Discover the transformation of a Master Bedroom in a historic home using paint! Follow simple methods to cover varnished wood beautifully.
I truly cherish residing in aged homes; the unique character, rich history, and accompanying hurdles inspire me to think creatively about practical solutions.
Situated upstairs in our residence, this space dates back to 1926, featuring sloped ceilings, charming built-ins, and significant character. The walls are entirely covered, from floor to ceiling, with stained and varnished planks.
Despite various decorating attempts, the persistent issue was the room's extreme darkness; even with bedside lamps, reading at night was difficult. Candidly, we nicknamed the room “the coffin” from day one.
With a modest budget and the help of a painter friend, we tested paint's potential, and the outcome was fantastic!
Behold the same room now:
It feels airy and luminous yet remains wonderfully cozy! We adore it. For anyone aiming to paint over stained and varnished boards, here are the steps for a superb finish, without needing to sand!
Guide to Painting Over Varnished Wood
Necessary Supplies
- Plastic or drop cloths
- Painter’s Tape
- Oil-Based Primer
- Latex Paint in your chosen shade
- Essential painting gear (my preferred items are listed below)
- Paint Sprayer, if desired
Prepare the painting area
Since our professional painter friend used a sprayer, we cleared all furniture from the room. We thoroughly cleaned the boards by vacuuming and wiping them with a damp cloth.
The painter then protected the wood floors and windows using materials like a large roll of paper and painter’s tape.
Apply oil-based paint as a primer to the boards
Though less pleasant, this step is crucial! To prevent the old stain and varnish from bleeding through, a “stain block” primer must be applied to the boards first. Oil-based primer accomplishes this perfectly.
Oil-based paints emit strong odors, so ensure the space has excellent ventilation. Furthermore, wear a mask for fume protection.
Latex paints have improved significantly; check your local paint store for a stain-blocking primer suitable for your specific need. I strongly advise testing on a small section first. Seeing yellow bleed through the final paint color is frustrating! For us, no latex stain blocking paint prevented bleed-through; oil-based was the only solution.
Apply two coats of latex paint
After the oil-based primer has fully dried, apply two layers of latex paint, observing the drying time specified on the can. This room was finished with Benjamin Moore White Down.
A professional handled the spraying in this space, resulting in swift completion; the work began at 10:30 and concluded by 3:15.
Using a paint sprayer, a professional made painting this room a fast and simple task, although I managed the same boards in two other areas with a roller and brush, which is considerably more effort but achievable.
