A great account I follow on Instagram recently preached this sermon! Shout out to @Wioleta_kelly for this inspiration. She helps people turn their uninspiring homes into dream homes. I don’t do that BUT I sell homes; I know what sells… and maybe more importantly what doesn’t sell! So this time has come folks: to de-pine the pine!
Pine is a softwood; it’s been used for many years to create everything from furniture to cabinets, to floors, to window frames, etc.. In more recent years it’s been a really popular choice for people who are going for the more natural look.
Like most interior decor trends, its popularity has significantly declined over the years. But if you don’t have the funds to replace pine instalments or furniture in your home entirely, eco-conscious, as well as budget-savvy DIY’ers, have turned to painting pine versus replacing it.
What Paint To Use On Pine Furniture
What paint to choose when painting pine furniture pretty much comes down to your personal preference. If you use a good quality primer & a protective finishing wax, you can use chalk paint, satinwood, eggshell, gloss or even matt emulsion, each of these will give a different finish. Do your research or speak to your local paint expert at the hardware store so that you can look forward to your ideal finish.
For anything indoors, it’s usually best to use a water-based paint, as it will dry quicker and thus allow you to re-coat quicker; it will also contain less fumes/ odour than solvent-based paints.
Do You Need To Use A Primer On Pine Furniture?
Yes. You should. Many DIY-ers are happy enough to just apply their paint directly to the pine; I do believe there is merit in priming everything, especially pine with all its knots. Pine, being a softwood is more porous than other surfaces. A primer is able to absorb into the pine while still leaving enough material behind for your topcoat to adhere to properly. If you don’t use a primer, your finishing coats might absorb into the pine and leave you with a patchy looking finish and no one wants that.
How To Paint Pine
Painting pine is a relatively simple task if you know what you’re doing. Follow the steps below to transform your home:
- Remove any/ all visible knobs & hinges.
- Thoroughly clean the surface of your furniture with clean, soapy water. If you are de-pining kitchen cabinets or anything that may be greasy, clean with sugar soap.
- Use a stripping knife to remove any loose bits for a nice, smooth, clean finish.
- Sand the surface with fine sand paper. Make sure to A./ sand diagonally across the grain before B./ lightly sanding with the grain to create a rough surface for the paint to adhere to.
- Apply a coat of acrylic water-based primer.
- Once the primer is completely dry, begin applying your topcoats, leaving as much time between each coats as necessary
When applying your primer and first coats you should use a good quality paintbrush, your local paint expert can help you with that at the hardware store too! The final topcoat can be applied using a mini foam roller. This will ensure you don’t leave any unsightly brush marks behind.
