Thursday, May 7, 2009

PAINTING VINTAGE FURNITURE...YES! PRIME!

AWAITING HER TRANSFORMATION

Do you PRIME your furniture pieces before you paint? If you don't, I believe you should! I have found that Priming with the correct Primer/Sealer saves me a lot of time and headache when re-purposing and painting lovely old chairs, shelves, cabinets and tables! Primer helps to keep the chipping of your paint to a minimum and even helps when that pesky old stain and varnish wants to bleed through...

This charming old Rocker was found at an Antique Mall in Bethany, Oklahoma. I paid $25 for her and she has proven herself to be a simply wonderful chair. After patching staple marks across the top of her spindally back, she was primed with my favorite Primer and then painted with my favorite color of cottage paint! I sit upon this beauty every single day! Her entire transformation cost me about $50...can't buy anything new for that!

AFTER PRIMING AND PAINTING

I truly believe if you use the right Primer it won't matter too terribly much what kind of paint you choose. Just remember...oil based primer goes with oil based paint...latex primer goes with latex paint! My verrrry favorite Primer is Zinsser! Even thought there isn't a Primer that will successfully cover everything, this one does an amazing job! I apply it with a sponge brush and when the sponge wears out I just grab another one...they are cheap and no clean-up!

BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED

Next time you are in your favorite home improvement store, check this product out! For those of you who love to refurbish old finds, I think you'll find it is amazing! The manufacturer even says you don't have to sand off old finishes because the Primer sticks to almost anything! Well...I've found it to be true! I think you'll love it!

MY FAVORITE PRIMER - ZINSSER

Blessings to you as you continue to discover there is still a lot of life in things that are old...Rebecca

14 comments:

blushing rose said...

Sha-ZAM!! What a beauty. You have that special touch, Rebecca. Does your magic work on 'old people', too? Hats off to you, another magically created piece.

I haven't seen this product out here. I am going to have to see if it is available.

TTFN ~ Marydon

A Southern Rose said...

Hi Rebecca,
Thanks for the info on the primer. I usually just use KILZ primer. Sometimes it doesn't do too well though. I will have to try the ZINSSER. I have an old antique full size bed frame that I want to paint 'cottage white'. It has a dark stain on it right now. I know that it will look much better painted. I want to decorate a guest room with it. I'm going to paint all of the furniture white and my colors are going to be baby blue and butter yellow. I've never used those colors before.

I love your rocking chair. It is beautiful. I have my mom's old rocking chair that she rocked us in. I might paint it too.

Hugs,
Lee Laurie

~~Deby said...

Thank you for the recommend..we have been using Kills...but always up for something new...with such a great endorsement...the chair looks lovely...any Roses to be painted on it?...I wonder ???
deby

Anonymous said...

I really appreciate people who take the time to answer questions when pesky little people like me keep asking. :)

I did buy primer, kilz, and a quality paint to do my chest found a couple of months of go. So far so good. I am also doing my large rocking chair which is a bit trickier. I'm going to have hubs learn how to use the paint sprayer. I think my finish job will go much easier. He is willing thank goodness so I can finish up my project.

Thank you for ALWAYS answering the creative questions.

Tanza said...

Sweet..sweet.. ~r~,
I sooo LoVe this rocker.. You have that magical makeover wand about you !! Everything you touch, turns out GGGorgeous..Sooo soft and romantic.. You'll have to share more pics of your pretty office !! It's over the top, and plus, I need some eye-candy... LoVe..LoVe that room of yours.. You sit in the rocker and I'll lay on that sweet bench filled with pretty pillows, and we'll chat, and maybe eat something sweet and yummy, and drink a cup of tea..kay... Sounds wonderful,doesn't it !! I miss my friend... Love and big hugs to you ~tea~xo

Anonymous said...

Hi Rebecca! Oh, your rocker turned out beautifully! I love it! Thank you for telling us about the primer! I've used different ones and haven't been really pleased with them, so I'm going to try Zinsser!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia :)

June said...

Rebecca, Your rocker is just lovey. I use that primer also. I love it. My daughter turned me on to it. I keep going back over some of your older posts, and I just want to say 'I love your house' So lovely. I can tell how much love you have for it.
Hugs to you, June

Angie said...

Ohhhh..the rocker is just heavenly. All that your hands touch just turns into beauty, my friend. Everytime I visit, I just lose myself in your pictures...what a treat for the eyes! I use primer so much that I should buy myself some stock in the companies..lol. It definitely indeed makes a big difference when redoing furniture.

Hugs ~Angie

Sue @ Not the Good Scissors! said...

Thanks Rebecca. I thought primer was just primer. I have a couple of projects waiting for me. I will use the Zinser. It is also good to know that I won't have to do any pre-primer prepping (that wasn't suppose to sound funny, but it does). What a time saver!
Susan

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the tip on the primer, I've only used Kilz. I have never heard of this one, but I will certainly be checking it out. Thanks for sharing your secrets!

Blessings,
Marie

Eclectic Chic Style said...

Oh, another beautiful creation from you!!! (I know this post is about the primer,) but....oooh and aaaahh, you're a magician with the paint!! I love what a transformation you made of that chair. Gorgeous!!! Ok, ok, primer first, pretty later, got it. lol!
Have a super Friday my sweet friend.
♥ Teresa

Unknown said...

What a lovely place to rock a sweet baby. I wish I had to rock mine!!! Furniture refurb is not my forte but I always admire the magic that you work!!!

Cathy~Mille Fleur said...

Oh Rebecca,
What a beautiful chair!!! It is just perfection!!!

Thanks for the tip about the primer!!! I have a vintage high chair I want to re-do. I just can't decide if I should do it myself or have someone do it.

Have a wonderful Friday and God bless you!!!

XOXO
Cathy

Jennifer Chronicles (jenx67.com) said...

This must be why everything I've ever painted looks pretty sad after a few weeks of use. I've never primed a thing in my life. It's good to know. LOL!

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