Should I Paint Antique Furniture
Im more of a vintagedistressed kinda girl.
Should i paint antique furniture. I never wanted to give it a makeover by stripping it or painting it as I knew it would diminish its worth but it still bothered me. The biggest thing I didnt like about the armoire was that it had a very orange-y stain and a glossy varnish. If the piece holds more memory value think about painting it.
On the other hand a piece that has seen better days can be salvaged from a garage sale or Craigslist for say 25-75. You will cherish your antique even more when it makes you happy to look at it instead of constantly viewing it as an eyesore in your home. Once that is dry use a foam roller to coat the furniture in a thin layer of latex or other indoor paint then run a paintbrush over the surface of the furniture to smooth it out.
You live in a home not a museum. Antiques increase in value as time goes by. Because although paint can be professionally stripped off of wood and metal or you can strip it yourself the amount of time and cost can be astronomical.
Let it dry completely before adding another coat of paint. If a dealer is unsure or if you fall in love with an item at a flea market and simply have to have it you can test to see if the paint is lead. If the drawers top or base of the furniture piece are different woods the stain will look like its a different color on each section and it would be a better choice to paint rather than stain it.
The best way to proceed would be to find knowledgeable furniture dealers who can tell whether or not a piece is coated with lead paint. If you love a piece but cant bear the wood finish but dont want to part with it for sentimental reason follow your heart and paint. If it is maybe just have the piece refinished and not painted.
The knobs dont have a pretty grain. Plus you might be ruining something valuable. Never Paint or Refinish Furniture With Real or Sentimental Value Another case where you should not refinish wood furniture is if the piece is a valuable antique or a unique designer piece that.