Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - My first furniture refinishing project...

Hello, this is my first post. I just wanted a place where I could document the many projects I've started (bought my first home a few weeks ago) and get opinions and help when needed! First project is refinishing and reupholstering two chairs that don't match at all. I love the style of the chairs, but the colors and fabric are way off.

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh145/aliciavr6/IMGP1164.jpg

That's one of the chairs. The other is painted a dark brown with different fabric. They were just redone a few years back and given to us. I start tonight, I'm just sanding down the paint with 100 grit with a sander, then hand sanding with 220 and applying primer. They'll be painted or stained a very dark brown (which will also cover an unfinished oak dining room table top I just ordered) I'll probably stop at Lowes tomorrow for the paint then finish them up. Thanks for reading!!

Welcome to the forums Alicia!

In order to use stain, the wood needs to be raw. Stain is formulated to be obsorbed by the wood and won't dry properly if this doesn't happen. It is also best to wipe off any excess stain not obsorbed by the wood - before it dries.

If you paint over the existing finish [sanding but not stipping] you will likely need to use a solvent based primer to insure the new paint/primer will adhere to the current finish.

As always you will find better coatings [advice too] at your local paint store [not dept]

Thanks Marksr - My plan was to sand and see if I could easily remove all the paint that way, rather than a stripper (don't want to deal with the mess). So that'll determine if I stain or paint. So if the chair currently has water based paint on it, will primer designed for oil based stick okay? I'm not sure of the paint currently on it.

There is a sticky at the top of the painting forum that should help you determine if the current paint is latex.... or not.

A solvent based primer will adhere fine to latex paint although if it is latex, you don't have to use oil primer.

Got it, thanks! I'm inclined to think it's latex, there are many brush strokes in the paint, will do the swab test to be sure.

Here's an even better place to show off your works :D :

http://www.doityourself.com/did-it-myself

Oh thanks!! I'm still finding my way around here ha