How To Paint Wood Furniture Without Sanding

When it comes to any reconstruction or remodeling job, sanding is widely considered the most time-consuming and laborious job, even with power tools such as an electric sander. Considering that a piece of furniture requires to be stripped smooth and free of imperfections, sanding is the best way to do it, but it takes a long time to ensure no more bumps and rough patches are on the surface before painting. However, did you know there is a way how to paint wood furniture without sanding?

To Sand Or Not To Sand?

Before we even go through how to paint wood furniture without sanding, let us first discuss why you have to sand the wood before painting. Sanding removes imperfections in surfaces such as walls, ceilings, furniture, and floors using sandpaper, steel wool, or power tools such as an electric sander to achieve a smooth surface. Sanding is typically done to prepare the surface for painting or varnishing to produce a better finish overall. However, there are ways how to paint wood furniture without sanding while also having an equally beautiful finish.

Ways To Paint Without Sanding

Usually, sanding is done to prepare a surface for painting or varnishing. However, considering the time and effort spent on sanding surfaces, it is sometimes not an ideal option. So if you’re done and tired of spending days trying to sand the wood before painting, here are some ways how to paint wood furniture without sanding:

Using Chalk Paint

Using chalk paint is a considerably common and well-known alternative to paint wood furniture without sanding it. The chalky characteristic of this paint gives a matte finish. The feel and look are uniformed, even without proper surface preparations such as sanding. Aside from the benefit of not requiring prep work, another feature of chalk paint is that it does not drip as much as regular paint and is also water-based, allowing it to be easily cleaned using soap and water.

Using Mineral Paint

Much like the chalk paint, mineral paint does not require extensive prep work and has the same consistency and finish like latex paints. Mineral paints are made with 100% acrylic resin and self-leveling and quick-drying to product a satin-matte finish. Aside from this, mineral paint is even more impressive because it sticks to most surfaces. It is also water-based, non-toxic, lead-free, virtually odorless, and contains very low volatile organic compounds and no ammonia or formaldehyde.

Using Milk Paint

Unlike most paint products, milk paint comes in a powder form combined with equal parts water to form a smooth, slightly runny mixture similar to pouring cream. Like chalk and mineral paint, milk paint requires little prep work, but sanding or stripping can still be done to have extremely good adhesion. Regardless, it has a washed or rustic finish that can be sanded back and distressed very easily for an authentic chippy or aged patina.

Using A Bonding Primer

Primers are used to prepare a surface and make it ready and suitable for topcoat application. The bonding primer is a type of primer that has been highly engineered in order to stick on challenging surfaces such as a slick substrate. By applying a bonding primer onto the surface, you can create a more secure and assured adhesion from the existing coating and the new coating without sanding the surface.

Using A Liquid Sander

Finally, how to paint wood furniture without sanding is by using a liquid sander or liquid sandpaper. A liquid sander is a chemical solution that is designed to work much like sandpaper except that you wouldn't have to do much manual labor compared to regular sandpaper. However, liquid sandpaper is only engineered to remove glossy layers and cannot be used to remove imperfections, smooth surface, or as a paint primer. Still, liquid sandpaper removes many layers on the surface that allows the topcoat to stick without having to sand or prep it manually. Keep in mind that before using a liquid sander, you would have to prep the surface soap and water and remember to wear proper attire and protection as the chemicals used in the liquid sandpaper give off strong fumes that may irritate your eyes, nose, and skin.

Tips And Tricks On How To Paint Wood Furniture

Now that you have several options for painting wood furniture without sanding, it is time to paint. To cap off, here are some tips and tricks on painting wood:

• Use both brush and rollers in painting wood as these two have complementary roles in providing a better finish. Simply put, rollers are used to cover larger areas while brushes are used to get to corners and edges that cannot be painted over with a roller.
  
• Consider using paint additives such as Penetrol and Floetrol that help you create a more even and smooth brush strokes.
  
• Avoid painting underneath a fan, a heating vent, or in direct sunlight as these conditions will accelerate the drying time and would likely result in tacky paint.

Conclusion 

As one would say, work smart, not work hard. It isn't easy to manually sand surfaces to prepare it for coating. It wouldn't be hard to think that people would start finding a way to paint wood furniture without sanding to escape such an uphill task. Whether or not you choose to file your wood furniture, keep in mind that there are now various ways to paint your furniture without sanding and still come up with an equally beautiful result.

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