What Kind of Paint Do You Apply to Sanded Bedroom Furniture?

Types

• Oil-based paint and water-based latex or enamel paint are choice types of paint for finishing bedroom furniture. The end result of these paint choices are smooth, easy-to-clean finishes that exhibit long-lasting durability. Choosing a paint with a finish that will last for many years is a cost-effective way to enliven plain wood furniture with color.

  While the water-based paint options are dried and ready to use in a couple of hours, an oil-based finish will take several days to set and dry. The oil does not evaporate as quickly as the water, but instead soaks into the wood and dissipates in the air at a very slow rate.

Colors

• Select the right paint colors for the sanded bedroom furniture by determining the room's most dominant, focal-point color. Stay with neutral tones in shades of white, gray and brown to blend the furniture in with the architectural details of the room. Bold color choices for the furniture also work well as points of dramatic interest that play off a contrasting, softer color palette in the room.

Techniques

• Semi-gloss and satin paint can only be used as a part of a painting technique that uses a minimal amount of paint. Going for a country theme, a dry-brush technique that paints on very little paint, adding just enough color and leaving just enough of the wood exposed, is one way to use a standard paint. A shabby-chic finish looks like a completely painted furniture piece that's become worn along the edges and most-used parts over time. For either paint technique that gets better as the paint wears away, this is an effective way to use standard interior paints on bedroom furniture.

Applying Finish

• For a smooth, even-painted finish, prime the sanded bedroom set first. Paint would form a solid bond with the bare wood's surface, but a layer of primer lessens the amount of paint coats needed to attain a completely sealed paint finish. Select a water-based primer that's formulated for wood and dries fast.

  After applying the final coat of paint to the bedroom furniture, examine its finish to determine if it needs a protective clear-coat finish. The clear-coat finish extends the paint's durability against damage, as it acts as a barrier that prevents accidental scuffing or scratches on the paint's finish.