How to PREP for a durable finish

One of the things I see a lot are questions about how to prep a piece of furniture before painting or staining.  Some say they never do any prep but personally I don’t recommend it!  Why go through all the trouble of painting an entire piece, your time plus expense of the paint, to have it start coming off in a few months.  No matter what paint you use I highly recommend following the steps below to make sure you have a long lasting, durable finish.

• First step – Clean your piece with a degreaser.  I use Fusion TSP.  The reason I use Fusion is because it’s non-toxic, doesn’t require me wearing gloves or rinsing my piece after.  If you use another type of degreaser please make sure that you rinse you piece off with water before going to the next step.  Some degreasers can create a resist and will keep your paint from sticking.  The reason you clean first is that you do not want to sand existing oils and dirt on the surface into the grain of the wood.
• Second – Scuff Sand your piece with 150-220 grit sandpaper.  I use the Fusion sanding pads. You can use any type of 150-220 grit sandpaper that you have on hand.  The goal is to put micro scratches in the surface and give your paint something to stick to.  Think of your paint like a glove that you’ll be putting over the surface.  You want to give the surface tooth so that the glove sticks.  If it has nooks and crannies you can’t get into to sand no worries.  As long as you scuff up as much as you can.  No need to do a heavy sanding or remove all of the existing finish unless you are planning to stain with a penetrating stain like Fusion Stain & Finishing Oil.  Remember that any chips in the existing finish may show through your new finish so make sure to sand them smooth.
• NOTE: Do a test area. Paint a small area of your piece. If your paint is separating (paint lacing) then there is a possibility that you still have something on your surface that is creating a resist. Repeat the steps above. If your paint is still separating I advise using Fusion Odorless Solvent or Mineral Spirits to remove wax buildup that’s interfering with paint adhesion. Pour Solvent or Mineral Spirits on a scratchy sponge and scrub your piece well. After using Solvent or Mineral Spirits make sure to clean again with TSP.
• Third – Use a tack cloth or damp rag to wipe off all saw dust residue.
• Forth – READY TO PAINT!

I hope these steps help you with your next project so that you’ll have a durable piece to pass down in your family or to sell to a client.  Happy Painting!

Below is a video I did on how to Prep your piece if you’re more of a visual learner like I am!