So, you’re excited about your new home office or craft room. You got a good deal on a quality desk from a yard sale but it needs an upgrade, huh?
Well, you’ll need some paint, patience, and a few tips. You’ll basically be turning something old into something new. This makes for an exciting and rewarding experience. Learn how to paint a desk by reading these step-by-step instructions.
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1. Protect Your Work Area
Lay a plastic sheet or tarp on the floor where you’re going to paint your desk. If you’re working outdoors, you may only need to cover the floor. If you’re painting indoors, cover other objects and areas in the room like adjacent walls, radiators, and furniture. Remove delicate items like lamps and area rugs.
2. Prepare Your Desk
If you thought that painting a desk is a matter of slapping on a coat of paint and waiting for it to dry, you thought wrong. Preparation is the most important step. It determines the final outcome of your desk. Start with removing the drawers from the desk. Then remove all hardware (knobs and handles) and set them aside.
• Clean the desk
Clean all the surfaces of the desk and drawers thoroughly. You can use a safe, vegetable oil-based, wood cleaner or trisodium phosphate (TSP). Mix the TSP with water as directed by the manufacturer.
Dip a rag in the solution, wring it and proceed to clean. Rinse off the surfaces using a clean rag and lukewarm water. Remember to use gloves, as TSP may irritate your skin. Leave the surfaces to dry.
• Sand the Desk
Using medium grit sandpaper, proceed to sand the surface. This provides some roughness that allows the paint to stick on the wood. If your desk is chipped or flaky, smoothen the rough spots using coarse grit sandpaper then finish with fine sandpaper.
Although this is not heavy-duty sanding, take precautions by wearing a basic dust mask to avoid inhaling dust particles. Using a damp cloth/rag, clean all the dust off the desk.
• Choose the Primer
Your dry and dust-free desk is ready for the primer. Choose the primer depending on the material of your desk. The three types of primers are; oil, latex, and pigmented shellac. Each one works best with a particular surface.
The oil-based primer is perfect for varnished wood while the latex primer works best with pine wood. The pigmented shellac primer prevents water, rust, and smoke stains.
• Prime the Wood
Priming the wood helps to cover any discolorations and stains. Mix the primer well and apply using a roller or paintbrush. Some primers come in spray cans for extra convenience.
After the first coat, wait for it to dry and apply a second coat. If the wood was damaged or you want to change the color dramatically, you may need a third coat. Let it dry completely.
• Sand it Again
The primer will leave a rough texture, so you’ll need to sand again before painting. This will give your desk a professional finish. Use fine-grit sandpaper and apply minimal pressure to avoid scratching off the primer.
After sanding, use a tack cloth to remove the primer dust from all surfaces. Don’t be in a hurry to paint. Make sure it’s been at least 7 days from the time you primed.
3. Paint Your Desk
Can’t wait to get the painting started? The moment is finally here. The best kind of paint is an interior latex paint with a semi-gloss finish. Avoid flat finish paint because it’s porous and easily retains dirt, making it difficult to clean. Paint the crevices first with a medium-size paintbrush, then use the foam roller for the flat areas.
Gently dip ¼ inch of your paintbrush bristle into the paint, transfer it to the wood and brush in short strokes. Make sure that the strokes are parallel to the wood grain. The edge of your brush must be wet at all times to avoid unsightly lap marks.
When you’re using a foam roller, you’ll need a paint tray. Insert the liner in the tray and pour about a half a cup (4 oz.) of paint. Tap the roller lightly onto the paint, then roll back and forth to make sure the paint covers the roller pad.
Roll the paint on your surface with light pressure strokes. If you’re using a high-density foam roller, you may have to increase the pressure gently to let out the paint.
• Sand and Paint Another Coat
Sanding between coats gives your desk a smooth finish. It levels the rough areas and bumps created by the brush or foam roller. Run some fine-grit sandpaper very gently across the desk without any added pressure. When the surface is smooth, finish the job with a final coat of paint and leave it to dry for at least 24-48 hours.
4. Cure the Desk
You can choose to cure your desk instead of just letting it dry for two days. Curing allows the paint to fully harden, making your newly painted desk more durable and more resistant to scratches. For an effective curing process, after the last coat of paint, leave the desk contact-free for 21-30 days.
5. Protect Your Desk with a Top Coat
Give your desk that extra protection it needs by using a protectant like polyurethane. Polyurethane is a top-coat varnish that is resistant to water. It will seal and protect your surface from scratches and abrasions, giving it a new look that will last a long time. You can use an oil-based or water-based poly;
Oil-based Poly
When you apply this to your surface, it will turn slightly amber so it will not work well on white paint. Your desk will have a yellowish look. It takes longer to dry than water-based poly and also has higher volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions.
Water-based Poly
It has a milky appearance but is clear when it dries. It dries quickly and has lower VOC emissions. You can clean it with soap and water.
There you have it! We believe you now know how to paint a desk to make it look brand new. So, go on and do it.
