How to paint over imbuia furniture

Hi Kathleen,

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!!!! Especially if you really care about the piece of furniture. But definitely consider if this furniture will be something 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, PRIMING(Bmoore 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. You will want to use something that won't chip and wear easily. Consider using a home paint sprayer for the job to get that super sleek pro finish. If you are putting the time in to prep and paint well you will want a good paint that will last. Benjamin Moore ADVANCE!! It is a cabinet paint but I use it for furniture too. $50 per gallon but it's so worth it!!! That paint is an excellent paint and you don't need a topcoat. I 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!

Also, consider maybe making the dresser two tone. The top could be a different color from the bottom. Or you could stain the top and paint the rest. Good luck!

Here's a post that might help - https://www.oursouthernhomesc.com/tips-for-painting-dark-furniture/

Kathleen: this paint will go over anything!

https://www.anniesloan.com

Here is a link on how to paint with Annie Sloan paint, I highly recommend it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPMAwSAO5LU

It's just a type of wood. Just lightly sand with 200 grit sandpaper to remove any gloss. Prime with Kilz primer then paint.

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

Hi Kathleen, you have a few options to check out, here are some, hope they help you out, there are some that involve sanding and some that don't. ps I love the look of chalk paint on furniture!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=022JoXnQj9U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yek0HI1cl3I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvM3iGNqMkA

All I would add is to seal with a water based clear sealer after painting to protect your finish. How many coats is determined by how much wear and tear it will receive. Good luck!

Hi Kathleen! Imbuia is a Brazilian endangered high quality wood. I sugest that you dont paint it. Íf you dont like it as is, please sell or give it to someone who appreciate. Or just change the hardware or line the inside with paper. Please think twice, you cannot strip paint without damage. My best regards from Curitiba, Brazil

Hi Kathleen, thank you for your kind attention. Most of my furniture are old, not antique, imbuia pieces. It´s dark but very sturdy and I wanted to paint them. I was advised not to do so. Instead, I glued wallpaper, changed the art deco hardware (but saved it). Later I was bored with the color and simply peeled it. I put the hardware back, some crazy handmade tassels on the knobs, waxed and lined it with a colorful fabric with staples and hot glued ribbon to hide them. If you have scratches or water marks, rub a pecan or walnut and that will fix the color difference, without taking away its personality. I hope your daughter understands it and have another creative solution! My best wishes for both of you, have fun! Yeda.