Painting a piece of furniture is one of the easiest ways to transform it into something that looks like new, but you have several choices of type of paint to use. Choosing isn’t as simple as matching a material to a paint type. Here are the pros and cons of three common types.
Joanna Linberg, editor at Sunset Magazine, demonstrates the pros and cons of three types of furniture paint in the video at the link below. If you can’t check out the video, here they are:
- Acrylic paint: You can get this paint mixed in any colour and the thin paint is easy to use, but it doesn’t cover furniture thoroughly and brush marks are visible even after a few coats. It is best suited for simple furniture.
- Alkyd paint: Commonly known as gel-paint, you get a lacquered look from using this types of paint. But, it is very thick which makes it hard to apply evenly. Use it for pieces of furniture without much detail that will get mired in the thick paint.
- Spray paint: Very easy to apply evenly and solid coverage can often be achieved in one layer. However, you can’t really get this paint mixed in a custom colour so your selection is lower. Ideal for furniture that has a lot of detail.
Besides these pros and cons, if you don’t have much time, spray paint is the fastest to apply and dries relatively quickly.
How to Paint Furniture [Sunset Magazine]
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