TRENDING
Wall colours
Room colour
Tips to Paint Your Wooden Furniture The Right Way.
Wooden furniture in its natural, original form itself is an artistic piece of décor in a space. Complementing it with the ideal wood finish can give your furniture a whole new look, allure and elegance. However, it is important to identify the correct wood coating and wood finish for your furniture, and also to apply them the right way. Proper technique when painting on wood can produce a better, long-lasting finish and even enhance the wood grains and patterns.
Whether you’re repainting a piece of wooden furniture or painting a newly built item, you must first select from an oil-based or water-based wood finish, depending on the quality, shade and texture of your wood.
Get free consultation on home décor and interior design services
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OIL-BASED AND WATER-BASED FINISHES?
Oil-Based Wood Finishes
- Wood coatings with an oil-based chemistry are known for their rich finish and the vivid colour that they impart to a wood furniture. They bring out the best out of any wood substrate.
- Largely PU based or Paraffin based products offers excellent film clarity and a range of finishes from dead matt to high gloss
- Extremely durable and long-lasting, are also easily cleanable and easy to maintain and suitable for high traffic areas
- Applicable in interiors and exteriors, solvent-based finishes very high resistance to weathering. The application process can be tedious and strong smell can be an irritant while painting in a site occupied by residents.
Water-Based Wood Finishes
- Low Odour and low toxicity is a hallmark of the water-based finishes. Easy to apply and offers a hassle-free experience even where the site is occupied by residents.
- Offers excellent film clarity aided by its water-based chemistry. The coating has a strong non-yellowing characteristic which maintains it charm for a long long time.
- The water-based wood coatings have high tensile strength which helps them withstand the weathering effects and makes them suitable for exterior application too. They also resist mould and mildew growth.
- The coatings being low on toxicity and conform to European standards are child safe and environmentally safe.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES ON HOW TO PAINT WOOD
PREPPING YOUR FURNITURE
Before starting the painting procedure, clean your wooden furniture. It’s likely that old furniture has been waxed or polished at some point. It’s important to get rid of all residue and dirt before you start painting, as any grease or dirt will stop your paint from adhering. Sanding is an important part of the prepping process. Using a medium-grit sandpaper will smooth and prepare the surface for that first coat.
If the surface of your furniture is already very smooth, you can start painting without sanding. On the other hand, if you are working on a previously painted surface, then sanding is essential. Post this, you can also strip off any stickers or any existing chipped off paint. Wood primer to be applied just before top coat
Do’s & Don’ts:
You can use sugar soap (soda + soap solution) to clean your furniture. It’s economical and works fantastically well to remove all grime from the wood. When it’s dry, check for any repairs you may have to make and fill any holes or dents.
While sanding, be careful not to gouge the surface with the sandpaper: You're just looking to rough it up a little so the primer has something to adhere to; you're not trying to strip the surface.
INSULATION
After the cleaning, sanding and the real process of painting begins. Wood is a natural substrate and it has impurities inside it. These impurities can be in the form of chemicals, resins, moisture etc which can ooze out over time due to the weathering process. This release of impurities by wood can damage the topcoat.
Hence, to insulate the topcoat from the impurities within, it is strongly recommended to use universal undercoats like Asian Paints WoodTech Epoxy Insulator. Not only does this seal the microscopic mores and locks the impurities inside, it also helps in getting a better finish out of the topcoat, also helping lesser consumption of the topcoat.
Do’s & Don’ts:
You can choose to apply a herbal termite shield-like Asian Paints Woodtech Termishield before applying an insulator. It protects the wood from termites and borers, thus giving you peace of mind.
DENT FILLING
If the wooden surface has dents, cracks and holes, apply a dent filler like Asian Paints Woodtech filler with a putty knife all over the dented area. It provides excellent smoothness and protection and works on all dent surfaces.
Do’s & Don’ts:
When using wood fillers, it’s vital to make sure that the surrounding surface grain doesn’t get filled or clogged with excess filler. This is the most common mistake and leaves a halo of filler around the repair. To avoid this, tape off the surrounding area before applying the filler. The tape will also act as a raised ledge for solvent-based putties, leaving it slightly high after application and allowing for shrinkage, if there is any.
WOOD STAINING
Wood stains deeply penetrate wood and are used to enhance the accurate colour of the woodwork or to achieve uniformity when the wood has an inconsistent appearance. They amplify the beauty of the wood grains and add definition to the wood.
Asian Paints WoodTech Wood Stains Interior and Exterior offer good durability and allow you to choose from 9 attractive shades, such as Teak, Charcoal, Walnut, Red Brown, Red, Green, Wenge, Oak, Yellow and Rosewood.
Do’s & Don’ts
After applying WoodTech Wood Stains, allow it to dry for 2 hours. It can be easily applied with a muslin cloth.
Do not sand the stain coat.
Stir the stain thoroughly and let the pigment settle down at the bottom of the can.
Always test a wood stain first on a scrap piece of wood
The correct method of application is first to rub the stain into the wood in a circular motion, then to wipe it with the grain to get rid of any marks. Keep in mind that a water-based wood stain will evaporate more quickly than will an oil-based one.
SEALER COAT
A sealer coat is essentially the priming coat.
It helps fill all the pores and the undulations of the wood texture and creates a smooth levelled layer on which the topcoat can be applied.
It enables excellent adhesion of the topcoat to the wood substrate and helps in giving the wood coating a strong uniform build.
Do’s & Don’ts:
When the first coat of paint has completely dried, give the whole piece of furniture another sand with fine sandpaper. You can sand between the two applications, too. This imparts better adhesion between consecutive layers.
TOP COAT
Mix the top coat or the chosen wood finish and hardener in the appropriate ratio by volume, mix vigorously.
Give an inter-coat interval as recommended for the chosen product.
Sand with emery paper no. 320/400 between coats.
Do’s & Don’ts:
You can add a thinner to give your wood coating the desired flow and consistency. Asian Paints WoodTech Thinners are suitable for all types of solvent-based wood finishes; they give the top coat an excellent flow, leveling and a smooth finish
While this is a standard recommended procedure, one should refer to the detailed application procedure suitable for each product as mentioned in the product information sheet.
Need more painting help and tips? Our Asian Paints wood solution experts are here to assist you and guide you through the painting process. Click here to get in touch with us.
LIKE THIS ARTICLE
Give us a thumbs up!
Get FREE décor advice
Fill form and book your appointment now!
Call us for Painting Services
1800-266-2090
Let our experts help you!
XAre you looking for home interiors?
Get tailored made designs from our interior design services by asian paints.
Are you looking for home interiors?
Get tailored made designs from our interior design services by asian paints.
