Repainting a Kitchen Table?

Question

I have a wooden table and chairs that are stained brown. I wanted to paint them black to go with my new sofas. I painted the table with acrylic paint, after priming it. The problem I have had is that the table top is still sticky after drying for three weeks and gets stuff stuck to it and scuffed. I am hesitant to paint the chairs because I don't want the same thing to happen. Does anyone have any ideas why this happened? Is it the previous stain that was on them? Is there a specific paint I should have used? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Answer 1

Acrylic?  I've never heard of using that outside of art classes.

I would strip it off, then just use a good enamel.  Another option is to use a black stain.

Answer 2

You need to strip all this c**p down to the bare wood of the table and start fresh. My guess is that the table had grease or oil on it that was not removed before you attempted to paint it.

When you have stripped it, (do this outside) wash down the entire thing with acetone.  Let dry for 4 hours, then spray paint it with an oil-based enamel paint.  Clean off the chairs with acetone before you paint them, also.

If by "acrylic" you mean water-based latex paint, I would advise against it.  Latex paint is great on the wall, but not recommended for heavy wear that a table and chairs would see.

Good luck, and next time ask us before you begin a job you're unfamiliar with.

Answer 3

you should have painted it with an enamel oil based paint, like you'd use on interior trim, it's made to stand up to hard use. you will now need to strip the acrylic paint off, and start over. you will probably have to prime everything with an oil primer, too, before you put the finish color on.

Answer 4

Get rid of the acrylic paint. Give it a light sanding. The secret to a good durable finish is all in a good primer coat. I use alkyd enamel. But you could also use zinsser primer, it has an excellent adhesion. It is also a good idea to have your primer tinted to match your paint as close as possible. Apply primer and allow to dry. Give another light sanding with very fine sandpaper to remove any imperfections. Remove all sanding dust with a tact cloth. Apply at least 2 coats of your paint with a light sanding and cleaning between coats. Then to protect your finish use extra fine steel wool, lightly sand and apply one or two coats of clear finish like polyurethane. Allow to dry thoroughly before use. Good Luck it sounds like a lot of time and work but believe me in the long run its worth it.