Furniture paint: what you need to know

What sets furniture paint apart?

Furniture paint is usually a lacquer. It doesn't just give a piece of furniture a new colour, it also protects it against wear and tear. With furniture paint, you always add an extra layer to your furniture. Ideally, it not only looks great but also protects your piece against knocks and scratches. After painting, the surfaces should be easy to care for, lightfast and, well, durable in every way.

When should you use furniture paint?

There are plenty of reasons to reach for furniture paint. Painting furniture is a brilliant option if you've fallen out of love with a piece's old colour. Maybe it no longer goes with your new wallpaper or wall paint. Or maybe you simply fancy a change. If you own an off-the-shelf piece of furniture, you might want to turn it into something one-of-a-kind and give it black furniture paint for an industrial chic look. Or perhaps you'd like to give a pretty flea market find an authentic vintage look with a nostalgic colour.

Not every piece of furniture is made of wood. Metal and plastic are often used too. You may be wondering which paints you can use on a wardrobe or chest of drawers with a plastic veneer surface. And whether you need to sand the surface before painting. Rest assured: yes, you can paint metal, plastic veneer and even high-gloss surfaces with our furniture paint. Sanding isn't normally necessary. You only need to sand down areas where old paint is flaking or otherwise damaged. So there's nothing standing in the way of transforming your IKEA furniture!

Find the right furniture paint

Our all-rounder for every project: Easy Eggshell

Easy Eggshell! from the Just Paint collection is suitable for almost any project. It gives you a soft, satin-matt finish that is extremely hard-wearing. This furniture paint is weatherproof, so you can use it on garden furniture too. Why not give your garden bench a coat of red furniture paint? Indoors, it's especially well suited to tables, chairs, benches and kitchen furniture, in other words, any pieces that see heavy use. You can also easily paint smooth metal or plastic surfaces, such as those on IKEA furniture, after priming with To Bond & Block.

Which furniture can I paint?

Basically, you can paint any furniture. If your piece has been oiled or waxed, it needs a thorough sanding before painting. Depending on the surface, you may need to prime first, or seal the painted surface with a topcoat at the end.

Give a child's room a fresh look with furniture paint

Have you inherited a pretty baby cot or cradle, or perhaps found a chest of drawers at a flea market that would make a perfect changing table? Then pick up a brush and some paint, and give these pieces a new look and your very own style. Anything you like goes! Finally, you can give the paint an even more hard-wearing finish with a topcoat or wax.

Painting kitchen furniture

Kitchen furniture can get a completely new look with MissPompadour furniture paints too. If your kitchen has plastic surfaces, always prime first with a primer such as MissPompadour To Bond & Block. This helps the furniture paint grip securely on smooth surfaces. You can even use it to prepare high-gloss surfaces for painting with furniture paint.

If you're painting surfaces that see heavy use, finish by sealing the paintwork with MissPompadour To Seal. This adds an extra protective layer that makes it more resistant.

Outdoor furniture: paint for outside

Garden furniture often needs a fresh coat of paint too. You can use our Easy Eggshell! for this as well. Whether your furniture is wood or metal, you'll need to sand off any old paint that is damaged or flaking. With outdoor furniture, you should always prepare the surface with a primer. Use MissPompadour To Bond & Block, as it makes your paintwork last longer. Why not try a flower-inspired shade like orange furniture paint instead of the good old green?

Furniture paint: a few application tips

It's always important to clean your piece of furniture thoroughly before painting. All dirt and dust must be removed before you start. The best choice for this is MissPompadour To Clean. This gentle but highly effective cleaner cleans without being harsh on surfaces or your skin. If your piece has already been treated with wax or oil, sand those areas down well, otherwise the paint won't adhere. Stained furniture needs priming so the stain doesn't bleed through into the paint.

Blog posts on painting furniture

Here you'll find our most important painting guides, tips and tricks:

• Painting for beginners
• Painting wooden furniture
• Painting rustic oak
• Painting kitchen furniture
• Painting high-gloss furniture
• Painting IKEA furniture
• Painting garden furniture

Order furniture paint in the MissPompadour shop

We recommend ordering colour cards first. The Just Paint colour cards, which include Easy Eggshell!, come in postcard size, and each card can be removed individually. That way, you can compare the shades in any light. Once you've found your perfect shade, why not order your tools along with the paint? Besides a brush and paint roller, you'll definitely need a paint tray. If you'd like to work with wax, don't forget our wax brush!