How to Paint Furniture for Nurseries and Kid's Rooms

Lullaby 01/20/2016

Picture this: you find a piece of furniture on Craigslist and almost everything about it is perfect. It’s the right size, shape, and price, but there’s one big problem – it’s ugly. Know what the solution is? PAINT. No matter what the surface – painted wood, bare wood, laminate, and even upholstery. That’s right, you can paint almost everything. With the right prep work and the correct application, the perfect ugly dresser can simply be perfect after you paint it. Today we’re going to walk you through the basics of how to paint furniture for nurseries and kid's rooms (or any room!).

How to Paint Laminate Wood

Laminate furniture is very common because it's very affordable.  Instead of being solid wood, it's is a thin layer of wood over particle board. Since it's only a thin layer of real wood, they cannot be totally refinished, so paint is your only option for an update. Here's how:

  • Skip Heavy Sanding – Lightly scuff the surface to make the paint adhere, but be gentle. Then make sure it is clean and dust free.
  • Prime – Primer blocks any water stains or other imperfections and it also a denser pigment, so it helps if you're going from a very dark color to a light one or vice versa. Most bonding and stain blocking primers are oil-based, so if you use them you need to wear a respirator and do the work somewhere with plenty of ventilation. And, you'll want to let the piece off-gas for some time before putting it in your child's room. If you use Lullaby Paints Primer, there are zero VOCs* so you can feel completely comfortable doing this project in your home. Apply one even coat with a brush or mini-roller. If you see any discoloration after it’s dry, apply another coat.
  • Paint – Again, traditional paints release risky VOCs (and will for long after the paint dries), so we highly recommend Lullaby Paints Trim and Furniture Paint because of its superior coverage, outstanding durability, and zero VOC* formula. Apply two coats with a brush or mini roller. Let the piece sit overnight before using it.

*Conforms to CDPH 01350 (VOC emissions test taken at 11, 12, & 14 days for classroom and office use). Learn more about VOCs and our commitment to healthier paints here.

How to Paint Bare Wood

Do you want to change something raw and rustic into something clean and contemporary? Follow these easy steps:

  • Sand – Wear a dust mask to avoid inhaling the small particles of wood dust. Start with 100 grit sandpaper and work your way up to 220 as the piece gets smoother. If it's already smooth, just give it a light sanding and then wipe it off with tack cloth.
  • Prime –Why prime? According to Home Guides, "The purpose of primer isn't just to provide an opaque base coat, although that is an important function. Primer typically has a high solids content, so it fills the grain in wood and makes the finish coat smoother. Moreover, its binding agent is more adhesive than that of paint, so it sticks to wood better than paint, and paint sticks to it better than it does to wood." As mentioned above, most bonding and stain blocking primers are oil-based, so if you use them you need to wear a respirator and do the work somewhere with plenty of ventilation. And, you'll want to let the piece off-gas for some time before putting it in your child's room. If you use Lullaby Paints Primer, there are zero VOCs*, so you can feel completely comfortable doing this project in your home. Apply one even coat with a brush or mini-roller.
  • Sand In Between Coats – Use a fine grit sanding sponge to sand in between paint coats. Paint raises the grain of the bare wood so sanding after each coat will give you a smooth finish. High grit sandpaper is fine also, but the sponge is easier to use.
  • Paint –Again, traditional paints release risky VOCs (and will for long after the paint dries), so we highly recommend Lullaby Paints Trim and Furniture Paint because of its superior coverage, outstanding durability, and zero VOC* formula. Apply two coats with a brush or mini roller. Let the piece sit overnight before using it.

*Conforms to CDPH 01350 (VOC emissions test taken at 11, 12, & 14 days for classroom and office use). Learn more about VOCs and our commitment to healthier paints here.

How to Paint Antique and Vintage Pieces

Until the 1970s paint had lead in it, so that beautiful, battered, old dresser with just the right amount of patina you love, could be harmful to your children. Even tiny amounts of lead can irreversibly impact your child's brain development – it's no small matter. You can make it safer but, you do need to be aware of the risk of lead in old paint.

  • PrepTest for lead. You can pick up a kit at most hardware and home improvement stores. If there is lead, you need to seal and cover the lead paint. And you shouldn’t disrupt the finish with scraping or sanding which will release the lead into your home or soil. You’re going to have to paint right over the existing finish. We wouldn't recommend trying this with any pieces that have parts that rub against each other. Over time, the paint will wear away and you run the risk of releasing lead paint dust into your home.
  • Prime –As mentioned above, primer blocks any water stains or other imperfections and it also a denser pigment, so it helps if you're going from a very dark color to a light one or vice versa. Most bonding and stain blocking primers are oil-based, so if you use them you need to wear a respirator and do the work somewhere with plenty of ventilation. And, you'll want to let the piece off-gas for some time before putting it in your child's room. If you use Lullaby Paints Primer, there are zero VOCs*, so you can feel completely comfortable doing this project in your home. Apply one even coat with a brush or mini-roller. If you see any discoloration after it’s dry, apply another coat.
  • Paint – Apply two coats of semi-gloss or gloss paint, whichever you prefer, with a brush or mini roller. Let it dry overnight before using.

*Conforms to CDPH 01350 (VOC emissions test taken at 11, 12, & 14 days for classroom and office use). Learn more about VOCs and our commitment to healthier paints here.

How to Paint Upholstery

It’s a little unconventional, but there are great examples of success using paint on upholstery (just be open to experimentation). We recommend thinning the paint with some water and then using a sprayer to apply it to the furniture. Test it on some old fabric that you don’t mind ruining until you get a finish that you like.

Did we miss a type of surface you'd like to try to paint? Let us know in the comments and we'll update this post with additional tips!

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