How to upcycle furniture

Available to order online at B&Q

Upcycling furniture is a great way to breathe life into old pieces and get a designer look for a fraction of the cost.

When looking for a piece to upcycle, think creatively and use your imagination. Try to picture what the piece could become before dismissing it. Focus on the shape and size of the piece of furniture instead of how it looks.

Car boot sales, charity shops and the internet are all rife with furniture to paint and upcycle.

So once you’ve chosen your piece, here’s how to give it a new lease of life.

What you’ll need

Masking tape
Dust sheet
Paint brush
Sandpaper
Valspar Primer & Undercoat
Valspar Wood and Metal Paint

Follow the steps in the video:

Step 1

Prepare and sand down

Lay down a dust sheet to protect areas that you don’t want to get any paint or dust on. Remove any dust, cobwebs or dirt from your chosen piece of furniture. Sand down the surface of your furniture. If you’re painting a cabinet, remove the drawers and sand them independently from the rest of the unit. If it’s a chair, remove the seat and sand around it. Once you’ve finished sanding, wipe down all the dust with a damp cloth.

Step 2

Mask off areas you don’t want to paint

Use masking tape to protect areas that you don’t want to paint including handles or feet. If you want to paint a pattern, use the tape to section off the parts that will form your pattern.

STEP 3

Apply primer

Apply one coats of primer and leave to dry for two to four hours before applying another. This will help the paint stick evenly and will make the colour of your furniture appear bolder. Leave the second coat to dry for two to four hours. Once your coats are dry, lightly sand the surface and wipe away an excess dust.

STEP 4

Apply the paint

Choose your favourite colour of our Wood and Metal paint. We like to go for a statement look with two complementary colours. Apply one coat of paint and leave it to dry for two to four hours before applying the second. If you’re painting a cabinet, paint the drawers first. While these are drying you can move on to the main unit. You’ll only need two coats for an even covering of colour. And that’s it!

Upcycling furniture is a really easy way to create a unique piece that can blend in nicely with your home or act as a statement. Have you upcycled your furniture? Tag @valsparpaintuk in your photos on Instagram, we’d love to see your projects.