Home Garden

How to Repaint a Wood Vanity Table

A vanity table can see a lot of wear and, over time, the paint job may become scratched and scraped. If you're planning on keeping your vanity table and you want it looking like new, take the time to give it a new coat of paint and a fresh appearance. Paint it to match your home décor, or simply paint it white to help open the room. Give it a matte or a gloss patina after you're done, choosing a finish that matches your tastes.

Things You'll Need

  • Drop cloth
  • Paint stripper
  • Old paintbrush
  • Plastic scraper
  • 180-grit sandpaper
  • Clean cloth or vacuum
  • Primer
  • New paintbrush
  • Paint
  • Spray acrylic
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put down a drop cloth to protect your working area.

    • 2

      Pull out any drawers and set them to one side.

    • 3

      Apply the paint stripper to any surfaces that you want to paint using an old paintbrush.

    • 4

      Allow the paint stripper to sit on the wood for the allotted time. The time is noted on the paint stripper bottle.

    • 5

      Scrape up the old paint and the paint stripper with a plastic scraper.

    • 6

      Sand the stripped surfaces with 180-grit sandpaper.

    • 7

      Wipe up any sawdust with a clean cloth or vacuum it up.

    • 8

      Apply a coat of primer that's suited to the previously painted wood. For example, if the wood was previously painted with an oil paint, use an oil-based primer. In many cases, however, a standard primer will work well on a previously painted wood surface.

    • 9

      Allow the primer to dry thoroughly.

    • 10

      Apply two coats of paint to the vanity using a paintbrush, allowing each coat to dry thoroughly.

    • 11

      Apply a coat of spray acrylic or other finish to the painted wood to protect your paint job.