Several weeks ago, I found this chair at one of our local thrift stores. Because the wood was
"slick", I knew I would have to do some sanding and some priming. I debated if it would be worth the time and energy as I would be putting it for sale at The Lemon Tree. Let's be real....the Holiday Season is upon us and with decorating, shopping, and cooking, there is not a lot of time for time consuming furniture projects. I also knew I would need to recover the seat or make a slipcover for it, and sewing takes up yet even more time. Needless to say, I bought it and decided that day to start the makeover process.
I first began by removing the cushion. I then lightly sanded the chair (not the cain back)with a sanding block. After wiping it down with a damp cloth, I sprayed it with a thin coat of Zinsser Cover Stain Oil-Base Primer. This is an all purpose primer that is great for anything that has a "slick" finish. It dries fast and flat just like the can indicates. As I have mentioned in my other post, I like to spray rather than brush on primer as it seems to give a smoother finish, which means less sanding. I only applied one coat, but I did sand again just over a few rough spots.
For the next step I applied (with a paint brush) two coats of MMS Milk Paint in the color of Aviary. I have to say I gave each application about 2 hours to dry. I apologize for not having pictures of this process, but I had a little camera debacle and lost a days worth of photos.....UGH!! If you haven't ever worked with milk paint, brace yourself because the first coat is always UGLY!! It takes at least two coats to get pretty coverage AND if it is a piece that gets a lot of use, I highly recommend using some sort of top coat, which leads me to the next step.
The next day when I was sure the milk paint had dried, I brushed on a coat of CeCe Caldwell's Endurance in Natural Finish. This is a product I had on hand and have used for many years. I was able to buy this locally for the longest time, but unfortunately the retailer no longer carries CeCe Caldwell products. I'm going to need to find a new product ASAP as this can only has enough for one small project!!
YES, another piece of furniture saved and ready to be sold at The Lemon Tree. In a future post I will share how I made the cushion cover from bleached painter's drop cloth. It really is super easy IF you have a sewing machine and can do beginner level sewing.
Do you paint with milk paint?? If so, what brand do you prefer??? Do you have an endurance product that you like??
Thank you for stopping by and I hope you will check in next week for some Christmas Inspiration!!