How To Paint Furniture With Latex Paint: Pros, Cons, and a Step-by-step Tutorial
See how this vintage dresser makeover was completed with latex paint! Sometimes, chalk paint-enthusiasts can be against using latex paint on furniture, but that’s not the case for me. I use a variety of paints and brands, including certain types of latex. Here’s why I like latex paint for furniture and how I apply it…
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USING LATEX PAINT FOR FURNITURE: THE PROS
PRO #1: Price
The obvious pro of using latex is that it’s more cost-efficient than many chalk, milk, and mineral paints. Like, WAY less expensive. A quart of quality latex paint costs around $18-27 per quart (even cheaper if you buy by the gallon). Many name-brand chalk-style paints, however, cost anywhere from $30-50 per pint (that’s half of a quart, by the way!). That means that the latex paint is averaging $1.17-$1.69 per ounce while some chalk-style paints are averaging $1.88-$3.13 per ounce of use.
PRO #2: Color options
Another pro is having unlimited color choices. See that huge rainbow of paint chips at the hardware store?
You can have any one of them! Chalk paint, on the other hand, only comes in limited colors (some more than others, depending on the brand). Sure, you can mix or blend some of them, but you’ll be buying multiple colors and experimenting with very expensive paint (so don’t mess it up!).
PRO #3: Latex goes on smooth
I’ve tried a half dozen latex paint brands and all have gone on smooth with minimal brush-strokes if I use proper technique (clean, sand, prime) and quality brushes and rollers. Some chalk paints tend to have more texture and are therefore more prone to brush strokes. Keep in mind that this can be appealing to some – I often opt for chalky paint for a farmhouse or chippy look. Other ones self-level well, and products like Floetrol can be used for chalk or latex paints to assist with the self-leveling.
PRO #4: Latex can be turned into “chalk paint.”
Yes, if you want the matte and chalky finish of chalk paint, you can turn latex paint into chalk paint by adding chemicals to alter the finish.
I opt for calcium carbonate, but you can also use Plaster of Paris.
I find that latex-paint-turned-chalk-paint still does not distress as well as legit chalk paint, and this is likely since chalk paint companies have perfected their formula to appeal to the distressing trend.
PRO #5: Durable, doesn’t always require a sealer/topcoat
Higher quality latex paints often have oil-enriched enamel or a built-in topcoat and may not require a sealer. Chalk paint, on the other hand, always requires a sealer – it’s considered porous and can’t be left without a topcoat. Keep in mind that if you use wax as a sealer, you’ll be rewaxing several times per year – not appealing for some!
For low-traffic pieces painted with latex, I usually skip the sealer but for high traffic pieces (tables, daily used dressers) I add in a topcoat for extra protection.
ANY paint you use will have a specified “curing time” to allow the paint to harden before regular use. Many latex paints cure in 2 weeks, while many authentic chalk paints take closer to 30 days.
USING LATEX FOR FURNITURE: CONS
CON #1: Additional prep work
The biggest con I can think of when using latex paint is the extra prep work involved but that’s usually not a con for me – let me tell you why.
Many chalk/milk/mineral paints claim that they require NO prep work to use. Sometimes this is accurate, but not always. Here’s my view on it (and I’m no expert, just someone that’s experimented with a handful of paints and brands):
1. FACT: Sanding always gives you a smoother finish, and always makes paint stick better. Hands down!
2. FACT: Priming is sometimes necessary to block stains.
This is especially true when painting high-tannin wood or when using light colors. The bad thing is, you sometimes don’t notice bleed-through until several coats in, so why even risk not priming? I’ve personally had bleed through several coats of white chalk paint (claiming to be prep-free) in or even after applying a topcoat and had to redo several steps to fix it.
Major headache!
CON #2: Doesn’t distress as easily as chalk paint
There’s no getting around this – latex doesn’t always distress easily. But that makes sense, right? Chalk paint is made to be, well, “chalky” and along with milk paint can be manipulated into a distressed, rustic, or chippy finish. Latex may tend to peel if you try to distress it. Luckily for me, I do less distressed pieces, so latex works great for many of my furniture makeovers.
Your choice on paint it’s a matter of YOUR personal preference. Although there are some brands than I like more than others, I don’t knock any type of paint. I may want a chalky, textured finish for a farmhouse hutch but need a smooth, latex or oil-based paint for a mid-century buffet.
Like any form of art, the beauty is in using different mediums to achieve the outcome you want!
USING LATEX PAINT FOR A DRESSER MAKEOVER
Let’s go through a little dresser makeover so I can walk you through the latex-painting process. I’ll also tell you how I updated the dresser top with stain, re-coated the hardware for a fresh look, and lined the drawers to bring it all together…
THE “BEFORE”
This vintage dresser was sourced at a community yard sale for $20.00. It was fully functional but in rough condition due to deep surface scratches and chunks of wood missing from the corners of drawers.
SOURCE LIST
For the dresser
- 120, 180 and 220-grit sandpaper
- Sanding block and/or electric sander
- Minwax High-Performance Wood Filler
- Zinsser BIN Bullseye 1-2-3 Primer (white)
- Valspar Latex Enamel Paint, in Blue Seagrass
- Valspar antiquing glaze
- Minwax Polycrylic water-based topcoat
- Minwax Polyshades in Satin Espresso (Stain/Polyurethane Combo)
- Small synthetic brush for painting corners and edges
- Purdy 3/8” Nap Mini Roller, for painting larger areas
- Foam brush, for topcoat
- Jasco “Green” Odorless Mineral Spirits
- Protective and clean-up equipment
For the hardware:
DRESSER MAKEOVER PROCESS
STEP 1: CLEAN AND DISASSEMBLE
The first thing I did was wipe down the dresser with a damp rag and remove the hardware. The pulls were vintage and original, but a bit corroded even after a hot vinegar bath, so I put them aside to be painted.
STEP 2: FILL SCRATCHES AND REFORM CORNERS WITH WOOD FILLER
Minwax High-Performance Wood Filler has become a go-to for filling holes and scratches. This time, I also used it to reform two corners that were damaged.
To do this, I mixed the wood filler and applied it to the corners with a large popsicle stick, making sure to apply enough filler to finish the corner. Then, I smoothed it out with the flat side of the popsicle stick while it was still wet and malleable. After it dried, I cut away the excess with a razor blaze as best I could, leaving flat sides and sharp corners. Finally, I sanded it down to a smooth finish to blend in seamlessly with the actual wood drawer.
STEP 3: SAND THE PIECE FOR A SMOOTH FINISH
I knew I wanted to paint the base of the piece a light blue, so I lightly sanded it with 220-grit sandpaper. This roughed the finish up enough to allow primer and paint to stick better.
As for the top, I used an orbital sander to sand the finish completely off with 120-grit and 180-grit, and finally 220-grit sandpaper.
As I’ve mentioned before, sanding in stages like this will ensure a smooth finish and that your stain is soaked up evenly. I was able to get the top down to bare wood quickly and used a sanding brush to get in the grooves of the rim.
After all of the sanding was complete, I re-cleaned the piece with mineral spirits to remove all of the sanding dust, and let it dry completely.
STEP 4: PRIME AND PAINT
My painting technique is easy and I rarely have an issue with brush strokes: I paint corners and “detailed” areas with a small synthetic brush and then go over larger, flat areas with a Purdy mini roller with a 3/8” nap. I’ve also used a foam roller to achieve a smooth finish, as well. Simple!
The base received one coat of BIN Zinsser 1-2-3- Primer and 2 coats of Valspar latex paint in Blue Seagrass.* This was similar to the “duck egg blue” that is so popular these days. i
*TIP: You don’t have to clean your brushes after every coat while waiting for it to dry. Simply wrap them in kitchen plastic wrap and they won’t harden. I’ve done this and left them overnight without issue!
I let coats dry completely in between, and very lightly sand between coats (this takes just a couple of minutes but is worth the investment to get rid of any texture in the paint). Ultra-fine grit sandpaper is needed here – I use 220 with a light hand.
Wipe down the piece to remove sanding dust before painting another coat. I do not sand the final coat.
STEP 5: ANTIQUE GLAZE AND SEAL
This was my first time using glaze! Admittedly, I was very light-handed out of fear of overdoing it!
I applied a thin layer of glaze, waited about 5 minutes, then wiped it down with a damp cloth. The result was a slightly antiqued finish.
Even though this type of paint is fairly durable, I knew that if this were to be used in a kids room or get everyday use, it would need a bit more protection, so I sealed it with 2 coats of Polycrylic water-based topcoat.*
*TIP: I always use a high-quality synthetic brush to apply Polycrylic so that I get minimal brush strokes. See my source list!
STEP 6: STAIN THE TOP
For this furniture makeover, I used Minwax Polyshades, which is an oil-based polyurethane blended with wood stain. I used a foam brush to apply thin coats, letting each dry in between.
No wiping required! Three coats gave me a perfect, rich espresso color (the more coats, the darker/richer the finish) and it was nice to skip the extra coats of topcoat since this one was built in!
STEP 7: LINE THE DRAWERS
Lining drawers is a necessary step in my opinion. It brings a little more character to the piece and is super practical by keeping the drawers and contents nice and clean. I used a basic cabinet liner and applied to each drawer after measuring and cutting each section. Working from one side to the other is best since you can smooth out wrinkles as you work. Finally, I cut the excess from each side with a sharp razor blade.
STEP 8: REFINISH THE HARDWARE
Unfortunately, this hardware did not clean up well, but it wasn’t completely worthless. I used spray primer (one coat), Rust-Oleum’s spray paint (oil rubbed bronze, 3 thin coats), and a sprayable version of Minwax’s Polycrylic (3 thin coats).
This required a lot of coats, but it was easy to spray them down then work on something else while that layer dried, so all-in-all it only took minutes, total. The result was MUCH BETTER than the original – smooth, antiqued-bronze pulls that had the same rich, dark color as the stained dresser top.
THE “AFTER”
There is a sea of colors to choose from when painting furniture, especially with latex paints – but this shade of blue has got to be one of my favorites! I was pleased with my first try at using an antiquing glaze because it gave depth to the piece instead of a “flat” finish. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below and share any experience you have with using latex paint on furniture!
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