I've just painted some furniture that I had made of pine like a set of coffee and end tables, a jelly cabinet and a bench. I put two coats of paint on and I'm thinking I should have just put one and then sanded. The paint is a water based enamel and I'm wondering what the best method is to use. Please help!

Did you paint them or stain them? If you painted them, what color? There are different ways to do it, but first need to know what you put on in the beginning.

I put a water based paint on all of the furniture but there was a flat stain on the coffee and end tables when I got them but nothing on the bench and jelly cabinet . Thanks for your reply!

Sorry but I forgot to tell you what colors I used. I put navy on the bench and jelly cabinet, dark brown on my bench and tables.

... making the furniture look old would require more than just paint... chains and paint illusions ( shading)are necessary too... if it is pine are you going for a rustic look or shabby chic... the use of brown... not deep tone brown would not give an effect of shabby chic but will give you a great rustic... so what design direction are you gong...

Did you remove the paint on the coffee and end tables before repainting?

I did not remove the stain on the coffee and end tables before I painted them. I just want to get the old worn look and yesterday I sanded them and they do look pretty good. It's just that now I am wondering if I should put a water based stain right over them. Especially the other pieces of furniture that has nothing in under the paint. What do you suggest?

You can put a stain over what you have sanded. I have seen it done. When I have made wood look old, I have painted it with a base coat, then put another coat on top of that and then sanded it. Then taken a dark brown or black watered down paint, taken a tooth brush and stood back and flicked the paint on the piece. It puts small dots and some slashes on the piece and gives it depth. One great looking old look is base coat something in barn red, cover with indigo blue and sand it. If you want marks on the piece, put some nails and screws in a sock and bang the piece with it.

Thanks K3. I've done what you said and I'm so proud of myself. HA! I've got a TV unit that I already painted classic brown, which is a dark brown and now thinking I have too much brown what do you suggest I put over it. My walls are Terracotta. It's in my livingroom and right now I have my coffee and end tables brown, a old fisherman's couch brown with beige upholstery. I have two shelves that are a dark whitewashed wood and now I really need to change the color on my TV unit. I'm really starting to like doing this stuff. Especially now that I've got the know-how. Are you like me in liking the country look. It's really comfy isn't it?

Yes, I love to paint and decorate and take something old and make it beautiful again or something and make it look old and rustic. I enjoy looking at my house and knowing I created as much of the look as I could.
As for your piece, take a lighter color, possibly peanut butter or light yet, a beige color, water it down, paint on the brown, dry and sand, then hit it with the splashes with the paint brush. First of all, I would find a piece of pine wood, paint it the brown you used and then put the lighter color on it and see how you like it. See how thick you want it (as for watering it down) You don't want it too watered, do a little and see if you like it. I usually experiment on a piece of wood if I am not sure what the outcome will be. Sounds great, and it is fun.

Thanks for your reply once again. I need to get away from the beige because like I said I have my shelves a off-white wash and the fisherman's couch done with a beige plaid. Any more suggestions?

What accent colors do you have in your room? You said terracotta walls, beige couch. What color are your throw pillows, rugs, andy other color theme?

That's it for the colors right now. My pillows are terracotta also. I'm changing as I go. My fireplace mantle is now white and I'm planning on doing it like my shelves as well. I have light oak hardwood on the floors but now have my rug taken up. Do you think doing my TV unit a dark moss green would look OK?

That might work. I am trying to imagine the brown with the moss green over it and sanded. It may be wonderful. Let me know how it turns out. I have 8 clients today so I will be sooo busy, I have another idea that can help add color. I will email tomarrow morning. But do the moss green.

K3, I didn't paint the TV unit yet because I'm trying to make up my mind on something else. I need your opinion on this as well because I really do think you give good advice. I think I should have left my coffee and end tables stained instead of painting them. Then I think everything else would be fine. What do you think of me putting a stripper on them and doing another coat of stain. Do you think the brown paint will all come off if I strip them? After all it's just a water paint. Need your help!

Yes, you can get the paint off using a stipper. There are some easy ones out there. Put it on, it bubbles up and you use a putty knife and off it comes, you may have to sand it a little but it will look great. I agree, another coat of stain would be beautiful. I can not think of the stripper I use, but Home Depot or Lowe's has it. Good luck, it will be beautiful, good choice!!

Thanks k_3. I have a stripper here and I quess they pretty much work the same. Can't think of starting at it but like you said I think it will be better. I'll let you know how it turns out.

I do remove the paint and stain from any wood piece... I had done... then I would sand the pieces and place a primer on pieces that I am going to add color to... staining requires no primer... just re stain and sand down.. then repeat the stain and sand... this is for smoothing... and leaves a smooth appearance... for stain will leave that country to thick look... if you do not smooth the stain down... and when you finish painting then you need to add a clear sealer after you are finished...

Thanks LunaGoddess! I haven't ventured on the furniture yet but will in a hour or so. I'm scared to death of making a mess of everything. After I get the paint off I'm going to use a Minwax in the name of Early American. It doesn't have any buildup and goes right in the wood. I've been using it on the furniture that I had sanded down and it looked great. Thanks for your reply. I'll let you know how things work out. Maybe in two weeks HA!

Don't worry about making a mess. Even mistakes can be easily fixed and often the most beautiful pieces. See how it looks after the stain, you can also antique it after the stain. When I say antique, very very lightly done.

Thanks K_3! Last night I started at one of my end tables and just got half of it done yet. It seems to be pretty good but a little sanding needs to be done in between I think. I'll probably get at it again tonight seeing that seems to be my only peaceful time. Did you sand in between or did you keep applying more stain? I'll let you know how it turns out after I finish this one. It sure is time consuming.

Yes, it is going to need sanding between. Yes, it certainly takes more time to get it off than on. HA

Hey guys! Having a wonderful time. Thought there was no light at the end of the tunnel and yes LunaGoddess the journey has begun. HA! I've got two end tables sanded now but they need just a little more stripper in a few places like up in the corners and stuff. I'm pretty much down to the pure wood now. When I get that done I guess I'll just have to clean them up again and put on the Minwax right? I figured the job wouldn't be so hard with water paint but not realizing that there was a wax on before that and then wax on top of the water paint. SUCKER FOR PUNISHMENT! Not only that, I know I should have been doing this outside but because of the weather I knew that wasn't possible so last night I was high as a kite and today dizzy. Very impatient and has to be done yesterday.

I want pictures!

LunaGoddess, I'll see what I can do for you pic wise when they're all done. All depends on if I'm proud of my job or not. HA!

Oh you sound like me. When I want to do something I just cannot wait. It takes time but isn't it beautiful. I too am looking forward to pictures.

Hi K_3. Put stain on my end tables last night and I am very pleased. Considering the strength of it coming up through the vents all night. You really need to do it in your shed or something but where I live the temperatures are getting cold now and it's inside or nothing. You really do sound a lot like me. I was kind of thinking that after I received a few replies from you. Nice to know there's another you out there somewhere. I'll see about pics when I complete. Thanks for another comeback.

A better way to go would be having a mixture of old looking and modern looking furniture. Rooms look more stylish that way

Hi Cedwick. When I did my coffee and end tables I did mix them with some old and some new furniture. I used a plaid sofa, an old lay bed next to my fireplace and used a chest for touch. I also painted my fireplace mantle an off white which looked nice. Some old looking shelves on the walls also. Then I put some old and new items here and there. I must say I'm very pleased.