Paint question.

[wildeyed]

I am in the process of painting a chest of drawers black. I found two cans of back paint in the garage, one hi-gloss and one semi-gloss. I meant to use the semi but accidentally used the hi. Can I put the second coat on with the semi? Will it stick ok over the hi-gloss coat?

:banghead:

[MindPilot]

1. Yes but...they should be the same kind of paint.

If one is enamal & one is lacquer you could be asking for trouble. You should rough up the gloss coat with some 320 grit sandpaper so the second coat will bond.

[wildeyed]

2. It's all latex.

The hi-gloss doesn't look so bad after all. I may stick with that..... This is a pretty beat chest, just trying to get a few more years out of it before we look at replacing the bedroom furniture.

[MindPilot]

3. Latex -- forget everything I wrote previously!!

You wrote cans--I just ASSUMED it was spray. :dunce:

The semi-gloss will go on OK. You might want to rub it very lightly with some medium steel wool or a scrubby sponge to help adhesion, but *very* lightly; it's real easy to pull the last coat up.

As an aside, latex paint would be my last choice as a finish for furniture. If you can learn to like the hi gloss, that would be the best thing at this point; latex is really thick and another coat may start to interfere with the drawers if it isn't already.

Happy finishing!!

[wildeyed]

4. This chest is so beat.

I believe it's genesis is my husband's childhood bedroom. The veneer is peeling and it was a strange maroon color. Problem is, I can't find anything I like AND can afford, so rather than dropping a bundle on an inferior piece, I thought I would spiff this one up.

I painted a bathroom vanity a year or so ago. It has held up. I think I put urethane over the top. Maybe that would help preserve the paint on the chest, too?

On edit: I sanded the chest to put the second coat on and it looked cool, so I am going with the "antiqued" look. that way when the pain dings or peels, it will look like I did it on purpose :)

[MindPilot]

5. Urethane would help preserve it yes.

But let the latex cure for a couple weeks before you try that, and as always test on a hidden place to make sure there's no reaction.

Here's something you may want to try if you want an antique look that will tone down the paint a bit. Go to the art store and pick up a tube of black oil paint. The stuff is kind of expensive so get the smallest tube you can. Or better yet, if you have an artist friend, get a some from them--you only need a tiny bit.

Put a little dab--about the size of a match head--on a rag and rub it all over the piece paying particular attention to the dings and any molding details. Then with a clean rag wipe off the middle of the flat surfaces leaving a little of the oil at the edges. That will accent all the details and dings, giving a real effective antique look. After you do one panel, you see how easy it is to adjust the wiping off part to achieve just the right effect.

Then, once you have it exactly the way you want it, sell it on ebay for $1800. :D

[wildeyed]

6. Great idea!

I did the last "antique" piece from a kit I bought at Lowe's. I remember there was something I rubbed on after I did the sanding. Faux dirt, basically. I'll bet I still have some of that left over, too. I will try it on an inconspicuous part and see how it looks.

I will post a before and after once I finish it up :)