Remember how I refreshed some of my old furniture with a new look using Amy Howard One Step Paint? Yep, my forty-year old furniture! Today I’m sharing a few tips and tricks I picked up along the way. This was my first time using this line. I loved the colors! I did find a few differences compared to other brands.
Furniture prep to paint tips ~ {photos below}
1 ~ Label inside drawers when you remove them, so they can go back in the original order. {Left 1, Left 2, etc.} They don’t always fit if you try to place in different slots. Trust me on this!
2 ~ While you are painting, watch for small dry drips in odd spots, like this one. When your piece is dry, run your hands over the edges for feel, and give a quick visual once over when you’re starting the next step in your process. It’s easy to knock down dry drippy bits with a touch of sand paper.
3 ~ Speaking of drips, look for imperfections in the existing finish, and decide what you can live with. Some become more obvious, and others more camouflaged. I decided to live with this one ~ good thing, as it was in the “become more obvious” camp. If you don’t think you can live with it, sand, prime, and repair before you start your new finish.
4 ~ Run a bit of sand paper over the drawer edges and runners. It will help things slide more smoothly, and protect your hands from splinters, like this particularly vicious accident waiting to happen!
5 ~ Check the existing runners for any loose or broken pieces, and glue, clamp or otherwise repair. I was lucky and only had one runner that needed to be repaired.
Product tips and tricks ~ {photos below}
I used small paint containers, that are in these plastic pots. I think it’s fine for a small job that can truly be completed in one step, but if you’re doing a bigger, multi-step job like I did ~ go for the bigger, metal cans. It’s impractical to keep the edges of the plastic pots free of paint, and then when you screw the top back on, it’s hard to re-open with dried paint in the grooves. Also it’s easier to stir the paint before using in a bigger can. The small pots a great way to try the product or use for a quick paint project, otherwise go for the cans.
I loved the colors, and the heavily pigmented paint really does cover. I know from experience that orange stain and varnish is hard to cover. I opted for one light coat, followed by a second heavier coat. I’ve known other folks who started with a primer coat to block out the orange bleed through ~ either way, it’s a two-coat process. I think the paint will cover most finishes in one coat ~ I just was not willing to risk it for this project. The furniture is nothing special but it does have a lot of memories, and I am attached to it!
My favorite product by far is the Liming Wax. It’s easy to use, goes a long way, and lends itself to lots of different techniques. Because the grain on these pieces was so inconsistent and had lots of imperfections, I went for a heavier, cross-hatch technique. For a different look, go with the grain and use a lighter touch.
I dabbed a bit of wax on the bristle ends, and then quickly brushed on the diagonal, and then again on the opposite diagonal. Then I quickly buffed the wax with a lint free cloth, and the result is a soft faded white wash.
Once the finish was blended, I let it dry for 20ish minutes and buffed it to a soft shine. I loved this finish ~ equal parts blue sky and blue water!
This is a shot of some of the completed drawers, sitting outside the garage where I was working. The strong sunlight really shows the imperfections in the pieces. I had to laugh about the drawer in the top of the photo, with the roundish spot in the middle. This is actually the left bottom drawer, and used to be my sock drawer. I closed that drawer with the toe of my shoe for a bunch of years ~ and apparently created a smooth divot along the way! The wood grain was completely smooth, slightly indented, and held the wax in a different way no matter what I did. This is one imperfection I can live with!
Here are some photos of the pieces in progress. The nightstand “before” with original forty-year old orangey stain and varnish.
Then with two coats of Amy Howard One Step Paint in American Dream. Loved this beautiful vivid blue! I would definitely consider this color for another piece with just a clear wax finish.
“After” with the brushed and buffed Liming Wax ~ what a difference!
“Before” the eight-drawer dresser ~ lots of storage ~ and the original forty-year old orangey stain and varnish.
“After” dresser with soft blue finish and sparkling glass drawer pulls from D. Lawless Hardware.
I enjoyed using these products, especially the Liming Wax. I’ll definitely try the other waxes in the line, and try some of the other gorgeous colors, but in a can, not the plastic pot. Meanwhile , I am happy this project is complete. Check out the finished mirror and the easier mirror hanging hardware I’ve ever used. Now, excuse me while I go take a nap in the Blue Room!
Disclosure ~ Amy Howard at Home graciously provided some paint and materials for this project. I purchased additional paint products from the line as well. All opinions, photographs, and paint spatters are my own.
