[six]

In painting say a dresser, how do you keep the paint from streaking on the smooth surface?

[Clough]

That depends on why it is streaking. Are you using a brush? Was the furniture unpainted before you started to paint on it? Or, did it already have paint on it?

If you are using a brush, then I would make sure that the brush is the right kind for the paint used, oil or water based paint. Also, the brush should be the appropriate width to just be under the width of the surface to be painted if on small surfaces of the dresser. If it is a large surface area of the dresser, then the wider the brush the better. The bristles of the brush, when you lay them out on a flat surface should also taper to a very fine edge.

[Clough]

six agrees: very helpful. Thanks

You are welcome!

[KISS]

Cheap brushes will inevitibly yield an inferior surface. I like the ones that have a very fine end. These brushes are many times two colors.

To cover a large area, it best to use an appropriate painting instrument or instruments. My uncle once tried to paint a ceiling with a 4" brush rather than a roller.

Don't be afraid of having multiple sized brushes either. Remove the hardware such as knobs and hinges to get a much better job.

There generally will be some amount of streaking just after the paint is applied. Primers help a lot. Spray painting will cause runs, but never streaking.

[glavine]

Go get a foam roller, we use this a lot on entertainment systems we paint, as for a brush, we use a name brand called (Purdy) or (Wooster) both are high quality brushes,
Also remember the quality of paint makes a difference and you also need to prime it before you paint as well

[Cpreston48]

I am about to paint a fireplace mantel that will be used as a headboard.. I have sanded the mantel down to the wood (oak) I intended to prime before painting. Any suggestions on paint or paint application methods?