Hope this is in the right section. I have a small DIY project I'm working on and wanted advice from people who have done something like this before. So I have a set of wood bookends that have been plain and boring for years. A little while ago I decided to spruce them up a bit by painting them. I bought some acrylic paint at the art store today, but I haven't painted them yet because I wasn't sure of proper procedures. Should I sand the wood and/or apply primer to it before painting it, or can I just paint it with no issues? I'm not sure what type of wood they are or if that even makes a difference. Considering I've done art most of my life I feel like I should know this, but I've only ever really painted on paper and not wood.
Hi there, are they stained or do they have a laquer on them? If they are you'll need to sand and prime. But if they are raw wood you can just paint them.
Th That's what I'd do, I'm sure some people might just give it a light sand. But I'm the kind who does the least work possible when it comes to DIY. I have restored furniture and painted the whole house etc, so I have done stuff like that before.
Yeah, I've been getting mixed information online about whether or not to sand it from various articles. There are benefits to sanding I am sure, but I feel like it might be unnecessary. The wood already looks smooth to me and I don't see a need in sanding down the pointed edges, as they are bookends and not something I am going to be using constantly. But I could be wrong.
If there is any little dings in the wood moistening the area should bring the grain out then a light sanding with say 150 grit sand paper would be in order before painting. If you ever have anything glossy that needs painting the piece will need to be sanded or some sort of chemical de gloss product would be needed. Also if a future project is already painted latex can go over oil but not vice versa or your paint will peel. Best to use a primer also. 18 years as a maintenance guy, what can I say? Hope your project turns out well!
So there were some dings. Sanded those out, then painted and everything came out great! Happy with the results. Wish I had done it sooner because it really improved the look of the bookends.
