On Facebook Marketplace, I found this classic midcentury dresser:

I loved its original brass drawer pulls and wavy contoured drawers. With six drawers of ample storage space, it teemed with potential… but also with immense damage (the video below goes into more detail here, including how I repaired the damage).

To bring this piece into the 21st century—from the 1950s—a professional paint job was in order.

Let’s walk through how I like to paint furniture… almost always with a paint sprayer!

Preparing the Dresser

If you professionally prepare the surface for paint, the paint will look professional. Without effective preparation, it doesn’t matter how expensive your paint is.

1. Choose the Right Paint:

• Type: Personally, I prefer paint with a built-in enamel, urethane product. For this dresser, I chose Sherwin-Williams Emerald paint in the color Dew Drop and sheen of satin. If you like the look of milk or chalk paint, go for it! For my eye, this form of paint is the one I use most because it eliminates the need for a topcoat afterward. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with oil-based paint too, and love the longevity offered. But, it’s tedious and high-maintenance. Latex paints are infinitely easier to work with.

2. Clean the Piece:

• Remove all drawers and hardware.
• Clean the dresser thoroughly with a cleaner. I use Simple Green. If there’s old adhesives, like tape, I use a combination of Goo Be Gone and a scraper to remove them from the surface.

3. Sand for Consistency and Grip:

• First, I used my Festool orbital sander with 150 grit to sand down the whole piece. You could do this by hand also. The goal is to smooth out dents and dings, making for a uniform surface under the paint. You do not have to remove all of the old finish. You only have to make the surface consistent and sanded, so that the primer will stick. Then, I come back over everything with 220 grit to finish.
• Tape off any areas you don’t want to be painted, such as walls or baseboards. I also place tape over the drawer pull holes so that the paint sprayer doesn’t haphazardly spray paint all over the inside of the drawers.

4. Remove debris and dust

I use a watered down cloth first, wiping the whole piece off. Then, I used tack cloth to remove any other debris. THIS IS A MASSIVELY IMPORTANT STEP.

Setting Up Your Paint Sprayer

1. Choose the Right Sprayer:

• I use a HomeRight Super Finish Max. It’s awesome and inexpensive.

2. Thin Your Paint:

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for thinning the paint. For this latex paint, I thinned it to 3 parts paint, 1 part water. I also thin my primer at the same ratio.

3. Practice:

• Before spraying the dresser, practice anything you can to get a feel for the sprayer and adjust the settings as needed. I want the finest spray possible, so I tinker with my gauges and nozzles.

Painting Your Dresser

1. Apply Primer (Optional):

• If you’re covering a dark color or the dresser has a glossy finish, priming will help the paint adhere better and provide a more even coat. Here’s the primer I use.

2. Start Spraying:

• Hold the sprayer about 12 inches from the dresser, adjusting as you need to.
• Use smooth, even strokes, overlapping by at least a third of the spray diameter.
• Maintain a consistent speed to avoid runs or drips.
• Spray all the way across and outside the edges before applying the next layer below.
• Apply thin coats, allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next. Sand in between coats. I used 400 grit and 600 grit sand paper between each. ANOTHER MASSIVE KEY TO PROFESSIONAL PAINTING.

Finishing Touches

1. Allow Sufficient Drying Time:

• Ensure the paint is completely dry before reattaching hardware and drawers. Before using for every day use, check the paint can. This paint I used doesn’t cure for two weeks! Give it time because it’s worth it!

2. Apply a Topcoat (Optional):

• A clear coat can protect the paint and add a layer of shine. Again, if you use certain paints, you can avoid having to use a topcoat!

Tips:

• For a more even finish, spray in multiple passes from different angles.
• Clean your sprayer immediately after use to prevent clogs.

Still have questions? Are you a visual learner? Check out the in-depth tutorial below.