Asked on Sep 04, 2015

What do I do about an ugly base color?

Julie Fowler
by Julie Fowler
I want to shabby chic this piece but I don't want the purple to show through. Is there an easy fix or do I just have to put the work in to sand it down or remove the color before I paint it the colors I want?
"Ugly" purple nightstand
  6 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Sep 04, 2015
    Yu will have to sand this down no doubt. If you do not know matter what you do the purple will still show through. If you choose not to sand it down there are strippers you can apply to remove the purple stain.
  • CK CK on Sep 05, 2015
    1. Paint over it with the color you DO want to show through. Allow to dry. 2. Paint your top coat color on....two coats probably needed. Allow to dry. 3. Then distress (sand) lightly ONLY down to the new base coat....not all the way to the purple. Should be fine. :-) Seal with poly (if using latex paint) to keep it from distressing/chipping all the way down to the purple undercoat.
    • See 1 previous
    • CK CK on Sep 05, 2015
      @Julie Fowler Seal after you distress. The thing is, sealing it with the "completed"look you want will help keep it from distressing any further. But if this piece happens to get used where it'll get a lot of use, you can expect a nick every now and then. If you reeeeeeeeeeally want to do it right, and don't want purple showing through ever....you should sand it all off. But that's a lot of work IMO....I ask myself 'How important is it, if it does happen to get a little nick or chip and a teeny amount of purple shows through?" Then make your call as to the process you're doing to use. Heck, a bit of a purple chip every now and then (IF it happens after sealing) might add character...especially if you want a bit of shabby/distressed look. There are lots of distressed levels one can do on furniture :-)
  • Forshawtink Forshawtink on Sep 05, 2015
    Use Annie Sloane paint it's really thick paint it will cover anything, I doubt wether you would need two coats, if you want the paint thicker you leave the lid off and if you want it thinner just add water, you could jazz the handles up a bit as you might want a different look, paint them with sparkly nail varnish or add some beads or shells. Please can you put the after photos on here so that we can see. have fun!
  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Sep 05, 2015
    I would put a good sealer on it to keep the purple from bleeding through (Kilz is excellent for this), and then use the paint of your choice. I you really want it distressed (I'm not a fan), put the color you want next, and layer your colors. You will have to be careful when you distress it to not take it down to the sealer, but, you could probably rub the second coat off with a damp rag in spots where you want it distressed, while the paint you want to remove is still damp. This would work well with chalk paint. Then wax it really well or use a poly sealer.
  • Gloria tulip Gloria tulip on Sep 06, 2015
    I think it is darling the way it is. You might apply a stain to tone it down a bit. If it has already been sealed, you will have to remove that first, then apply a stain of your choice and rub off after a few minutes.
  • Carolyn Carolyn on Sep 06, 2015
    Use a good paint that is also a primer it should not bleed thru