Painting furniture

Painting furniture means taking a piece you'd stopped noticing and turning it back into one that has something to say in the room. A chest of drawers from the nineties, an inherited cupboard, a pine shelf — with re-box protect, the satin-sheen furniture and multi-surface lacquer in a 750 ml tin, they get a surface that holds up to everyday life. The difference between a piece of furniture that looks like new and one that looks like a craft project lies almost entirely in the preparation.

What you should have on hand before the first brushstroke

• re-box core as an adhesion primer — the first step, not the optional one
• the lacquer in your chosen shade from Lackfarben, 750 ml tin
• a Lackpinsel 35 mm - Kunstfaser for edges and profiles, a small lacquer roller for flat surfaces
• Schleifblock – Körnung 220 for the intermediate sanding, coarser for the first pass
• filler for dents, screw holes and chipped edges
• cleaner or grease remover, lint-free cloths, a screwdriver for fittings and handles
• covering material and a base the furniture can stand on freely

Also plan for the space: a piece of furniture needs somewhere it can stand undisturbed between coats. The kitchen table is not that place.

Seven steps to a lacquered surface

1. Take apart what can be taken apart

Drawers out, doors off, handles and hinges unscrewed. Anything you remove, you won't have to fiddle around painting later. Keep the screws in a labelled box — it sounds fussy, and it saves you when you reassemble.

2. Clean thoroughly

Old furniture carries years of handling, furniture polish and kitchen vapours. Wash all surfaces with cleaner and let them dry completely. Lacquer won't hold on a surface that hasn't been degreased — not even the best lacquer.

3. Sand lightly

Glossy and sealed surfaces are sanded to a matte finish so the primer can grip. Work along the grain and evenly, not just in spots. Then remove all the sanding dust, or it will end up in the lacquer later.

4. Repair

Fill dents, screw holes and chipped edges with filler and level them off flush. Once dry, sand smooth and remove the dust. A spot you let slide now will show up all the more clearly under the satin-sheen lacquer.

5. Apply the primer

Now re-box core goes onto every surface that will be lacquered. The primer is the bond between the old surface and the new lacquer — it's the reason the finish won't chip off at the first fingernail. Apply thinly and evenly, not in a heavy flood.

6. First coat of lacquer

Start with the edges, profiles and interiors using the brush, then the flat surfaces with the lacquer roller. Work quickly and in one direction so no overlaps show. Apply thinly: lacquer laid on too heavily will run on vertical surfaces and form drips.

7. Intermediate sanding and second coat

Once the surface is fully dry, go over it lightly with a fine grit and wipe off the dust. The second coat brings depth of colour and an even finish. Only refit the fittings, doors and drawers once everything has dried completely.

Where furniture projects go wrong

• Started without primer. The most common and most costly mistake: lacquer applied straight onto old sealant won't hold, and you only notice weeks later. The order is always core first, then protect.
• Applied too thickly. Anyone trying to skip the second coat lays it on heavy and ends up with drips and runs. Two thin coats are finished faster than one that needs sanding down.
• Left the fittings on. Painting around handles takes more time than unscrewing them — and still looks like a compromise in the end.
• Didn't remove the sanding dust. Every grain left behind becomes a visible spot in the finished lacquer. Use a lint-free cloth before every coat.
• Started on the wrong piece. Practise the process on a shelf board or a drawer before you tackle the sideboard that actually matters to you.
• Reassembled too soon. Drawers that run on lacquer that hasn't fully cured leave marks. Give the piece the time it needs.

Why furniture gets a satin sheen and walls don't

For furniture, there's really only one sensible finish, and that's satin-sheen. The lacquer resists mechanical wear and everyday marks — fingernails, dust cloths, cups set down, elbows leaned on. Wall paint is made for other surfaces: the ones you look at, not the ones you touch every day. The sheen level also has a visual effect worth planning for: the same shade looks clearer and a touch lighter in satin-sheen lacquer than on a matte wall. If you want to keep furniture and wall in the same tone, that's no problem, but it is a decision — Soie Blush No. 59 Lack next to the same colour on the wall creates a subtle shift in tone, not a break. Green shades like Olive Drift No. 7 Lack from the Lackfarben Grün family sit especially well against wood left visible.

How much you'll need

The furniture paint comes in a 750 ml container. How far it goes depends a lot on the piece: a chest-of-drawers front, a door leaf or a narrow shelf are surfaces you can measure in a few square metres — a wardrobe with side panels is a different story altogether. So before ordering, add up the surfaces individually — front plus sides plus top panel — and count both coats of paint. If you're painting the wall behind the piece at the same time, the usual rule applies for the wall paint — one litre for approx. 6–8 m² per coat:

• 2.5 L — approx. 8–10 m² with two coats: the one wall the piece of furniture stands against
• 5 L — approx. 15–20 m² with two coats: a bedroom where chest and wall are refreshed together
• 10 L — approx. 30–40 m² with two coats: the whole room, ceiling included

The same logic applies to the primer as to the paint: it goes over the entire surface of anything that will later be painted. If you're unsure, Anna, re-box's digital colour advisor, can help with shade, finish and quantity.

Common questions about painting furniture

Do I really need a primer?
Yes — the order is re-box core first, then re-box protect. The primer ensures the paint holds permanently on painted, sealed or smooth surfaces. Without it, even the loveliest colour is only borrowed.

Which furniture can I paint?
Furniture, wood and interior surfaces are suitable as long as the surface is sound, clean and dry. Old coats of paint can stay as long as they're firmly attached; loose patches need to come off. Sanding is required in every case.

Is my wall colour also available as a lacquer?
Yes, 65 colour names exist in both versions — once as a wall paint, once as a lacquer. So you can keep the wall and furniture in the same shade or create a deliberate contrast. You'll find an overview of all lacquer shades under Lackfarben Blau and the other colour families.

Can I test the colour beforehand?
Yes, with the Farbmusterbox 65 Stk you can see all the shades in your own light. This is especially useful for furniture, since the piece will later sit next to your floor, wall and other furniture. Hold the sample directly against the piece you want to paint.

How can I get a door painted without removing it?
You can, if you mask it carefully and work in the right order. The full guide is in Tür lackieren ohne Ausbauen. Stairs need their own approach, described in Treppe streichen: Holztreppe Anleitung.

How long does delivery take?
Delivery takes 3–5 working days from receipt of payment, within Germany. Each lacquer shade is mixed only after your order, which is why individually mixed colours are excluded from the right of withdrawal. It's best to order primer and lacquer together.