Paint Techniques for Wood
- Whatever the wood painting project, you will need to remove any hardware, screws, lines, or other attachments from the wood surface. If the wood that you are painting is cabinets or furniture, you will need to remove knobs, handles or other decorative pieces that may be damaged by the paint. Cover glass with blue painters' tape and newspapers.
- Remove the old finish and coloring with sandpaper. Place doors and drawers on a comfortable work area--sawhorses with plywood as a top will do. Sand the faces of the cabinets first using coarse-grit, then medium-grit and finish with fine-grit sandpapers. Make sure the room is properly ventilated and wear a dust mask when sanding. Sand the doors and drawers using the same method as used with the cabinet faces. After you have finished sanding, spray a fine mist of water over the cabinets, doors and drawers, which will raise the grain. Resand with fine-grit paper, and always sand in the direction of the grain. Sanding across the grain will damage the wood surface. You can use an orbital sander instead of hand sanding. Regardless of which method you choose, make sure you use coarse and medium papers to remove the finish and fine papers for smoothing the surface.
If you are painting wooden house siding, remove any flaking paint with a scraper and wire brush. Use a pressure washer to remove more of the paint, but be careful not to damage the wood with the pressure washer. Make sure the paint is not lead-based paint. If it is, you will need to contact your local health department for instructions on how to deal with lead paint. - Apply primer to the wood before you paint. Follow the instructions on the can for drying time before applying paint. Using a fine-bristled brush, recoat as many times as you like to achieve your desired shade. Paint finishes come in oil- or water-based mixtures. Your paint store clerk can help you decide which kind is best for your job. Apply the first layer of finish, either satin, semigloss or gloss, and allow it to dry. Sand in between coats for a smoother finish. If you use an oil-based primer, then you must use an oil-based paint. Oil-based paints and primers dry more slowly than do water-based paints and primers.
