Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Painting over stained wood

Hi

I am not sure if this should go in this section or in the painting section, but I thought I'd try here first.

I have a dining room set from the 70's that stained oak. I really hate the stained color and was thinking of painting the set a cream color and sanding the edges to give it an antiqued look.

I plan on starting with the hutch. I am going to wash it with TSP, then sand it because it has a shiny finish and then prime it with Killz so the stain doesn't leak through. Do I need to strip the stain off, or can I paint over it?

Should I then sand after that coat of primer (especially the edges) to begin the antiquing? Or should I prime, then lightly sand and then antique it after each coat of paint I do?

Thanks for your advice.

JenniJane :)

You can paint over the stain and finish. Wash the piece with mineral spirits to remove all the grease, grit, and grime. For the shine on the finish, scuff sand it with a green scotchbrite pad to knock down the sheen.

Use a primer so that the paint has a good surface to which to bond.

I would start sanding after the paint is applied.

Stripping will make the job more durable, but I have had long term success painting over an existing finish. Surface preparation, primer, and good paint make all the difference.

Hope this helps.