Can you give me tips for choosing paint for this vanity?

Leanne
by Leanne

Hey I've asked this question before but was more worried about color and look than the details. I was all set to start my projects, went to the store and got overwhelmed by the paint selection; then the inner voice "you can't make your furniture look like that" "you have no idea what your doing" on top of 2 girls asking 20 questions. So I left and didn't look at any furniture Blog posts for a few days. But the itch came back. Okay so i need it broken down as dumb as possible. 1. Which paint for a small bathroom vanity? Primer? Sealer? Can I use wall paint? I'm going to paint it navy so if you have any favorites that would be amazing. 2. Laminate shelf- Paint? Primer? Sealer? Process?3. A shelf that I dont think is wood not laminate. Maybe MDF? It has woodgrain. I want to try dry brushing to make the black show through light gray paint. I want to make it look like the clock hands(picture below) Paint? Primer? Sealer? Process?4. Nightstand. Doesn't have the drawer so I was going to unscrew the middle part and leave it open. Any suggestions? -paint? Primer? Sealer? Process?How is Dixie Belle paint? Should I use chalk paint? Mineral paint? Do I use wax? Again first time furniture repurposing enthusiast here. No idea what I'm doing but it sparks a fire in my soul. I need some furniture therapy here. I'm attaching the pictures in the order I wrote about them. Also roughly how much paint for each peice? O and thoughts on spray paint please. Thank you in advance for reading this novel and helping.

  10 answers
  • Here's a link for painting your bathroom vanity. Bob Vila has never steered me wrong! This process will work for your shelp and for the nightstand.

    https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-paint-bathroom-cabinets/

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Jan 21, 2020

    You can do this! Here's exactly what we did and used for our very similar vanity makeover: https://www.frugalfamilytimes.com/2012/08/diy-frugal-bathroom-reno-updating-old.html

  • Gk Gk on Jan 21, 2020

    Don't overthink this LeAnne! Painting your vanity is an easy job! If you are unsure of yourself go to a local Restore and pick up a cabinet door that is similar to your bathroom cabinet doors for a few dollars and practice on that! You can sand lightly with a sanding block in a fine grit. Not to remove all the finish just to dull it down. Clean well and then prime with a primer like Kilz. First coat is JUST a primer NOT a paint with primer in it. Buy a quart of acrylic latex paint in an enamel finish for your paint. This is made for cabinets and trim and is a durable paint that wears well and cleans well. Paint your first coat and let it dry well before doing coat #2. About 6 hours or so. Let the second coat dry overnight. Add a third coat if necessary. I would use this kind of paint vs Dixie Bell. I like DIxie Bell for certain projects but not a bathroom vanity. I just painted a old sleigh bed for my granddaughter with Dixie Bell. That paint takes a good month to cure well before you don't have to worry about scratching your finish. You can use the same process on your laminate shelf.

    • Leanne Leanne on Jan 22, 2020

      Thank you so much!! I actually have an identical vanity that we ripped out of another bathroom in the garage so I will practice on that. Also thank you for telling me how to do it. You made it sound so simple and easy

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Jan 21, 2020

    Hello! I have not personally done this project. But I found the bloggers link very interesting. It seems to be a nice white cabinet refurb.

    It might be helpful to review.

    Hope this helps!.


    Pine Kitchen Before and After | Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer

    https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/pine-kitchen-before-and-after/

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jan 21, 2020

    For an area that has humidity and wear & tear, I would go with enamel paint. I've had great success with RustOleum enamel paint. The draw back is that it isn't offered in a variety of colors, I'm unsure if it's tintable. It is oil based so the clean up is a pain. Until I finish my job, I wrap my brush in aluminum foil and stick in the freezer. Take out about 10 minutes before starting the new job and it's good to go.

    As for prep, if it's in good shape and there isn't a top coat you need to remove then I would just scuff the surface with fine steel wool. Then wipe down with denatured alcohol to clean using a microfiber cloth. I use the cheap ones from Harbor Freight for this job. Prime with either Kilz or Zinsser Bullseye 1-2-3.

    Make sure you remove your hardware and place in a sealed container. If you don't want to replace it you can paint it too. Scuff and clean, then spray paint with a metal paint. My recommendation would be RustOleum Hammered Paint. Attached photo is the way I was able to paint mine all the way around when I did some night stands.

    As for spray vs. brush or roller: Spray is going to give the best results as far as smooth and of course no brush or roller marks. You will need to either remove the vanity to an area you don't have to worry about overspray OR tape up and cover the area well with plastic. I would do a lot of practice with both on some plywood if you are a novice painter to see how you feel about your results and abilities.

    • See 1 previous
    • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jan 22, 2020

      What a great idea. I remember when I first painted items it was a trial and error. Good luck!

  • Tinyshoes Tinyshoes on Jan 21, 2020

    Leanne....You can use chalk paint but make sure it is good and clean.

  • Recreated Designs Recreated Designs on Jan 21, 2020

    Hi Leanne, I love Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It comes in a beautiful navy called Oxford Blue. It will stick to anything so your different types of wood/wood products wouldn't be a problem. It does not require you to put a primer underneath (just wipe them down) but does require a top coat. You can use any top coat from a wax to a Polycrylic. I have done many pieces with it and it has held up beautifully to wear and tear. It really is super easy to use. You would need to find a local stockist that carries it to purchase. Good luck with your project! I am sure it will be beautiful!!

  • K. Rupp K. Rupp on Jan 21, 2020

    For a bathroom, I wouldn't use chalk paint. It's not that I don't like it, it's just you will want something that will be hefty hefty duty paint in a bathroom. Your end product depends on the prep!!!!!! It depends on how great you want it to look in the end and if you want it to look GREAT ...believe me the PREP IS EVERYTHING.... it matters!!!! But definitely consider if these are cabinets that you will want keep for a long time and only go this route if you want to keep them for a while! The reason I say this is because this method will take a lot of your time and is tedious but will look like a professional finish job if you do it well.:


    To go all in to get a GREAT result, that means, prepping by SANDING(start with 180 then 220), PRIMING(if you follow this method, use Benjamin Moore primer) and using steel wool between coats of primer(to get that super smooth finish) all BEFORE you paint. ALSO...the paints are a huge factor for kitchens and bathrooms. You will want to use something super heavy duty for that kind of traffic! Consider using a home paint sprayer for the job to get that super sleek pro finish. If you don't have one, no worries, you can use a brush with this type of paint because it has self leveling properties. If you are putting the time in to prep the cabinets well and paint them well you will want a good paint that will last. Benjamin Moore ADVANCE!! $50 per gallon but it's so worth it!!! That paint is an excellent cabinet paint and you don't need a topcoat. I seriously just wipe it down when it gets dirty.


    If you want to just change the color for a few years before you get new cabinets then there are definitely easier methods to paint them. I just wanted to give you a lasting solution in case you didn't want to deal with chipping, brush marks and lots of wear in a short few years using other methods. Good luck!

    • Leanne Leanne on Jan 22, 2020

      Thank you so much. I forgot to ask about the sandpaper grit. I think I'm gonna go with the enamel paint. We spent over 1,000 on paint for the house and my fiance will kill me if he sees me spend that on paint. Lol. Do I need to get a gallon or will a quart work?

  • Use Valspar Cabinet Enamel from Lowe's. I use it in this video and it worked great: https://youtu.be/oOIzGXnpiuI

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Jan 24, 2020

    It can be intimidating when you start something like this for the first time, but once you do, you'll be so glad you did and before you know it, people will be asking you for advice. There are lots of ideas here to help inspire you and guide you:

    https://www.hometalk.com/search/all?filter=paint%20cabinets