Furniture/painting questions!

[Miss Mary]

I have a 30 year old Early American Maple table and chairs set. Chairs have the maple finish worn off in places. I've never painted furniture before, always refinishing it, but this set is going into a new rec room we're building in the basement. It will be used as a card/game table. Questions:

1. If I decide to paint (each chair a different color possibly) the chairs, do I just sand well and then paint? Paint over the area that has some maple finish left on them?

2. Do I use canned paint and a brush? The chairs have the colonial, spindled look. Or would spray paint be best? And if so do you recommend painting in the garage? Or outdoors away from the house? My limited spray paint experience has been it blows around, even if you use a big box to put the piece in you're working on.

3. The table top almost seems like formica. It has that smooth finish. Would you recommend leaving it alone and painting the table legs only?

The whole set is dinged up and seen better days. But this is a rec room and we're not buying new furniture, even if we could afford it, for down there.

Thanks a lot!

Mary

[CajunMama]

Mary, if you want the paint on the chairs to stay, you will need to lightly sand the entire chair, prime and i would suggest using an oil base paint with a good brush that does not leave brush marks. It's sturdier and will last longer than latex.

As for the table, i would just paint the legs. If it's a square table might i suggest visiting a local sign shop and have them cut out some squares of high performance vinyl and you can make a big checkerboard! You could even do that on the round table too. The kids can use cookies for game pieces!

[blizzard]

Mary, if you want the paint on the chairs to stay, you will need to lightly sand the entire chair, prime and i would suggest using an oil base paint with a good brush that does not leave brush marks. It's sturdier and will last longer than latex.

As for the table, i would just paint the legs. If it's a square table might i suggest visiting a local sign shop and have them cut out some squares of high performance vinyl and you can make a big checkerboard! You could even do that on the round table too. The kids can use cookies for game pieces!

Martha Stewart eat your heart out. You Have some competition now...lol

Great reply CM......

[Rainband]

First sand chairs..then use a tact cloth to remove excess dust from sanding. Then prime using a dark primer if painting dark colors or light for light colors.

Table, If it is formica or laminant it's best not to paint because the paint will peel off..unless you use a specific primer for smooth surfaces..then you can paint.

This is from tony (((HUGS))) P.s> use brush and can paint spray paint will be patchy

[Miss Mary]

Kathy and Tony (via Johnathan!) - thanks for the replies! I have used primer before on outdoor wood chairs. And I do prefer oil base primers, they're messy but sure protect the wood! I also have had sizing tinted to match background colors in wallpaper before, so I don't see why I can't have the primer tinted too. Will check into that. Can't really start this project in the garage yet since it's been a cold winter this year. But soon I hope to start. If nothing else, I'll restain the chairs. But now my kids want to paint the chairs different colors, like on the TV show Friends. That's fine with me!

Blizzard - LOL! Yup, looks like ole Martha has competition!!!! That was a clever idea for a table top. This table is oval. Heck, most of the time I could just throw a tablecloth on top of it too. I'm sure you'd be a much nicer boss Kathy than Martha ever was. Have any of you watched her show? Watch the guests she has on - they looked scared of Martha - scared you know what-less! Flip channels to HGTV and watch a craft segment on that network. Difference is like night and day I tell ya. Makes you want to walk up to Martha and say - hey lady, who do YOU think you are!!! LOL

Mary

[Rainband]

Tony said they are scared of her because she is condescending to them on her show

[Pburgh]

I think she's condescending to just about everyone - a real sign of insecurity. She is a great cook and has some great ideas. I feel sorry for her. No, No, don't hit me!!!!!!!!

Mary, did you ever thing of doing a dry wash on that furniture. I did a light sanding of some black bedroom furniture and just took dark red paint and brushed it over it. Then I lightly sanded it with steelwool, wiped it down and put 3 coats of poly on it. It is now in my oriental bedroom!!!!!!

[Miss Mary]

I think she's condescending to just about everyone - a real sign of insecurity. She is a great cook and has some great ideas. I feel sorry for her. No, No, don't hit me!!!!!!!!

Mary, did you ever thing of doing a dry wash on that furniture. I did a light sanding of some black bedroom furniture and just took dark red paint and brushed it over it. Then I lightly sanded it with steelwool, wiped it down and put 3 coats of poly on it. It is now in my oriental bedroom!!!!!!

Another good suggestion Karan! I was going for one of those semi-easy quick fixes, similar to what you'd see on While You Were Out or another show like that. Sometimes they do really bizarre things to furniture and rooms, that's not quite my style, but this set is going in a basement rec room. Doesn't have to be Ethan Allen!!!

Tell Tony Johnathan, I agree completely with him. She probably would intimidate me but then again I know I wouldn't even give her the time of day. I watched an expose on her once, from how she started decorating and catering to now. She flat out ignored her daughter while she was growing up, usually working long hours. Longer than needed. You could tell her daughter missed having a mother around growing up - I'm talking evenings when even full time working mom's can be home. Martha even left the hospital while her husband was in surgery, to return to work once. Flabbergasting the doctor - there was no one to talk to after surgery! Or something like that. Martha's one driven, cold-cold fish.

Mary