Furniture paint buying guide

Furniture paint can be used to change up your décor both indoors and outdoors. But it can also be used to protect wooden furniture and other items against greying, impacts and even moisture.

Furniture paint applications

Furniture paint can be applied using a paint brush, roller or paint gun but your surface must be carefully prepared before you start unless you choose a multi-surface paint or a special renovation paint for furniture.

Types of furniture paint and uses

While the paint you choose needs to matched to the wood that makes up your furniture, it also needs to be suitable for your application; for example, indoor or outdoor use, or room type from children's bedrooms to kitchens. It can be used to draw attention to a beautiful piece or help a bulky item blend in better with your interior. In short, there's a paint for every purpose!

There are three main types of furniture paint:

1. Water-based paint

2. Solvent-based paint

3. Alkyd paint

Alternatively, you can use an effect paint to customise your pieces however you like.

If you're hoping to give your wooden furniture a makeover using water-based paint, you'll have three different options.

Acrylic paint

Acrylic paint is a water-based paint meaning that it dries through water evaporation. It allows the wood to breathe while also preventing water penetration. This type of paint is odour-free and won't flake. It dries quickly and can be cleaned easily using water. A low Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) content makes acrylic paint more environmentally friendly than oil-based paints.

It can be used indoors and sometimes outdoors, and you can choose between single coat paints with great coverage or two coat paints.

To ensure your finish lasts, you simply need to coat the acrylic paint with varnish.

Gouache paint

More opaque and with better coverage than acrylic paint, gouache paint lasts longer but is not waterproof and must therefore be coated with a suitable varnish.

Casein paint

Chosen for its velvety matt finish, casein paint is durable and has great coverage. However, once open, it will only keep a few days.

Two types of solvent-based paints can be used to coat wooden furniture and other wooden items.

Standard oil-based paint

Standard oil-based paint, also known as solvent-based paint, dries slowly (approximately 8 hours per coat) as you have to wait for the solvents to evaporate. It releases a strong odour and must be applied in a well-ventilated room. When it comes to cleaning your tools, you will have to do so using white spirit or a similar product.

What's more, as oil-based paint is not breathable and unlike acrylic paint it can flake if it comes into contact with water.

That said, oil-based paint is still a popular option thanks to its high opacity and the lacquered effect it lends to wooden furniture. Highly resistant, this type of paint is ideal for rooms that have to deal with moisture such as kitchens or bathrooms. It can also usually be used outdoors.

Ceramic paint

This high gloss paint does not need to be coated with varnish to last. However, it does dry fairly slowly.

Alkyd paint combines resins with water to provide the advantages of both acrylic and oil-based paints. It is also less polluting, does not have a strong smell and provides excellent coverage and resistance.

While alkyd paint does dry more quickly than oil-based paint, it can take several weeks to cure fully.

Light colours may yellow slightly over time and this paint is not very impact-resistant.

It's also possible to choose from a range of different effect paints to change up the look of your wooden furniture. Here are some examples:

• Crackle paint is ideal for giving your wooden furniture a bit of a vintage look.

• Limewash paint highlights and alters the colour of the wood vein for a lovely aged effect.

• Metallic paint can give your furniture a zinc, aluminium or copper finish.

• Other effect paints can make your furniture look as though it is made of materials like concrete or marble.

Furniture paint comes in three main finishes.

Matt paint

Matt paint does not reflect the light meaning it provides a paired back and soft look. Perfect for masking any flaws in the wood, this paint is ideal for bedrooms or living rooms, but won't work in rooms with moisture unless stated by the manufacturer.

Satin paint

Satin paint reflects the light slightly while also hiding small imperfections in the wood. This finish is suitable for all types of wooden furniture.

Gloss paint

Gloss paint is ideal for highlighting wooden furniture and making it appear bigger. But beware – it won't tolerate any surface imperfections and can make them stand out even more.

Furniture paint comes in all kinds of colours so you're sure to find something to suit your décor preferences:

• Bright and energising colours like red and yellow are perfect for drawing attention to a beautiful item or a small piece of furniture. To really make your furniture stand out from a wall, you can always pick a complementary colour.

• Calmer colours are ideal for larger furniture items. Or if you really want your furniture to fade into the background, paint it in the same colour as the wall behind it.

• Soft colours (blue, grey, light green, powdery pink) are recommended for bedrooms.

• Warm colours (orange tones, ochre, etc.) work well for brightening up a kitchen.

Your choice of paint depends on how the furniture is used and the type of wood it is made of.

Varnished or painted wood

If you are painting over varnished or painted wood, laminated wood or melamine coated wood and/or you want to skip sanding, you can use a multi-surface paint. As the name suggests, this paint can be used to cover a range of surfaces and materials. You can also use a renovation paint for furniture.

Outdoor furniture

If you're hoping to paint a piece of furniture that will be used outdoors or in a kitchen or bathroom, oil-based paint or alkyd paint will usually be the best options. If you prefer to use a water-based paint, check the can for any mention of suitability for use on kitchen furniture or exterior wood.

Kitchen furniture

If you are painting kitchen furniture with worktops or wooden utensils, it is imperative that the paint be suitable for use around food or coated with a food-grade varnish.

Toys

Paint that will be used to cover children's toys or furniture should meet the standard EN71-3:2019 which ensures that the paint doesn't contain any chemicals that are dangerous to ingest such as lead, mercury or antimony.

Children's bedroom

High gloss paint is great for a children's bedroom, kitchen or bathroom as it allows you to wash your painted furniture without the risk of damaging it.