Painting Furniture

We're painting a bedroom set, I'd like to know what steps to take after sanding and priming to get a professional looking high gloss finish that doesn't really show brush marks and wears really well. Please direct me, thanks.

 

Stacey:

For a really high gloss finish you may want to consider oil based paint -exterior house paint in particular for wearing ability.

As far as getting a dead smooth finish, only practice with abrush will allow that - aside from spraying it on, which is another ball game altogether.

Here are a few hints/tips, however.

Paint around spindles and turnings - never up and down.

Start high and work down - this way you can readily see and correct any runs.

Never dip your brush more than one-third of the way up the bristles into the paint - you're asking for trouble if you overload the brush, and if you once get paint into the ferrule, it's almost impossible to get clean again.

Don't over brush. Oil base paint in particular, because of it's longer drying time, will 'lay down' and remove its own brush marks if you put it on and leave it alone. The more you 'fuss' with it trying to get that perfect smooth finish, the more ragged it's liable to look.

Good Luck!