April 18, 2024 - Using a paintbrush, apply an even coat of primer to the clean, varnished surface. Make sure you pay special attention to edges and corners. Now allow the primer to dry for at least one hour, or according to the manufacturer's instructions.

November 19, 2025 - Yes, you can paint over varnished wood! With the right products and methods, you can paint over your varnished wood furniture, kitchen cabinets, or doors to give your home a fresh, modern look.

April 18, 2025 - ALWAYS clean and sand the wood before priming! Choose the right primer and paint for your project. Use an airless sprayer to save time and achieve a smoother look. Painting over varnished wood can be tricky, but you don’t have to do it alone. Our team of professional painters are here to help.

Learn how to successfully paint over varnished wood and achieve a beautiful, long-lasting finish with these step-by-step instructions.

July 29, 2025 - You can paint over varnished wood as long as you use the right materials and painting process. The best paint to use is a water-based acrylic one.

March 10, 2025 - Apply 1-2 coats of primer, let it dry, then apply 2-3 coats of water-based paint. With some preparation and paint, you can transform your wooden furniture and surfaces like furniture, staircases, and flooring.

Even though some tutorials claim you can paint directly over varnished wood, it is highly recommended to scuff the surface to improve paint adhesion.

But with the right preparation ... your wooden surfaces a fresh, vibrant look. Yes, you can paint over varnished timber with the right preparation. By following a few simple steps—like sanding, priming, and choosing the right paint—you can achieve a durable and beautiful finish. Whether you're looking to update old furniture or refresh ...

July 7, 2025 - Learn how to paint over varnished wood by sanding, priming, and painting the right way. A simple guide to give your wood surfaces a fresh new look.

September 30, 2025 - Light sanding gives paint something to grip. Use 120-150 grit sandpaper for this job. Sand in the direction of the wood grain to avoid ugly scratches. You don’t need to remove all the varnish. Just rough up the surface enough so it’s no longer glossy. This takes about 10-15 minutes for a small furniture piece.

December 28, 2023 - The allure of a fresh coat of paint is undeniable, but when it comes to varnished wood, skipping the sanding step can be a tempting shortcut with disastrous consequences. It’s like trying to build a sandcastle on ice – the paint may cling precariously for a while, but eventually, it’s all going to come crashing down.

Sand the furniture using 180-grit sandpaper. For a smoother finish, you could try 240-grit sandpaper. You don't have to remove the varnish completely, just slightly etch the surface so that primer will stick to it.

January 18, 2024 - We prepare the wood by sanding with a 120 grit sand paper, this is not done to remove the varnish but to remove any little imperfections and more importantly to generate thousands of tiny scratches which act as a key for the primer to grip onto. There is no need to use an electric power sander, doing this by hand is fine, just ensure to get into all the corners etc Once sanded remove any fine dust with a damp micro fibre cloth. Over the years we have tried products such as Zinsser Cover Stain, Zinsser Bullseye 123, Dulux Ultra Grip Primer and a few others.

Consider a sealant: On furniture or high-use surfaces, a clear, wood-safe sealant can offer extra protection. Watch out for heat and moisture: Keep painted wood away from radiators, steam, or direct sunlight where possible. Looking after the finish doesn’t take much effort, but it’ll keep your hard work looking good for longer. Painting over varnished ...

August 14, 2023 - By removing the sheen through abrasion and then applying an appropriate primer, you are guaranteed that your topcoat paint will adhere adequately to the surface. If the varnished timber was also stained, you might like to sand the surface and instead use an undercoat designed for its stain-blocking ability, like Zinsser 1L CoverStain Primer Sealer Stain Blocker.

March 15, 2022 - Aside from this, tannins in the wood stain can even bleed through the paint, leaving the color blotchy or orange-hued. The best way to paint over stained and varnished furniture is to sand the wood before using a primer, but you can also paint ...

January 29, 2025 - When wood elements or furniture are white or in any pale colour, the white primer will create an excellent foundation. In the case of painting varnished wood in a darker shade, tint your primer to get the closer colour to your paint. Clean the wooden surface and surrounding area from grime and dust. Prepare paintbrush, a foam paint roller or a spray. When you want to paint over a flat and large area, you can apply the primer with an easily-manoeuvring short-handle roller.

September 12, 2018 - Painted an old kitchen cabinet ... - 1 hour. The surface requires very little preparation - just a clean. Then you just apply a furniture wax to buff the surface over the chalk paint....

March 26, 2025 - Use deglosser instead of traditional sanding to accomplish the same goal: preparing the furniture to accept and hold paint, long term. Often times people assume they can paint raw wood without sanding, but what about how to paint over varnished wood?