Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - how to paint old varnished furniture without stripping (hopefully)

painting technique for old stained furniture :confused:

i have a hand me-down-set that is in good enough condition to refinish. i would like a crackle effect, or a milk-paint effect. the set is dark pecan finish, wooden chairs with a laminate tabletop. can i just so a faux finish over the old varnish/stain (i'm not sure what the finish actually is) or any suggestions??? what about the tabletop?? i would prefer not to have to strip, that is why i figure the crackle look would work. i also have to replace the BLACK vinyl seat and back covers, with a heavy duty fabric. this is probably the easier of the two, but you never know.

any help in this matter would be greatly appreciated!! thanks.

Janielu:

Regardless of the finish (assuming it's a clear finish) it can be painted. Basically, you need to

Sand the piece - you don't have to remove the old finish, but you want to dull it down completely.

Prime - use a good primer. I have used BIN and KILZ - like them both.

Paint the way you want it.

For infomrmation on faux finishes, try this link:

http://www.fauxfinish.com

For good supplies, including crackle finishes, try eirther of these two links:

http://www.vandykes.com
http://www.constantines.com

thanks for your help.