Painting furniture?

This topic is available here on The Repair-Place forum This is really 2 questions: 1. What kind of paint do I use for painting wood furniture that does not have varnish on it? I suspect regular paint (like for walls). 2. I have a bookcase made out of pressboard covered with the stuff that looks like wood but I suspect is plastic. The kind of bookcase you used to buy at K-Mart for $20. I want to paint it. I tried acrylic craft paint on a hidden area and it worked but acrylic craft paint comes in little bottles and it would cost me a ton o' money. I don't want to spray paint it. Can i use regular paint (like for walls)? As long as you use a proper primer first, you can use regular paint like you'd use on the walls. Be sure to use the right primer for the paint you intend to use; water based for water based and oil based for oil based paint. If you are going for the antiqued look you could alway use milk paint on bare wood. Just remember anything that can come through, like knots or oils, will come through unless you use a good primer. If it is a veneered surface the adhesive can travel through the surface paint over time, and unevenly. Also, it takes some time, months and even longer sometimes for the newly painted surface to show spots and imperfections if you haven't primed. It may look great at first, but you may end up having to repaint in a year. Can you tell I am pro- primer? I prime just about everything. There is a great primer called 'gripper' (I think) sold at home depot, it may even be their own brand. It is really thick, but it has been the best I've ever used. A word of caution though, if you don't wash up mistakes while it is wet it will not ever come off. Priming also limits the chances of chipping and peeling later on. Shellie

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