What Happens if I Put Latex Paint Over Wood Stain?

Problems

• If you were to take a wood object finished in wood stain and apply latex paint directly to it, the paint would not adhere correctly. Depending on the stain on the object, the paint may seemingly adhere or may streak and be difficult to apply. Even if the paint appears to adhere, it will not stick to the wood object correctly. As a result, the latex paint will flake and peel easily in a short period of time.

Sanding

• The first step in the process of preparing a stained wood for painting with latex paint is sanding it. Use a medium-grit sandpaper, such as a 150-grit or 180-grit sheet. You do not need to sand the stain completely off the wooden object, though the more stain you can sand off, the better results you will have. Instead, roughly sand the entire wood object enough to scuff up its surface.

Priming

• After you have sufficiently sanded the wood enough to scuff up its entire surface, paint it with a shellac-based primer, which you can buy at any store that sells paints and painting supplies. Apply the primer with a brush and make sure you coat the entire surface of the wood. Allow the primer to dry for the amount of time indicated on the can.

Painting

• Once the shellac-based primer has dried, you can paint the object with the color of latex paint that you desire. Depending on the size, shape and nature of the object, you may need to paint it with a roller, a paintbrush or a combination of the two. Allow the initial coat of paint to dry and apply as many coats of latex paint as required to give the wooden object the finish you desire.