When furniture gets old and worn, most homeowners probably get tired of looking at them. Slowly but surely, furniture in our home become eyesores when you give them enough time. So what can you do instead of throwing the whole thing out?
One of the most common ways of upcycling furniture is to give it a fresh coat of paint; something that will not only give your eyes something fresh to look at, but an upgrade to the overall design of your home. In this article, I’ll be showing you a step-by-step tutorial on how to paint wooden furniture with an air compressor.
But first thing’s first: why do I want to paint with an air compressor when I have a trusty old brush? The answer lies in an air compressor’s ability to save you paint (and money), time, and effort. Moreover, painting with compressed air can give you a more even and smoother painted surface, which is a great thing for furniture.
Convinced? Here’s how to paint your furniture with compressed air:
Set Up Your Equipment
Assuming that you already have your spray gun and air compressor ready, set your pressure gauge to 45 psi and make sure all the proper bits and pieces are connected.
In this step, we also want to lay down a protective layer of tarp around our work area, even when working outside, so that no paint can end up on surfaces that don’t need it. If you’re working in the garage, make sure that no fans or forced air heaters are on that can disrupt your tarp covering. (Fix your tarps on with painter’s tape)
Prepare Yourself
Make sure to wear proper attire when painting, meaning that clothes that cover your arms and legs is a must. To avoid inhaling air pollutants from the paint and thinner, wear a respirator designed for spray-painting. In addition to that, ensure that you have safety goggles on as well as rubber gloves.
Prepare the Furniture to be Painted
Old desks, tables, chairs, or dressers can do better with a fresh coat of paint. To prepare a piece of old furniture for spray-painting, carefully scrape and sand the surface to remove rust, stubborn grime, and old paint—do this until you are satisfied.
Next, clean the piece and make sure it is free from dirt, dust, and oil. Follow this step is to cover all the parts of the furniture you don’t want painted; like handles, knobs, or casters. Do this with a piece of plastic fixed with painter’s tape.
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Get Painting
Before you start painting, it is better to make sure that no clumps and globs have formed in your paint to prevent it from clogging your sprayer. To do this, filter your paint with a strainer until you get all smooth paint. Mix it with the proper amount of thinner; and the ratio will depend on the type of paint you are using. (Make sure to research this before pouring in your thinner!)
After that, you’re good to go! Spray a little paint on a piece of spare tarp to test it out. When paint starts coming out, aim the nozzle at your piece of furniture at about 5-10 inches away.
Move your spraying hand in a confident, fluid motion. Ensure that the entire surface is evenly painted without thin or thick spots. A tip is to stop a few times between your work to survey the painted surface.
Apply Finish or Another Coat if Necessary
After the first coat of paint dries, you have the option of applying another coat of paint for a thicker finish. Or, if you’re a bit more creative, this step can consist of applying stencil art or other designs that can improve your piece.
Thereafter, can opt to apply varnish and increase the quality of your furniture.
Enjoy Your New Furniture!
Now that you’ve applied a new coat of paint to your used-to-be boring old piece of furniture, you can now rest easy knowing that you won’t have to look at an old wooden dresser anymore. In its stead, a seemingly brand new piece of furniture!
Now, painting with an air compressor is a job that gets easier over time. If you don’t succeed the first time, there’s not ham in trying again. For this fact, I recommend beginners to paint small pieces of furniture at first, then you can move up from there.
Conclusion
Upcycling old furniture doesn’t need to be tedious and pricey. Sometimes, adding a fresh coat of paint with an air compressor is just enough to add new life to your room. So, if you have an air compressor and new spray gun just begging to be used—consider trying it on a worn chair, perhaps?
If you’ve learned a useful tip or two from this article, give it a like and share. Thanks for reading!