Top tips from Foy & Company’s paint expert Alan
Lots of you are undertaking your own paint and DIY projects, but the great news is you’re not alone. Whether you’re upcycling a piece of furniture, painting stairs or paneling, or re-decorating an indoor our outdoor space, our team is here to help you achieve the dream makeover!
Dulux Satinwood White Cotton
Upcycling an old piece of furniture isn’t just a nice way of improving your home, it can also be a useful project to keep you busy during lockdown. Painting furniture used to be a tedious task with hours of sanding and days of waiting on oil-based paints and undercoats to dry. However, advances in paint technology mean that this is no longer the case, and with the right products and a bit of time, you can transform any household wooden surface into your dream piece of furniture.
Grey Wolf and Torc Torc from the Colourtrend 2019 Contemporary Collection available from Foy & Company
Our paint expert Alan has the following tips for painting indoor wooden surfaces, doors, panels, skirting and architrave, fitted kitchens, wardrobes and any other furniture. The following is a list of items you might typically need, but this will vary depending on the type of wood and its condition:
If your furniture is in good condition and has no deep scratches, dents or surface imperfections, then there is no need to sand it. Simply clean it down with a good decorator’s cleaner like sugar soap.
The next step is to determine what type of wood you are working with. Is it a man-made wood like mdf, plywood or chipboard? Is it laminated with a plastic coating or a solid wood veneer? Perhaps, it’s a solid wood, and if so, does it have knots or dark sap streaks in the grain?
Once you have established the type of wood, you can coat it with whatever Zinnser primer is best suited to your wood type. If you’re not sure, ask our experts in-store for more details on the Zinnser primers and they will be able to help you select the right one for your project.
Clever use of paint can revive furniture like these chairs painted in Fortune Green from Dulux
The correct primer will ensure that the topcoat of paint will stick to your painting or upcycling project. This means that when finished, your furniture or painted surface will have a durable and hard-wearing finish that doesn’t chip or easily scratch.
Alan’s number one tip is to use a good quality brush to paint: “Cut in the edges first and brush or roll over the inner edge of the brush line to blend it smooth. If you are painting a flat surface, you can use a 4″ foam or mohair roller to cover a bigger area faster and to give a smooth finish with no brush marks. The same technique is used for both the primer and topcoat. You will need to apply two coats of the primer, and depending on which one you are using, it will be ready to apply the topcoat after between one hour and four hours.” says Alan.
Once your primer has dried, it’s time to apply your topcoat. Water based topcoats are low odour, fast drying and easy to clean up. You will need a minimum of two top-coats; the re-coat time between coats is approximately 4-6 hours. When finished painting, simply clean your painting tools with warm water and leave to dry until you are ready for your next project!
Designer Tip: Painting a wall of paneling and shelving in one colour is a great way to create a focal point. This serene grey blue from Dulux gives the feature a nautical feel, and is the perfect way to display treasures picked up on trips to the beach, to remind you of sunny days out that will hopefully be possible again soon!
If you are painting masonry outside, Fleetwood weather clad is one of many top brands in exterior paint for masonry that you’ll find at Foy & Company. The range is hand-crafted in Ireland for Irish weather, with a beautiful range of colours available. If you want to start your project off on the right track, contact our team today to organise a virtual colour consultation.
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