See my How To Paint Furniture Guide here! It’s full of updated information!! Painting furniture has long been one of my favorite pastimes. It is always amazing to me how a little love can totally change a piece from horrifying to awe inspiring. My go to technique has always been spray painting because every time I tried to paint with normal paint it was a HORRIBLE experience. Now, I know that there are people that swear by good brushes, foam rollers, and Floetrol and I am sure that they work for some…but I have never been able to master the paint from a can technique…until now.
First lets chat about the 3 most common problems when it comes to painting.
1. Brush Strokes. Also the acronym for brush strokes is BS. Just putting that out there. Brush strokes happen when your paint dries before it has a chance to level. The stiffer (I am just going to say it, and crappier) your brush the worse it is going to look. Chip brushes are literally your worst nightmare when painting furniture. But even with expensive brushes I have never been able to paint something brush stroke free.
2. Flashing. Flashing is unevenness in a paint finish sheen. It happens for a few reasons. If you are using cheap paint, especially cheap paint that has a high sheen, trying to get too much paint out of a roller, not leaving a wet edge, and rolling all willy nilly. Flashing is extremely noticeable when light reflects off of a piece. White foam rollers are like a shifty teenager in a trench coat on the sidelines of the homecoming football game. They are perfectly poised to ruin your crowning moment. Also foam rollers=light texture. Not enough to start over but FOR SURE enough to make you want to kick the dresser every time you walk by it.
3. Stickiness After Drying. Have you guys ever been in contact with a piece of furniture that never fully cured? It is eternally sticky to the touch. This happened once to a piece that was in my Mother In Law’s house. It was a four poster bed that was painted high gloss black and it was unusable because it was so sticky. This can happen for a few reasons, your paint could be crappy quality, there wasn’t adequate dry time between layers. It seems like the higher the sheen, the more you risk this being a factor. Plain and simple, latex wall paint is not ideal for furniture.
So do you want to know what the secret combo is for a perfect paint job?
Sherwin Williams Pro Classic and a Mohair Roller. I kid you not, you will never go back once you have tried this combo. (See this post for updated paint and roller info!)
Start by prepping you piece with a light sanding and a good cleaning. (By light sanding i mean the way you would wipe down a wall)
Load your roller.
This is the most important part so listen and listen good. Roll it on with only a few passes, I am talking 3. Don’t worry so much about coverage, you can do more than one coat. Just make sure that there aren’t any globby areas.
Now put your roller down and walk away. When the paint starts to dry and you mess with it, it is just a recipe for disaster and will always look worse when you are done.
And then you will hate yourself. So just trust.
This is a freshly rolled drawer vs. one that has had time to dry, can you see how much the paint relaxes and evens out?
I have never had something work so well time and time again. You guys, this is the real deal.
My only request? Don’t hug me too tight when you see me next. I love my guts intact.
Wow, good to know and that dresser looks phenomenal!
I so understand all these problems and now I can’t wait for my next paint project to try this! You may have just changed my crafty little world. When you find a brush that can achieve the same thing for those small pieces like chairs, let us know that too! Just pinned this! Sharon
Mandi – I love you for posting this tip! I have 2 chests waiting in line to be painted and I’m going to try out this technique!! question for you: one of the chests has some paint chipping on the top of it. How should I handle that? with lots of sanding? thank you!!
Hey Nicole!
Yes for sure sanding! Send me pictures! I cant wait to see them!!
xo
m
awesome – thanks! I will!
Interesting! I will have to give that a try! 🙂
Have you tried it in a high gloss or gloss finish?
Yep! It is equally as amazing!
Thanks Mandi! Love you sooooooooooo much!!
I’m for sure trying this! We have a cabinet that we painted seven years ago and it never fully cured. It is terrible and banged up now and everything I put on the shelves sticks to it. I’m pretty sure our problem was cheap paint.
Any tips on getting all the gummy paint off before I repaint it?
My favorite stripper is called CitriStrip. Its a pain to strip stuff, but sometimes it is the only way!
Thanks for the stripper recommendation! I’ve been looking for one and after reading up this looks like it’ll fit the bill perfectly.
I agree with your technique. I would also add that the paint you are using makes a difference. I have used the SW ProClassic you have pictured, and it is a superb product, in fact, pretty fool proof.
brillant!! can’t wait to try this!
That is the paint and roller I used last year to paint my kitchen cabinets. I second your recommendation. Best paint I’ve ever used.
Awesome, Mandi! I’m on board with Sherwin-Williams paint, but why ProClassic specifically? For example, I’ve used Emerald in the past. What do you see as the advantage of that particular line, please? xo
ProClassic dries a lot harder than most other paints. Emerald is awesome for walls but I dont know if it is hard enough for a piece of furniture. Does that make sense?
Sure does. Thanks for the clarification! xo
Nice! The Sherwin Williams sample pots are the perfect size for little furniture projects too. I stumbled upon this paint for furniture by accident. I had a bunch of sample pots when I was trying to decide what color to paint my kitchen and so when I needed to makeover a little table, I used one of those. It ended up far prettier than ever imagined it would. I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have brush strokes but it turned out beautiful!
So no spray paint anymore?
Thank you for the awesome tips!!! I just painted a chair for my daughter’s room and wish I had this knowledge!!! Now, miss smarty pants, go test some of that Annie Sloan chalk paint and give tips. Or any chalk paint, I think Michaels is selling sample size pots right now. Wait, do you have Michael’s in Utah? Anyway, help and many thanks for this post!!!!
Just used that exact paint this weekend to finish painting the risers of our oak staircase. I used a brush but still no brush marks. The SW guys told me it was the go-to paint for wood and he was right. Also want to give a plug to another paint I used this weekend to paint a previously very dark stained coffee table I picked up curbside…General Finishes Milk Paint. I am not a fan of chippy paint but this is not like that at all! As I was putting it on, all I could think of is the phrase “like buttah!” So very smooth and unbelievable coverage. I did a light blue over the dark table, but it truly covered in one coat plus just a few touch ups. You can barely tell I used any paint out of the can. Downside is the limited colors, but supposedly you can mix colors.
As a repurposer of old furniture I can’t wait to try this technique!! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Great tips! I ran into some of the above problems when I painted a table. I was wondering…for a project like this did you prime the peice first? And did you seal it? Curious because I had problems with scratching- much more so than with a spray paint.
I didnt prime, but I did sand it a little. For something that is taking a beating like a table ProClassic should still be amazing. Or you could go with SW Latex Enamel. It dries really hard! xo
Mandi, I’m so glad I found your site, as I am about to refinish my kitchen table! I’m planning on doing the table top bright white, using the SW latex or ProClassic based on your above recommendation, but just to confirm, I don’t need to seal it? The paint will be hard enough on its own?
Thanks!
Casey
Where were you when I was painting my kitchen cabinets- I could cry!!! Pocketing this one for the future!
Sounds like a great tip and I’m going to have to try it…especially the quality paint part.
BUT why, oh WHY did you paint that gorgeous dresser at all? If it was stained or super messed up in that middle section it totally makes sense, but otherwise in the words of The Gambler, “Know when to walk away.”
Ha! Dude, I so hear you. I am a wood lover through and through! The finish was really chippy and peeling off and restore-a-finish just wasnt doing the trick. It needed to be sanded anyway and I figured that instead of sanding the entire dresser, I could fix the front with a little paint. It is an easy reversal if I ever decide to tackle the entire thing! Such a good question!
xo
m
I LOVE this paint. It did take some getting used to though…..both the price tag (*gulp*) AND how watery the paint is in comparison to the crappy brands I’ve been using…just putting that out there! Thanks for the tips…
Gotta love that Sherwin Williams.
What is that color??? That dresser is gorgeous! Thanks so much.
I love this dresser!!! OMG!! I love your blog, you never fail to amaze.
I paint furniture all the time and i’m super frustrated with paint strokes!
Thanks for the tip!!
What kind of roller do you recommend for painting interior walls? And a garage door?
looks amazing! any experience painting metal items? i have metal cabinets that desperately need to be repainted but i’m clueless about what type of paint would be best.
Well, I love your guts right back! More so after this tip. You just solved a problem that has kept me from more projects than I can count. Thanks so much!!!!!
Well, I may just have to go paint our piano, now! We have a piano that was donated to us after years of use & abuse in a youth group room. It’s needing a new finish. 🙂
I don’t have a lot of pinkish color in my house, but I LOVE that color. Will you please share the paint name?
What color is used on the front of the chest?
Aha. I wanted to read this post, as I have just taken on this big (too big) project myself, bought white chalk paint, at about $40 for the not-so-big can and jumped in with my brush. The cherry finish on the furniture kept bleeding through. I painted again and again and the red color keeps coming through. Now I’m like, what do I do with this mess. I tried covering up some of the worst of it with a large piece of wallpaper, but all around the edges, there is that icky red bleeding into the white: I then tried perking it up with some decals, which did look very cute, but the next day I look at it and the decals have curled up and off of the wood. I am ready to take this piece to Earl Shieb’s Car Paintiing place to have it done cherry red, like my old Ford. and then throw it away. But next time, wool rollers, and something else. Best regards!
Hey Linda!
Argh that is SO frustrating!! A stain blocking primer like Kilz would be perfect prep for this type of project.
xo
m
This post came at the perfect time! I painted my dining room table with AS chalk paint and also waxed it, about 5 days later, the paint is chipping I am now going to use my favorite paint stripper (Citristrip), give the table top a good sanding then stain it. I’m going to keep the base and leg painted so I will look into SW paint. I’m also wanting to repaint some bedroom furniture, so this paint will be my first choice. Thanks for sharing. Sending you a virtual hug.
What would you if your piece of furniture has a bit more ornate designs as opposed to only flat surfaces? A good brush on that part and the roller for the flat parts?
I’m excited11 I’ve had this dang dresser in my garage for well over a year. Haven’t had the guts to do anything with it yet. Maybe this will push me over the DIY ledge and get ‘er done!! 🙂
That is exactly what you would want to do!
Brilliant Mandi! I’m a HUGE Sherwin Williams fan and I use the ProClassic Enamel all the time. I’ve never tried the Mohair Roller though… a must in the near future!
Tell us about the art in the last photo? I kind of dig it.
Never tries the roller but have recently fallen in love with this paint while using it to repaint our kitchen cabinets. The BEST, hands down. I was amazed that it didn’t stick, I didn’t think that could happen.
This is so beautiful! Do you recommend this paint for a kitchen table too? I recently painted a table and after lots of research went with an off-white enamel semi-gloss paint and finished it with a soft wax. It had plenty of time to cure, had a great finish and I loved how it looked. I thought I had done all I needed to do to protect it from stains, scratches and scuffs. However, there a plenty of red rings from juice cups, pen marks from my little artists :), and I have a wooden planter that scuffs everytime it moves. Was the wax not a good choice? If I refinish the table, what should I do differently? Do you recommend buying direct from Sherwin Williams? I am also in St. George and never know where to buy paint 🙂
Fabulous tips Mandi – definitely using those two products on a coffee table that I need to paint in the near future!
Oh, bless you! And bless my husband! He totally went out on a limb, and we bought 3 gallons of Sherwin Williams, one being Pro Classic for an old door and dresser! I’ll make sure to get the mohair rollers, too! Thank you!!!
Great idea with the mohair roller. Have you ever tried using a paint conditioner? It solves all the problems you are talking about and you can add it to almost any paint. I used it for the first time when painting my fireplace because I kept getting the flashing like you mentioned. It was a miracle worker! Highly recommended.
Your dresser looks beautiful btw!
Brilliant! Seriously, some of the best advice! I have run into the exact same problems despite my best efforts and I can’t wait to try this technique.
So you obviously knew I was about to paint EVERY major piece of furniture in my living/dining area for the first time and desperately needed this? Good on ya and THANK YOU!
So I’m pretty rural and not a SW even remotely close. Any tips for something close at Home Depot or Ace Hardware?
Beautiful finish! Sadly I can never again enter a Sherwin Williams store again. Having been treated like trash, or on a good visit totally ignored, in more than one Chicago area store I made a pact with myself. I even contacted the store manager and SW corporate after the last especially dehumanizing visit and got a big “Who Cares” or non response.
Unless you are a contractor they could not care any less about you. Hmm. Wonder who hires the contractors? Duh. Maybe the lady picking out colors and inquiring about paint?!
It is ironic that that the quality of the paint is inverse to their customer service. I am very happy with Behr’s Marquee or Paint plus primer line. I will agree with the mohair roller and the “walk away from it” technique. Thanks, as always for sharing.
You are amazing!! This is so helpful — my pieces in the past have usually dried tacky or shown brush strokes despite my best efforts, which is just soo disappointing. Thank you!
HI Mandi, I want to paint a desk that has a veneer on it (not real wood). Will this work with a piece like that? Thanks, julie
Hey Julie! You will need to use a good bonding primer first, and then you will be golden!
xo
m
Recommendation for bonding primers? 🙂
Hi, I have a set of fretwork dining chairs. spray paint isn’t holding up. I can’t use a roller on them because of all the circles and details. Is it worth it to try this paint with a brush only? Also what are your thoughts on paint sprayers?
Please tell me you know what color that beautiful dark pink is?!
Thank you for the great tips. I have always wondered why my furniture makeovers have been sticky and now I know why! What would you recommend if not painting a flat surface, like legs of a table. (Rounded surface)
thank you!
I would love to see a short video of this tip in action!
After finding this post I painted a dresser using this technique and I am SO happy with the results! I was wondering though do you use any kind of protectant finish?
Yes I’d love to know what kind of protectant finish you use as well? I recently painted a side table a beige/off-white (one behr’s flat paint sample at Home Depot) that was primed with Zinsser’s 123 primer. Everything was looking good until I got to the polyacrylic step, where I used Minwax’s water based polyacrylic in clear semi-gloss (using a bristle brush). Now it looks streaky and the pain looks uneven. I waited a whole 2 days after painting to poly it and am so bummed it looks like that now! I’m not sure whether I should have used a wax instead given the beige color (a picture frame using the same primer but a darker paint looks better after poly than the table). Any thoughts??
Hi Mandi, so I was given a view canopy bed not very high quality but very pretty for my toddler daughter who is transitioning into a twin bed. Well all get furniture before was white anf this bed was cherry wood color so she cried that I paint the bed white. One never painted anything and went to home depot and asked what they recommend. The woman I spoke to gave me a primer that virus be use without sanding as she said since I’m inexperienced it would be easier. Then she gave me a white semi gloss latex paint. I read only after painting the bed that latex Is not good for furniture as it peels and is has a bit bc I layed some thin light rods on the frame for a few hours days after o painted the bed and it pulled some paint off. The bed isn’t sticky but I want to paint it again as it’s not preferable that the paint should peel. So any suggestions on what I can do it rather what I need to do to make the paint more peel. Thanks
Hey Kathleena!
The only way to get the bed free of latex paint is to strip it. Luckily latex is really easy to remove with stripper. My favorite stripper is Citristrip because it doesn’t burn your skin off or have a chemically smell. Then head to Sherwin-Williams and get some Pro Classic. If the bed is spindly you will probably want to use a brush on those parts, and a Mohair roller on the flat parts. Hope this helps!!
xo
m
Color please!!!!
Hi! I am a first timer… I found a dresser on Craigslist for $5. It seemed to be solid wood, but I actually think it’s a high quality fake/laminate (LOL, fake!) Anyways, I found a paint at the True Value in town, EasyCare Premium Low VOC paint/primer/satin finish in one in Penguin Black. I cleaned the surface of the dresser, took off the hardware, and painted. I didn’t even think of the varnish/finish, whatever it is called, that gave the wood a shiny wood like finish. It was definitely in need of an upgrade… but now I wonder if I should’ve sanded it first? Do you sand fake wood to get the finish off? Then the primer, it is an all-in-one so I didn’t think I needed an extra primer. It’s dried for about 2 days, and I went to put my hardware on, and it seems as if the paint just scratches off now. I have an almost 2 yr old cutie running around – so I wanted to avoid the finish as most are highly toxic, flammable, and emit lots of stinky vapors… Now what do I do? Sand off the paint, the varnish below, and start over? I live in an upstairs apartment, and we are now approaching winter, so I’m not sure how long I’ll have my balcony to work on. I can use the basement for my drawers, but the dresser itself… I will have to put back out on the patio. Do I strip it, extra strip, then sand, then prime, then use the last of my paint? I have about 1/2 a can left… I was trying to save money as a single mommy… but now I’m afraid since I jumped into painting so quickly I just costed myself energy, time, and money 🙁 What are your suggestions? I love your piece by the way, and I’m hoping to do more! I could always ask Sherwin Williams if they have less toxic options… again trying to save money though, and if I could use the paint I already bought, that would be great! Any suggestions are welcome, and needed. Thank you!!!
Getting ready to use these tips on my nursery furniture…excited and nervous.
Hi Mandi,
Great article.
I wish I read it earlier. I painted a desk this past weekend and it looks great, but the paint is still kind of sticky. I want to try your recommendation, but had some questions. Can I just paint over what I did? Or should I prime or strip the paint before I repaint it?
Thanks a lot!
I would probably strip it if it were me
xo
m
Mandi, I’m about to tackle a very special piece, it was my Granny’s….I have it sanded smooth as glass and am going to use your advice about SW Pro and rollers…Please reccommend a good brush for enamel, as I have some curved legs to deal with…and finally…I’ve painted with Enamel before (pain in the butt), but am going to attempt it again…PLEASE…How do you store your brush and roller between coats??? I’ve always had a problem with the enamel paint on my brushes getting gooey and chippy…Do I have to clean with mineral spirits between every single coat? Or do you have a tip for storing the brush and rollers between coats??
great lesson…I read all the comments desperately looking for you to answer the #1 question …
what is that lovely colour of pink?
So happy to find these great tips! The only problem is, the folks at SW tell me that I can’t get the color I want (Black Magic) in the Pro Classic because it’s too dark. They said I could get Black Magic in one of their other lines, but I don’t know how well it will hold up on the desk I want to paint. Any thoughts on using the Duration or Emerald?
Thank you so much for telling me about this paint and mohair roller. I have painted a few pieces of furniture and was not happy with the finish. I tried your suggestion and I can’t believe how beautiful it looks….GREAT advice….
Thank you for the tip.
Would you suggest using a primer first?
Thx
Im a scenic painter for film/tv (I.e. paint all day every day) and Have completely given up on mohair rollers… They leave fine hairs behind in the topcoat and much to my horror I didn’t see them until a close-up on camera!! I realize because it’s my job I am way pickier than the average DIYer but glad they work for u… Everyone that’s going to paint more than once in their life needs to buy some Purdy brushes !! theyre available at Home Depot and will last over 20 yrs As long as u ALWAYS Keep your brush wet or in water when taking a break you won’t have leftover paint that causes BS after cleaning….Purdy makes ‘soft’ bristle brushes now and I always use microfibre rollers in various naps that hold a ton of paint and are not the fuzzy rollers of the past w anything to shed on your finish…high density foam rollers do have thin coverage when u are looking to do many coats and want a flat finish but take some practice to use in order to not get the flashing u describe its true…..and now they make mini microfibre rollers in that size that anyone can get a great finish with! Just don’t use wall paint for furniture! all the high-end companies sell a product that is harder wearing for objects/furniture now…
Oh! And yes I definitely second the motion on pro classic by SW and another great furniture paint is Advance by Benny Moore… And always scuff in between coats very lightly just to remove the high points and any little specs… it makes a huge difference on how smooth your final finish is and follow Mandi’s tip about not rolling that roller around too much! Load it up get it on and use ONE pass in same direction to smoothe it out! That’s all u need …
More good info, thank you! Agree about Advance by BM, by the way.
I want to redo my whole bedroom set with a flat matte look. I also want to destress it slightly. I would like to use a cream color. My furniture is high gloss mahogany. What paint and procedures would you suggest? Thank you!
I’m going to be painting my 4th piece of furniture soon and this is a great tip. I have noticed on other pieces that it is sometimes sticky, I’m guessing for reasons you described (my husband and I tend to be a little anxious and impatient lol). I will try this tip! Thanks 🙂
Thank you for sharing your expertise! Unfortunately, I went to buy the Sherman Williams Pro Classic paint and they told me I could not buy it in black (which is the color I want the desk I am painting). Do you have recommendations of a black paint I can use?
Best. Advice. Ever. My bathrooms cabinets are now smooth like buttah!! Its hurts so much to pay for a quality paint but in the end I can totally see why its worth it. Totally like quality makeup I think I’m growing up;)
Thanks for the info about the mohair roller covers, just bought some. Have you tried the velour ones to paint with?
When you say leave your roller and walk away when painting furniture… Do you clean the roller in between coats? Do you let it dry with paint on it then just use it again for the next coat? What’s your advice on that so I don’t have to use a fresh roller for every coat?
Hey Kori, if you put the roller in a plastic bag between coats it won’t dry out. But when I said it I mostly meant to not manhandle it 😉
xo
m
Just discovered your blog – already loving it!
I just finished painting our family room armoire that houses our tv and components. I followed all of your advice…paint and tools. I’m thrilled with the results!! My question is, would you apply any kind of clear protective coating(lacquer)? I consulted with my Sherwin Williams guys and they insist their pro classic paint has the protection built in.
Thank you!!
I used this paint on two bathroom cabinets. They came out so good that my grandson even commented on them! I am crazy about this paint and the clean up is so easy too. I was really scared to try it but so glad I did!
How long did you wait for second application. I tried first application and it was as you said fabulous but i think i didn’t wati long enough and when i put the second applicant the brush marks stayed. Should i sand it off and do it all over?
What kind of paint would you recommend if I want a high gloss finish? Would it be the same, just the high gloss version? thank you!
I’m painting some nightstands with this technique and I keep getting bubbles that don’t all pop and smooth out as the piece dries. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!
dang! I was searching for an answer to why my cabinets that I just painted were so sticky. I used the proclassic paint exactly as pictured. I let it dry 48 hours between coats and sprayed it in thin layers, sanding lightly between coats. They look amazing but they stick to everything!! I can’t figure out what I did wrong and I’m panicking that they will be like this forever!
I love proclassic. I’m using it on my trim. I don’t think it comes in dark colors. Does anyone know if you can buy it in smaller sizes than a gallon?
I cannot tell you how grateful I am for your tutorial on using a mohair roller. I painted, sanded, and repainted a large vintage coffee table four times, but no matter what I did the flat surface looked awful. I followed your instructions, and it looks great! Thank you from the borrow of my heart!
I’ve painted my antique dining table and 8 chairs along with the buffet in Annie Sloan chalk paint. I then waxed it, but after almost a year, and it not ever really curing, I started over. I used the paint thinner to remove the wax, then painted the next layer of chalk paint. The place I bought the paint recommended a specific top coat for “whites”! I used it and it turned “glow in the dark” greenish…if you’ve ever used glow in the dark nail polish as a child, you know exactly what I’m talking about! I started again, this time using a different top coat from the same location recommended for whites! Turns out the first top coat is NOT for whites. Ummm no kidding! I’m so frustrated as I’m about to start over again! It’s sticky, peeling, and yellowish in color! I want to cry! Should I strip it first? Should I sand it? Should I use a primer? And, for real, what top coat do you recommend that cures HARD and doesn’t turn colors? I want it white! Please help!!!???
Hey Kristen!
Oh man my heart goes out to you!! I hate projects like this!! If it were me and I loved the piece enough to keep working on it, I would strip it with Citrustrip and see where that gets you before you try to sand it. Then I would sand it enough that you can get your paint to stick. Depending on the type of wood and what the finish originally was, you’ll probably want to prime, just to make sure that the wood color doesn’t bleed through. I would use Kilz spray primer (the Original) and make sure you lightly sand it after to get rid of any texture. THEN I would paint it with Pro-Classic. If you do a few coats (especially on the top) you won’t need to seal it. Just make sure that you let it fully cure before you use it. Hope this helps!!
xo
mandi
Before I started painting, I made sure I sanded everything until it was nice and smooth & I vacuumed and wiped down everything and let it dry before I began painting. I sanded between the coats of primer but I am still having difficulty. I bought the Mohair roller from Sherwin Williams, but it leaves a weird textured surface. I tried different variations of loading and pressure, but I still had the same textured results. I am using their Premium Wall and Wood Primer which supposedly has good flow, but I found it was drying too fast even when I added floetrol which made it difficult to keep a ‘wet edge’.
I have also tried the High Density Foam Rollers and also get an orange peel type texture. I was told by an employee at Sherwin Williams that you need to wet the foam roller to prevent the air bubbles, but it still didn’t help.
I do have a top quality brush (Purdy XL Glide) but regardless of what I do, I still get brush marks.
I am getting very frustrated and can’t understand why I can’t seem to get the same results as other people.
I am scared to move onto the paint stage since I am having horrible results with the primer. Do you have any ideas of what I can try?
I am painting a fireplace casing so any flaws would be very obvious which is why I am so frustrated.
Thanks!
I decided to bite the bullet and attempt it with the ProClassic that you suggested in order to see if that may make a difference; sadly, I am getting the same results. I bought the exact same mohair roller from Sherwin Williams you suggested but I continue to get that bizarre texture. I made sure I didn’t overload the brush and also experimented with different load amounts and different pressure. but no matter what I try, I get the same results. I am having to settle with laying off with a brush after rolling because I am fresh out of ideas.
If anyone has any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.
Primer does not lay down as well as a finish coat of paint. It is heavy and dries fast. I recently painted a thrift store bed stand that I was going to use for a TV cabinet. I used Kilz Cover stain as I had some. I had the same experience of it looking and feeling shaggy.** I sanded the first coat, rolled and brushed another on (I often find that 2 coats of primer are needed) and sanded again. (I used a random orbital sander). If it if it feels flat and slick, then you are probably fine (regardless of how shaggy it LOOKS). **During this process I was lamenting using Cover STain instead of BIN which I think goes on very smooth. I refinised some pine cabinets using BIN primer, and while they were beautiful, over time the top finish cracked. I talked to my BM paint dealer and he said that it might be indicative of not letting it cure long enough. Whatever the case, I did not use it for this project. BIN cleans up with water/ammonia.
I painted some chairs a couple months ago and got something sticky on one of the backs, I grabbed a sponnge and tried scrubbing it off and now it’s permanantly sticky. I even painted over it and it seemed fine but became sticky again after a few days. It’s nowhere else except the spot I scrubbed and my shirts stick to it every time I sit here ( SO ANNOYING!!!) Do you have any tips and how I cold fix it?
Thank you, Thank you, thank you Mindy for your precious tips!
I tried different techniques, chalk paint and wax, different types of paint (by the way, I think chalk paint is a ripoff) and I was never happy with the result….but as soon as I started painting with the Sherwin Williams ProClassic paint I knew I was on to something….and the result was simply great. You are right..after this experience there is no going back. Sherwin Williams rocks!!
Kitchen cabinet DIY – I don’t want any brush strokes at all. Really want these to be smooth as butter. I would like to paint my birch kitchen cabinets a Swiss Coffee white. They have been in my kitchen for 25 years but are showing wear, which is why I’d like to paint them. Do I need to sand and then prime them (If so, what primer?), and then 1 coat or 2 coats or more? My cabinets are recessed in the middle. What brush should I use to get into the corners? I REALLY need a step by step on this as I would like to tackle this project next week. Can you help me? So glad I found your blog.
Hi Mandy
Do you know how I would paint a dresser that has formica type top- not sure if it’s actually formica, but it’s very smooth. The rest of it is wood.
Hi Nicole!
Those tops can be tricky! If you sand it with 60 grit paper to rough it up and use a bonding primer then you should be good to go!
Hi Mandy,
Help! I am getting the same results as Epiphany describes above with the webbing strange texture using the mohair roller with proclassic paint. Any ideas of what I am doing wrong? I really appreciate your thoughts!
I recently started painting furniture, started with two French provincial night stand with two coat of paint, light sanding in between, it looked amazing, so I started with large dresser, but this time I got carried away, and after two coat of same paint, I decided to use my homeRight finish max fine finish sprayer, I did two coat of that, when I brought all the furnitures in bed room realized the dresser is much darker, of course it makes sense now because dresser has more layer of paint. my question is how can I make the paint lighter to make it match my night stand, the paint I used has primer in it. should I paint over the dresser with white primer of white paint and then paint over with the color paint?
Don’t know if this will make a difference or not. I read somewhere that you should rub your mohair roller along a piece of tape (and back and forth), before you use it for the first time. This supposedly is done to remove any fibers that you may not see but could still show up in your paint. I’m so excited I found this blog! Just getting ready to start my 1st furniture project!! And SW paint is on sale!!
Hi Mandi–I have a dresser I am going to paint for my daughter’s baby nursery–The dresser had some nicks in it and I used Minwax wood putty to fill in–I have sanded it down and sanded the whole thing to take the sheen out of the previous painted color–Usually I always prime a piece before putting finish coat on–especially because of the wood putty–what would you recommend?? Thanks for all your hard investigative work!!
Hey Roseanne!
It never hurts to prime things!
Hi! I just wanted to thank you for the great advice you gave in this article. After reading it I went to Sherwin Williams and bought the paint and the roller and have just completed my first major furniture painting project and it looks fantastic!! I was so scared that I would make a mess but your advice was spot on, particularily the part about rolling it on and walking away! I am very grateful that I came upon your advice and that I had the good sense to use it!!
I saw another recommendation for SW ProNamel (they gave the same pros you gave). Have you used that one vs the ProClassic?
Never mind, I misread and they said ProClassic too! Feel free to delete these comments.
This is so funny— after scads of research and practice and days between coats, and painstaking sanding, I just finished a set of perfectly even, smooth white cabinets using the ProCassic (in the stock Extra White). The SW saleslady handed me the mohair roller and said “don’t even read the signs, this is what you want.” When I went back for a second quart, the salesguy recommended an entirely different roller. I bought it and used it on a practice piece, and NOPE! The mohair rules!
Perfection. Cabinets like you’d buy in a store.
Thanks for the tip. I have been painting a wood table with SW Pro Classic semi-gloss & a Purdy brush and getting all kinds of brush strokes. I have not painted a lot of furniture, so I’m probably over painting. Have you tried a semi gloss finish? I’m going to sand it down and try the mohair roller, when you say 3 passes, do you go back and forth over the same spot 3 times?
Did I miss what sheen you used? I’m about to paint cabinets can’t can’t decide between satin or semi gloss. Which would you use for kitchen cabinets?
I painted two end tables with primer and latex paint and have tacky paint, uneven brush strokes, and flashing. Before I follow your advice using the enamel and mohair roller, what do I do about what I’ve already done. Do I sand or strip or something else? If I sand, do I sand the shiny, slick part off or go all the way to the bare wood?
I don’t see any replies on here from you Mandi since earlier this year. Hope you see this and reply soon!
I followed your advice and ended up with an AWESOME dresser that needed some love. Thank you! I’d like to paint the vanity in my kid’s bathroom. It’s an ugly cheap wood thing the contractor put in… Might not even be “real” wood. Can I use the same methods/paint for this as well?
Isn’t it just a little but shady for you to make a post like this when you’re a paid sponsorship with sherwin williams?? You’re putting this “life changing advice” out there like we are just your besties and you’re telling us about a genuine experience when it’s way more likely we just read a well written long ass sherwin williams advertisement.
Hi Maddie! This post was actually written more than 6 years ago, before my sponsorship with Sherwin. Feel free to take your energy elsewhere! Have a great day!
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