A garage or shed is also a great place to work if the weather won’t allow you to paint outside.

After you remove the hardware and screws, store them together somewhere safe where they won’t get lost or forgotten.

To cover small areas, use painter’s tape to seal the area. For larger areas, cover the surface with plastic and tape the plastic in place.

Let the putty dry completely before proceeding. Follow the manufacturer’s directions regarding drying time. Depending on the depth of the holes, drying time could take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Use a clean sponge or non-abrasive scrubbing pad to scrub the veneer surface with the degreaser. After cleaning, wipe the area down with a clean damp cloth to remove leftover degreaser. Let the surface dry completely.

You can use a sanding block to sand small areas, but an orbital sander will make the job go much faster. Use a sanding block to reach crevices and hard-to-reach areas.

Give the surface some time to dry before priming.

Popular paint types for wood include oil-based enamel paints, water-based enamel paints, chalk paint, milk paint, hi-gloss enamel, stains and varnish, and acrylic paint. [5] X Research source

Primer provided a better adhesion of paint to the surface. Without it, your paint can prematurely peel. Once the primer has been applied, let it dry for at least three hours before applying your first coat of paint. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for exact drying time.

Once the first coat of paint has been applied, let it dry before deciding whether you have to paint a second coat. If the surface looks pretty good with one coat of paint, you may still want to apply a very light second coat, just to fill in any little gaps or missing spaces. If a second coat is required, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for drying time between coats. Depending on the type of paint, you may have to wait anywhere from two to 48 hours between coat applications.

Varnish or clear coat is especially important with furniture that gets used often, such as desks, dressers, and tables.

It’s important to remove the painter’s tape when the project is still wet. Otherwise, paint may dry to the tape and peel off with the tape, ruining your project.

Curing time may take anywhere from a week to 30 days. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for the complete curing time of the paint you chose.