Makeover ✨
•Painted the walls using left over paint (Color Sherwin Williams Greek Villa) 
•Painted the floors using Rust-oleum Home Floor Coating 
•Upgraded curtain rod, towel bar and toilet paper holder 
•Replaced vanity knob & pull
•Sanded & installed shelves higher 
•Purchased and thrifted items on shelves 
•Purchased accent table & cut it to size 
•Purchased new rug and shower curtain 
•Hung a new plant baby to bring it all together 🪴
Sometimes all you need is to upgrade some of the small items, paint and thrift some decorative pieces and you have yourself a brand new bathroom! 
#bathroommakeover #budgetfriendlymakeover #bathroomdesign #bathroomdecor #paintedfloors #bathroomideas #bathroominspiration
This bathroom has been through a couple different This bathroom has been through a couple different changes. Mainly wall colors and if I knew how good the floors would have looked painted too, I would have done it a long time ago! 
I painted the floors using Rust-oleum Home Floor Coating and it has completely transformed the look of this bathroom! 
#bathroomdesign #bathroomupgrade #vintagebathroom #paintedfloors #harlequinfloors #bathroom 
#bathroomremodel
Which room is your favorite? I really can’t deci Which room is your favorite? I really can’t decide between bedroom 2, the Kitchen, breakfast nook or Living room. 
Each room means something special. One I was able to put together mainly using FB marketplace items, the other had the biggest transformation in terms of look, and others just came together so nicely that it’s hard to pick a favorite! 
#apartmenttransformation #bedroomdesign #kitchendesign #breakfastnook #livingroomdesign #apartmentdecor #apartmenttherapy
After sharing that we purchased a Murphy bed kit, After sharing that we purchased a Murphy bed kit, I received lots of questions about the desks we built on the sides. 
I gathered some measurements and did some research on standard desks sizes. Took into consideration the IKEA Alex drawer we purchased to fit underneath and then grabbed our tools and some plywood! 
We’ve never built desks before and I’d say it turned out pretty good for our first time! 
#diyproject #builtindesk #desk #officedesk #officedesign #deskbuild #diywoodproject
Over the Summer we refinished our radiators and th Over the Summer we refinished our radiators and there were some mixed reviews on how we did it 😅 
So how are the radiators holding up now that they’re being used? Well so far so good! They look great and work just fine, no chemical smells, or peeling! 
I love how they look in our home! For details on how to refinish steam radiators visit Paintingbythepenny.com
Even if you purchase furniture online, you can mak Even if you purchase furniture online, you can make it unique to you! 
We purchased this Murphy bed online at Bredabeds.com and added trim, painted it, and changed the hardware. 
Now it looks like something we built! 🪚💪🏼
#murphybed #guestroom #woodtrim #sherwinwilliamsriverway #builtins #officedesign #guestroomdesign #diy #diyprojects #bedroomtransformation #bedroommakeover
This transformation still blows my mind! 🤯 I ca This transformation still blows my mind! 🤯 I can’t believe we were able to install cabinets and build shelves and desks around a Murphy bed. 
Makes me wonder what else we can do! 
Took us many months to complete but we did it! Now I’m looking around the house like what else can we build 🤔😅 
#beforeandafter #guestroom #office #guestroomdesign #transformation #murphybed #officedesign
Don’t let a small flaw deter you from using an i Don’t let a small flaw deter you from using an item! Sometimes it just needs a simple refresh and it looks brand new again! 
We find solutions and makes things work around here, especially when it’s free! 
#wallart #homedecor #easyfix #walldecor #interiordesign #framedart #livingroomdesign #diy
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Painting by the Penny

Refinished Furniture, DIY, & Interior Design

DIY Projects, Furniture · July 11, 2021

4 Things To Consider Before Painting Furniture

painted furniture

Before you get right to work and place that nice soft brush with paint on your piece of furniture, here a few things you need to know before you get started. As much as I love to paint furniture and cannot wait until I am finally able to just brush my paint on there are a few things to consider. Let’s go over these steps that I find are super important to get the look and finish you desire. Of course it depends on the piece you have as I find they are all different and require different order in steps. Here are 4 things to consider before painting furniture and what I typically do when working with old pieces.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

1. Clean, Clean, Clean!

I can’t emphasize how important it is to make sure your piece is cleaned before you paint. You’d be surprised by the amount of dirt and grime that is found on the surfaces. My go to cleaner for cleaning furniture before painting is Krud Kutter.

Look at all that dirt and grime!!

It comes in a spray and a foam and I find both work great but something about the foam sitting there and seeing the dirt and grime drip down makes it so satisfying to me! So I usually like to stick to the foam (I know, silly preference right? but who doesn’t love playing with foam?!).

A little mild soap will work too but I find an extra-strength cleaner is necessary, especially for older pieces. Just spray on and leave for a few minutes then scrub and wipe off with a damp cloth (you may have to do this several times to be sure to get all the dirt off).

2. Examine and Repair

Does your piece have any drawers that need repair? Maybe a leg needs to be secured better? Well, now is the time to fix these. Also a great time to be sure any nails and screws are all intact. Maybe an area needs an extra nail or screw? Do it now.

I find that while I am doing repairs I lay my piece down on its back or side and sometimes things happen where you may cause damage in some areas while repairing and moving your piece around. So you want to be sure that its all taken care of before you have your piece upright and ready to paint. I have learned this the hard way. I’m impatient and hold off on what I think will be a minor repair and wait until the end only to find myself re-painting certain areas because it was slightly damage in the process of repairing after painting.

~Once your piece is nice and clean its time to fill any holes you wish to fill. I use Minwax wood filler for minor dents and small holes I wish to repair. The reason why I wait to fill in any holes is because my next step is to sand so I wait for my wood filler to be completely dried and sand any filled holes and areas I want completely sanded. For bigger damages, I like to use Bondo~

3. Sand

Once you’re piece is repaired, cleaned and any holes are filled, its time to sand. Why sand if you just cleaned your piece you ask? Well, for older pieces sometimes there is so much dirt and grime that sanding over it will cause you to go through a lot of sandpaper and those can go quick which means cost can add up. It also allows for a clear surface for you to be able to see what repairs need to be made.

If you are not leaving any exposed wood and plan on painting your entire piece I recommend scuff sanding lightly before painting. This will allow the paint to adhere to the surface. I love a good mix of wood and painted piece so I use my sander quite frequently.

To remove all the sanding dust I like to vacuum the piece and then wipe it using a tack cloth. One last wipe down and its finally ready for primer or paint.

4. Prime.

Depending on the type of paint and wood you are using, you may have to prime. Wood contains a naturally occurring compound called tannins. The tannins in the wood bleed through the surface and leave a yellowish/brown discoloration after painting. If I am painting a piece a light color, espcially white, I almost always prime first. This prevents discoloration seeping through the surface after painting. My favorite primer to use is Zinsser B-I-N Primer. It comes in a spray too and you can easily spray it on.

Finally, Paint.

Guess what? It’s now time for the fun stuff, Paint! I love to use BBFrosch Paint transformer. I talk more about it on BBFrosch Paint Transformer For Painting Furniutre. There are different ways you can paint, you can brush, roll, or spray your paint. It’s completely up to you what you choose to do. When I started painting furniture several years ago I would always brush it on. Now, I have tried spraying and rolling. Depending on the piece and paint I use, I choose one over the other but I haven’t stuck to just one way. After painting you must protect your piece with a wax or polycrylic which I will share more about soon.

And there you have it! Refinishing furniture takes time and patience because these steps are necessary in order to have your work last. So if you are going to take time to paint furniture why not do it right the first time? There are ton of techniques and information and it can become overwhelming but stick with what works for you! I share this because this is what has worked for me. I have learned a lot through trial and error. Most of the time when I run into trouble its because I did one of these necessary steps incorrectly.

Have you tried painting furniture yet? If you haven’t, remember these steps before you grab that nice soft brush and get to work! If you have, comment below and let me know what steps you take and what order you do them.

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In: DIY Projects, Furniture

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Comments

  1. Jess @ Oak | Grain says

    July 20, 2021 at 4:34 pm

    Loving your blog so far! Congrats!🎊

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      July 20, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      Thank you so much Jess!!!

      Reply
  2. Taylor says

    July 24, 2021 at 1:49 pm

    This is great information! So helpful and insightful. Wonderful job!

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      July 24, 2021 at 5:15 pm

      Thank you! I’m so happy to hear its helpful!

      Reply
  3. Tim says

    July 24, 2021 at 2:03 pm

    Your work is beautiful! Thanks for the information!

    Reply
    • Joanna says

      July 24, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply

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BB Frosch Paint Transformer for Painting Furniture

About me

Hi! I’m Joanna, a Latina who is passionate about making homes beautiful through furniture, design and DIY! Follow along as I share all my tips and tricks and the behind the scenes. I hope to inspire you as much as you all inspire me!

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Follow @Paintingbythepenny

I’m still swooning over this bathroom 😍. Espe I’m still swooning over this bathroom 😍. Especially the floors! 
Head over to Paintingbythepenny.com for a step by step guide on how to paint a harlequin floor pattern, the products we used, how to achieve a crisp paint line, and the mistake I made during the process 🫠. 
#paintedfloors #harlequinfloors #floorpaint #newblogpost #bathroomdesign #bathroomremodel #vintagebathroom
Budget Friendly Bathroom Makeover ✨ •Painted t Budget Friendly Bathroom Makeover ✨
•Painted the walls using left over paint (Color Sherwin Williams Greek Villa) 
•Painted the floors using Rust-oleum Home Floor Coating 
•Upgraded curtain rod, towel bar and toilet paper holder 
•Replaced vanity knob & pull
•Sanded & installed shelves higher 
•Purchased and thrifted items on shelves 
•Purchased accent table & cut it to size 
•Purchased new rug and shower curtain 
•Hung a new plant baby to bring it all together 🪴
Sometimes all you need is to upgrade some of the small items, paint and thrift some decorative pieces and you have yourself a brand new bathroom! 
#bathroommakeover #budgetfriendlymakeover #bathroomdesign #bathroomdecor #paintedfloors #bathroomideas #bathroominspiration
This bathroom has been through a couple different This bathroom has been through a couple different changes. Mainly wall colors and if I knew how good the floors would have looked painted too, I would have done it a long time ago! 
I painted the floors using Rust-oleum Home Floor Coating and it has completely transformed the look of this bathroom! 
#bathroomdesign #bathroomupgrade #vintagebathroom #paintedfloors #harlequinfloors #bathroom 
#bathroomremodel
Which room is your favorite? I really can’t deci Which room is your favorite? I really can’t decide between bedroom 2, the Kitchen, breakfast nook or Living room. 
Each room means something special. One I was able to put together mainly using FB marketplace items, the other had the biggest transformation in terms of look, and others just came together so nicely that it’s hard to pick a favorite! 
#apartmenttransformation #bedroomdesign #kitchendesign #breakfastnook #livingroomdesign #apartmentdecor #apartmenttherapy
After sharing that we purchased a Murphy bed kit, After sharing that we purchased a Murphy bed kit, I received lots of questions about the desks we built on the sides. 
I gathered some measurements and did some research on standard desks sizes. Took into consideration the IKEA Alex drawer we purchased to fit underneath and then grabbed our tools and some plywood! 
We’ve never built desks before and I’d say it turned out pretty good for our first time! 
#diyproject #builtindesk #desk #officedesk #officedesign #deskbuild #diywoodproject
Over the Summer we refinished our radiators and th Over the Summer we refinished our radiators and there were some mixed reviews on how we did it 😅 
So how are the radiators holding up now that they’re being used? Well so far so good! They look great and work just fine, no chemical smells, or peeling! 
I love how they look in our home! For details on how to refinish steam radiators visit Paintingbythepenny.com
Even if you purchase furniture online, you can mak Even if you purchase furniture online, you can make it unique to you! 
We purchased this Murphy bed online at Bredabeds.com and added trim, painted it, and changed the hardware. 
Now it looks like something we built! 🪚💪🏼
#murphybed #guestroom #woodtrim #sherwinwilliamsriverway #builtins #officedesign #guestroomdesign #diy #diyprojects #bedroomtransformation #bedroommakeover
This transformation still blows my mind! 🤯 I ca This transformation still blows my mind! 🤯 I can’t believe we were able to install cabinets and build shelves and desks around a Murphy bed. 
Makes me wonder what else we can do! 
Took us many months to complete but we did it! Now I’m looking around the house like what else can we build 🤔😅 
#beforeandafter #guestroom #office #guestroomdesign #transformation #murphybed #officedesign
Don’t let a small flaw deter you from using an i Don’t let a small flaw deter you from using an item! Sometimes it just needs a simple refresh and it looks brand new again! 
We find solutions and makes things work around here, especially when it’s free! 
#wallart #homedecor #easyfix #walldecor #interiordesign #framedart #livingroomdesign #diy
Can you cut bamboo shades? Yes, yes you can! Thi Can you cut bamboo shades? 
Yes, yes you can!  This is a quick and simple solution for those odd sized windows. 
Some of the windows at the Airbnb were a little tricky because the width was in between sizes so when ordering the bamboo shades, I went up a size and then we cut it using a miter saw. 
Now it’s a perfect fit 🙌🏽
#windowtreatments #bambooshades #tipsandtricks #diy #homedecor #windowshades #mitersaw #bambooblinds #diysolutions #windowdesign
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