What is the best paint for upcycling furniture?

If you love a painting and decorating project but don’t have the time to revamp your entire décor, upcycling your furniture with a lick of paint is a fun alternative. In the spirit of paint positivity, here’s a roundup of our recommendations for the best paint for upcycling furniture whether that’s for something as small as a dining chair or as big as your kitchen units. We’ll even throw in some tips for picking out the paint brands with the smallest environmental impact.

But first, let’s take a look at why the experts are saying that upcycling your furniture is the future of home décor…

The “fast furniture” problem

We all know about fast fashion, but what about “fast furniture”? It’s been a topic in our collective consciousness in recent years as we’ve seen a greater push for sustainability. Fast furniture is exactly what it sounds like – the homeware equivalent of fast fashion with all the same problems – and the same solutions: repairing, recycling and upcycling the things we own.

By fixing up our old furniture and finding the right paint for the job, we can get rid of that pesky feeling of design fatigue and boost the lifespans of these items at an affordable price. Some call it a circular economy – we like to call it common sense!

What is the best type of paint for upcycling furniture?

When it comes to paints for upcycling furniture, we’re spoilt for choice. If that’s setting off your internal indecisiveness, don’t worry! We’re going to break down exactly which types are suited to different projects and narrow things down to the top brands on the market – and to do that we’re going to have to delve into which types of furniture you can paint at home.

What type of furniture can I paint?

What paint to use to upcycle furniture will depend on the materials you are painting, but in most cases, these will be one of the following:

• Wood
• Metal
• Plastic
• Ceramic or stone
• A combination of all four

When it comes to upcycling furniture, there’s little you can’t paint. Whether you’re refreshing wooden, laminate or even rattan furniture, all you need to do is get the paint right. Pair this with a high-quality primer and you can’t go wrong!

Our 7 favourite paint brands for upcycling furniture

1.     farrow and ball

Found in some of the most prestigious homes in the country F&B is well-loved for a brilliant balance of colour, vibe and versatility in both contemporary and traditional interiors. In terms of finishes, the Modern Eggshell will do you good with a powerful scuff resistance and mid 40% sheen.

2.     little greene

Another top contender when it comes to upcycling wooden furniture with paint. It’s called Little Greene, but it has a big impact. Of its many finishes, we’d recommend the Intelligent Satinwood for a stunning depth of colour suited to items that aren’t treated so gently.

3.     paint & paper library

Use Paper & Paint Library to reinvest into your well-loved wooden furniture. With so many colours on offer and the benefit of being washable, we’d recommend the Architect’s Satinwood finish for a long-lasting finish that is both divine to look at and safe for both pets and children.

4.     zinsser allcoat

If you’re painting an item of furniture that’s going to have a lot of use, Zinsser Allcoat is an excellent option. Dealing with both interior and exterior surfaces and self-priming, this is both a durable and convenient paint to have around.

5.     rust-oleum

This Rust-oleum paint is one of many within an impressively broad range that covers pretty much any kitchen surface from cupboards to tiles. Today we’re hyping up the latter with its kitchen tile gloss paint. If you want to get creative and revamp a mirror with ceramic tiles, for example, this is the paint to die for – with 6+ years’ of bold colour and shinier than most, it packs a punch

6.     bradite one can

If you’re on a budget, then Bradite One Can is the best paint for upcycling furniture cost-effectively. Extremely versatile, so a great option for multiple projects, this paint bonds beautifully with metals, plastics and wood. What’s more, it only takes 30 minutes to dry, so you can get all the coats you need on in no time.

7.     cuprinol

This one’s a winner for outdoor upcycling projects such as repainting a garden bench, chairs or wooden raised beds. Providing 6 years of hard-wearing weather protection, you can ensure that all refreshed surfaces will be looking smart for a long time to come.

3 considerations for ethical shoppers

We’ve gone through the top paint brands for upcycling furniture and touched on some of the things that make them so great, but now it’s time to look at those qualities in a little more detail. If you’re shopping around and are struggling to make a final decision, weighing up these considerations might just help you out.

1.     Sticking to water-based paints

There are two main types of furniture paint out there – oil-based or water-based paint – but it’s not really a choice. In today’s day and age, there’s no reason to be using oil-based solutions when water-based paints provide a superior, more durable finish and are healthier and easier to clean up after.

If you’re keen on reducing your environmental footprint, definitely steer clear from oil-based as they also have higher VOC and toxin levels.

2.     Finding vegan and cruelty-free options

It might come as a surprise, but the paint industry still has a long way to go when it comes to animal rights. Many products on the market contain animal products or are tested on them. If you want to avoid this look out for the ingredients on the tin for components like shellac, casein or ox gall.

3.     Ethical companies

We’ve mentioned this in previous blog posts, but it’s only because it’s so important. Chances are if a company doesn’t care about its workers or the planet, they’re not going to care about you either – and that means worse quality paints with worse health credentials. Hence, why we’d always suggest checking out companies with ethical credentials such as B Corp status.

Quickfire tips: how to use your new furniture paint

On choosing a paint finish

Paint finishes can affect a lot from looks to the function of your furniture. Glossy, high-sheen paints provide a more contemporary feel, whereas matt finishes are more at home within a cosy farmhouse design. Satin or semi-gloss paints are the happy medium that are versatile enough to fit in any home décor style.

On prepping your furniture

It’s oh-so-tempting to dive into painting your old furniture, but we can’t leave out the preparation. Before you whip out your brushes and rollers, ensure that all the surface or surfaces are clean and dried – we suggest using sugar soap or clean spirit here.

Once dried, it’s recommended that you sand down the surface until it’s smooth and again clean away any dust or grime before applying a primer or self-priming paint. With all of this in place, you’re set to re/paint whatever it is you’ve decided to upcycle from laminate to wooden furniture.

On painting upcycled furniture

When painting your upcycled furniture all the fundamental painting rules apply: make sure to check how many coats you’ll need for an even finish and don’t neglect a protective finish if you’re painting garden furniture.

On achieving a unique look

The beauty of upcycling is that you can achieve a personal look with every project and inject bundles of character into your overall home décor. One of the best ways to get that “shabby chic” vibe – held up by upcycling enthusiasts – is fading your new coat of paint with a bit of sandpaper. We recommend fading the sites that are touched most frequently such as handles.

Join the upcycling revolution!

If we’ve done our job right, you should be itching to get started on your next (or first!) upcycling project. Whether it’s painting kitchen cupboards, outdoor furniture or giving your favourite coffee table a makeover, we hope you’re now able to pick out the best paint for upcycling your furniture, so you can get professional results.

To get you started, explore our colourful range of furniture paints, complete with a variety of lovely finishes to suit your preference.

If you enjoyed this post, you’ll love the rest of our blog – it’s paint tips, eco-conscious titbits and inspiration galore!