Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - Painting a bed

I am a novice, but patient and willing to do it right. I'd like some advice. I purchased a bed at a garage sale. I do not think it is wood, but a sturdy particle board or something like that. (It was not originally a cheap bed.) It was kind of roughed up, and not exactly the colors I wanted so I primed and painted it. I got advice and products from someone at a large home store. This first paint job did not go well. I'm going to strip the bed and start over.

I'd like some step by step advice (if that's not too big a question) on how to go about it. Specifically, after I've stripped it, can I paint the bed already assembled, or should I paint it in pieces? If I paint it in pieces how do I keep big gobs of paint from forming where the piece touches the plastic tarp? Should I use spray paint?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Jenny - maybe as a first step, tell us what went wrong with the first attempt. What kind of primer & paint did you use (oil, latex, gloss, semigloss, etc)? Brush or roller?

The plastic tarp you refer to ...... is this what you are laying the bed on to keep the paint from dripping on the floor?

Will the bed come apart, at least into 4 pieces? You should have a headboard, footboard, and 2 side rails.

Hi Rich-

I was painting the bed outside in my carport. The plastic tarp was protecting the floor. The bed is a child's loft bed with a slide. It has many different shaped pieces, some smaller rectangular shapes that go at the head and the foot, and the sides of the bed, one of which includes a ladder.

The paint and primer was Behr Premium. It is 100% acryllic latex. It is enamel. (I don't know a lot about paint. I hope that answers the question.) I used a paintbrush.

Some of the problems I had were leaves and bugs being blown into the paint as it was drying (I painted outside), and when I painted the pieces as they lay flat on the plastic, paint spread out along the plastic where it touched the bed and dried as spidery outgrowths.

I have since set up a work area inside. I am a little worried about fumes since I have young children, but the room does have a window.

Thanks.

Jen, Ok, sounds like you made a bit of a mess.... leaves, bugs, etc. We've all been there!

Here's what I would recommend;

-Disassemble the bed into reasonable sections; headboard, slide, side rails, etc. No need for a complete teardown, just manageable sections.
-Moving the work indoors is a good idea. You’ll need good ventilation for the stripping process.
-Rather than plastic on the floor, use a drop cloth… an old sheet or blanket. These will absorb drips better than plastic.
-Since the paint is fresh, it should strip off easily. Try a small section first to get the feel for it. Follow the instructions on the can. There are many kinds of stripper to choose. I’d use a brand that minimizes fumes. It should say on the can.
-Clean off the stripper residue and paint gunk. Again, follow instructions on the stripper can.
-Lightly sand any rough areas. Stripper can raise the grain of the wood.
-Clean it again, and you are ready for primer.
-Sounds like you have a good quality primer (Behr).
-To prevent the problems you had with paint running on the plastic, raise each piece off the surface. Use scraps of wood, kids old toys, etc.
-Just prime one side of each piece at a time. Let it dry, turn it over and continue.
-When the primer is dry, lightly sand again….feel the surface with your hand. Dust, dirt, etc.
-You can now use your paint. Behr Latex enamel is good paint. It will give you a hard gloss or semi gloss surface. Depending on the color, a second coat may be needed.
-Take your time, let each piece dry before you move it or recoat it.

There you go. I think you’ll do fine. Let us know!

:D