Painting furniture white without yellowing or bleed-through can be tricky. Here you will find the best tips and tricks with my no-fail method while getting that timeless finish.
I am a huge fan of painting furniture to create a home that gives your home a uniquely-you touch. Although styles comes and go, white is one of the most most versatile colors for furniture. It’s fresh and simple, and works with any style from farmhouse to eclectic boho. And it’s, by far, my most requested choices from clients.
However, of all the furniture makeovers, painting furniture white can be one of the trickiest. There are several reasons for this from yellowing over time to tannins and stains seeping through a perfectly lovely paint job. But today, I am sharing my no-fail method that I have developed over years with lots of satisfied customers (even years later!)
This thrifty find had seen better times:
This dresser has all the problems! Knotty pine, stickers all over it, you name it. In short, it’s an excellent candidate for showing the no-fail method for painting furniture white.
Here it is after receiving the DIY makeover –
Recommended Supplies
- Orbital Sander
- Mouse Sander (optional -for inside corners)
- Paint Brush
- TSP or Degreaser
- Sandpaper 220 and 120 grit
- Sanding Blocks 80 or 120 grit
- Wood Filler – Only for imperfections or filling old hardware
- Lint-free Microfiber rollers
- Paint trays
- Stainblocking Primer
- Paint
- Protective Topcoat
Pro Tip #1: While you can use a base white or pre-mixed white, choosing a white shade will have better coverage when painting furniture white. Always ask to have the can shaken at the store. Paint can settle in as little as a few days.
Best White Paint Colors for Furniture
DO NOT USE WALL PAINT FOR PAINTING FURNITURE! You really get what you pay for here. There are a few brands of paint that I recommend for painting furniture.
I have an in-depth post on the best paints for furniture that I recommend and why. Because there isn’t just one brand to use for all situations.
However, sometimes the hardest choice is Which color white to use? The most popular paints for white furniture from my clients include:
- Benjamin Moore Advance Chantilly Lace – a lovely creamy white that’s pretty neutral
- BM Advance Decorators White – a slightly cooler white with a touch of grey
- BM Advance Alabaster – a white with a taupe undertone
- BM Advance Super White – very bright white that falls to the cooler shades
- Sherwin Williams Emerald Line Pure White – very versatile bright white
- Sherwin Williams Emerald Line Snowbound – a touch of grey and warm with a slight pink undertone
- Behr Cabinet Paint Polar Bear – warm white with just a touch of pink
- Fusion Mineral Casement – a warm creamy white but not bright white, yellow undertones
- Fusion Mineral Picket Fence – a truer, brighter white
This particular dresser is painted in Benjamin Moore Advance in “White” with a Matte Sheen. My store has a pre-mixed white, but you can mix anything from their color selection.
Pro Tip #2 – My go to brands of paint are guaranteed to never yellow. Even years later and in direct sun, these have never yellowed. These include Benjamin Moore Advance, Fusion Mineral, and General Finishes.
How To Paint Furniture White
There are step-by-step instructions including prepping included at the bottom of this post that you can easily print off. I am putting in-depth tips here and recommendations.
Step 1: Prep and Sand
For the most part, the process for prepping furniture for painting white is the same as any other color. If you are interested in the best method for prepping and cleaning furniture including all the considerations, I would recommend our in-depth guide on how to paint a dresser.
There was a little repair work to this furniture transformation. First, obviously we sanded all of the stickers off. There was also a horizontal trim piece between the drawers which we removed. And the worst part was an extremely annoying groove along the top of the dresser. I think it’s only function was to collect nasty dust and grime. It certainly wasn’t decorative. I filled that in with wood filler to get a completely smooth top.
Step 2: Priming
The single most important step when painting furniture white is to use a quality stain-blocking primer. The right primer will prevent stains bleeding through and help your coverage.
Primers that work well to cover stains include Kilz Premium, Kilz Restoration, and Zinsser BIN primer. I dislike Zinsser because it’s gummy and doesn’t level well at all. Kilz restoration is generally overkill unless you are sealing in heavy stains and odors (cigarette smoke, rust, previous water damage).
Pro Tip #3 – The primer that has my absolute recommendation for painting furniture white is Kilz 3 (not the original). If I have heavy tannins like knotty pine, I use a clear shellac over the knots or stains and then prime.
For priming, you generally only need 1 brush coat or 2 thin coats if sprayed. Wait for the primer to completely dry, usually 24-48 hours, before painting. If you see bleed-though, prime that area again, but only if it is fully dry after 24-48 hours.
For this dresser, I thinned and sprayed the primer as well as the paint.
Step 3: Painting
Now you have prepped, primed, and picked out your paint. But there is one big decision to make: Should you spray, brush, or roll your paint?
Painting with a Sprayer: This is going to give you the smoothest finish. It looks factory finished rather than hand painted. It takes about 10 minutes to do a coat of paint including the drawers. The coats tend to be lighter with a sprayer but you get even coverage and no brush marks! Also, so much faster than painting with a brush. I have a really great guide on how to use a paint sprayer for cabinets that is applicable here as well.
Brush/Roll Method: I love this method for a hand painted look, or sometimes I just don’t want to get the sprayer out and do a whole setup with tarps for smaller projects. You can see our guide to painting without brush strokes and our project on how to paint banisters for techniques to get the smoothest finish with a brush. I have also listed a few quick tips below.
Pro Tip #4- No matter which paint you choose, white will generally require more coats of paint. White has the least coverage because of it’s lack of pigment. I usually use 1 coat of primer, and 2-3 coats of furniture paint, and 1-2 coats of clear poly topcoat.
Step 4: Add a Protective Top Coat
When painting furniture white, I highly recommend a protective topcoat like a water-based poly. Benefits of a clear topcoat include:
- Less likely to scratch.
- Prevents paint from staining from spills and rubs.
- MUCH easier to clean and scrub the furniture.
- White painted furniture will look new for much longer.
- The topcoats that I use are guaranteed not to yellow. Period.
I have a list of the best topcoats and why here. On this particular dresser, I used Benjamin Moore Stays Clear.
That being said, there are two paints that I sometimes do not use a topcoat with – Benjamin Moore Advance in Satin, and Fusion Mineral.
Examples of Fusion Mineral – My entertainment center and painted bathroom vanity are painted in Fusion Mineral with no topcoat. I painted our kitchen island in Fusion Mineral with a Stays Clear Topcoat- It’s near bulletproof and super easy to clean!
Examples of Benjamin Moore Advance – My painted staircase banisters are painted in Benjamin Moore Advance in satin and have held up beautifully. As you might imagine handrails are a very high traffic surface and they look great even a few years later.
Pro Tip #5 – You can mix sheens. One of my favorite techniques is to use a matte paint and a satin topcoat. It gives it a very durable protection but isn’t as shiny as a satin paint. I generally like to apply in thin coats with a sprayer.
This is a kid’s dresser, and my son can seriously damage some furniture, so I need the absolute best protection. This dresser received two thin coats of the Benjamin Moore Stays Clear and you can see the sheen-
Quick Tips for Painting Furniture
- Always roll larger surfaces. Some paints like a dense foam roller, but most prefer a microfiber roller. (The dense foam sometimes leaves air bubbles).
- Always brush in the direction of the grain.
- Don’t back brush after the paint has started to dry. If there are small mistakes, you would be better served sanding just that little area before the next coat.
- You DO NOT need to sand between paint coats.
- Get the right tools. A few extra dollars will save you a lot of heartache and frustration. I have a helpful post on painting without brush strokes here. I prefer fine taklon brushes.
- Tape off any edges you don’t want painted such as inside doors.
Eventually, we are going to replace the weird ball style feet with something that better fits the style of the dresser but that is a someday project. For now, this DIY dresser makeover is done! This dresser is going in my son’s room, and he has a ton of bold colors going on, so I didn’t want the furniture to compete with the overall color scheme and the graphic prints that I have planned to go in there.
Frequently Asked Questions
My most requested white paint colors from clients are:
Benjamin Moore Advance Chantilly Lace
Benjamin Moore Advance Decorators White
Benjamin Moore Advance Alabaster
Benjamin Moore Advance Super White
Sherwin Williams Emerald Line Pure White
Sherwin Williams Emerald Line Snowbound
Behr Cabinet Paint Polar Bear
Fusion Mineral Casement
Fusion Mineral Picket Fence
You need to use a highly durable, enamel or alkyd type paint. Do not use latex wall paint! You can read about why I choose these furniture paints, but my go-to lines are usually Benjamin Moore Advance, Fusion Mineral, or General Finishes.
A roller is best for large, flat surfaces because it is faster and easier to get a smooth coating. Use a brush for details and edges. Always brush first and then roll.
No, sanding between coats is completely unnecessary whether you spray or brush. If you have imperfections or brush strokes, you can sand just before the last coat for the smoothest finish.
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How To Paint Furniture White
Tools
- Paint Brush
Supplies
- TSP or Degreaser
- Sand paper 220 and 120 grit
- Sanding Blocks 80 or 120 grit
- Wood Filler Only for imperfections or filling old hardware
- Lint-free Microfiber rollers
- Paint trays
- Stainblocking Primer
- Paint
- Protective Top Coat
Instructions
- Remove doors and drawers. Unscrew hardware.
- Clean using Tri-Sodium Phosphate or a mild degreaser for getting any grime and dirt off. Repair scratches with wood filler.
- Sand any glossy varnish or coating off. You do not need to sand every bit of previous stain or paint off if it is in good condition. Sanding is going to give the best bond, and always sand high traffic surfaces such as table tops, around doorknobs, or dresser tops. Use an orbital sander with 120 grit to make this much easier. Vacuum and wipe all dust off of the panels before priming.
- Prime the cabinets with a quality primer. Kilz Premium (not original) is my general go-to primer. For white, use 2 coats of primer. Allow to dry 24-48 hours.
- Paint the dresser with at least 2 coats of paint. You can use either a paint sprayer or brushes and rollers. If brushing, brush with the grain and always from one end to the other. If paint starts to dry, don't go back over it.
Notes
- Knots – use a shellac based primer
- Gooey stuff/adhesive – I like Goo Gone for gooey messes, but make sure to clean off with a degreaser or teaspoon afterwards to remove any residue.
- Grease stains – clean with a good degreaser like Simple Green to break up what you can.
- Permanent Marker/food coloring/other – Clean as best you can with teaspoon and then prime at least two coats.
- Get the right tools. A few extra dollars will save you a lot of heartache and frustration. I have a helpful post on painting without brush strokes here. I prefer fine taklon brushes.
- Tape off any edges you don’t want painted such as inside doors.
- Use a lint free -microfiber roller across all flat or large surfaces for the smoothest finish.
- You will get the best results if you brush details or corners then roll before the paint has time to dry.
Marsha Vanover says
They must have been giving away these dressers some 30 yrs ago as I also have one, but it is white complete with the ugly knots. Also head/foot board and night stand.
Thank you so much for all you wrote about the redo.
My handy man painter mentioned lacquer. I copied everything you wrote and want him to follow to a t.
What do I tell him why NO LACQUER!!!!
Thanks
Jenny says
I have this same dresser with mirror above and matching headboard. I inherited the furniture when we bought a place at the beach. In the process of painting, thanks for the tips!
Brooke says
This has been the most informational and helpful blog I have come across so far! I am getting ready to paint my daughters bed (currently wood with a stain). Her walls are painted BM simply white. I’m not sure what it is in her room, but there is always a yellowish tint/ lighting in there. With that said I desperately need help deciding what white color to paint her bed. I am leaning towards BM advance in “white” to try and cool it down in there a bit. Is that a bad idea? Would you suggest another color? Thoughts? I just need someone’s opinion who has done things like this before!
Rachel says
I am personally a fan of mixing cool tones and warm tones. It makes a space feel comfortable, yet fresh for me. This is my personal experience, but I usually find that taupes and sometimes greiges work well with another color that has a yellow/warm undertone. These can also be whites, but the undertone will vary. Paint colors, particularly whites, can be finicky sometimes. A few months ago, I shocked even myself that the best trim color for a project had a little bit of red in it but it didn’t look like it at all in the room.
Since you already know the color the room, you can put two samples next to each other and see how they look together. Usually after narrowing down to 2-3 samples, I paint a piece of 12×12 cardboard and hang it on the wall temporarily to see how the two colors (new and old) work together. That has been my go-to for picking great colors.
Emily K says
Hi, what has been your experience with the Behr Cabinet paints? I have not been able to find any of your comments about it other than mentioning it in this article. Did you use Kilz 3 primer underneath it?
Thank you!
Rachel says
Kilz Premium is my go-to, so I did use it here. However, I first used a clear shellac sealer over the knots and darker areas. Knotty pine is the worst for tainnin bleed through. My first experience was with the accompanying nightstand, and it happened about six months to a year after I painted it. When I got to this dresser, I had learned my lesson. Interestingly, I am in the middle of turning this same dresser into a media console.
My experience is always changing, and I try to keep these posts as up to date as I can. For Behr cabinet paints, I have had two experiences with Behr’s Urethane Alkyd Satin Enamel and two with the Cabinet Enamel.
However, the cabinet enamel was used for trim work and doors, not kitchen cabinets. It was fine for that purpose. I have too many other products I already like very well so I don’t like to use my clients or items I will sell as test cases unless I have to or I am super confident.
For the Urethane, I used a topcoat which I always do with white or very light colors. One was a client project in a house that was being sold so I haven’t heard anything, and the other project seems to be doing well a year out. It was a greige color, not bright white, and part of a basement kitchenette. I did like the product and felt good when I finished. In reading the reviews for both products, I hate to be harsh because we all learn as we go, but most of the negative reviews on both products look like user error or technique error. For example, they should always use a topcoat on white painted cabinets and that’s their fault, not the product. The coverage problem could be due to them not tinting the paint, but it’s also a valid concern. That’s just my thoughts, and I hope it helps.
Jessica says
Hi! Thank you for sharing this information how to you remove the little dust that full over the topcoat at the end? I used a gun paint but I’m having a headache to avoid the lithe dust. Thanks in advance.
Rachel says
Is it dust from the air or tiny little paint balls? If you used an hvlp sprayer (air powered), those little nubs should brush off easily once dry. If you were painting outside, I usually use a spray tent and a low wind or pollen day.
April says
I have the same dresser set that I plan to refinish. I thought your idea of filling in the top groove was great until I discovered that both sides of the groove are not level with each other. You must have an angle there, how noticeable is it?
April says
Also, I plan on replacing the feet too. Do you have any suggestions? I’m on a tight budget.
Rachel says
I replaced the feet with simple square ones from home depot. I believe I used this one or one similar.
Rachel says
It’s been awhile, but I think my dresser had the same issue, but only very slightly. I know that it isn’t noticeable now. I either sanded down the edges with an orbital sander to relatively flat (most likely) or filled it in at an angle and then sanded.
Alli S says
What coarseness did you sand with initially? And after each each coat? Thanks! I have this exact dresser and plan to follow your instructions to a T!! Thanks!
Rachel says
Great question! I actually am in the middle of updating this post to make the instructions crystal clear, so thank you! I usually use 120 grit sandpaper initially (on my orbital sander) or 80 grit on those sanding sponges. I do not sand at all between coats. If it isn’t as smooth as I would like or I made a booboo, I will only touch up just before the last paint coat.
Patrick says
The grove you so hated is an old trick used by furniture builders. When they know two dissimilar surfaces might not line up or come together neatly, they use a grove and it will create a straight line and a clean a appearance. Great job on the project. Like you I am a huge fan of spraying the paint.