Paintbrush in Mason Jar
from our studio to your garage

The No-Fail Furniture
Prep Checklist

The 15-minute routine that keeps paint from peeling, ever

A free guide from Shabby Frames N More · Jacksonville, Florida

Read this before you open the can

Wiping wooden dresser

Here is the secret nobody tells you at the hardware store. When a painted piece chips, peels, or scratches off in sheets, the paint almost never failed. The prep did.

The good news? Prep for mineral paint is fast. No stripping, no hours of sanding, no chemistry degree. Most pieces need about 15 minutes of attention before you paint. This checklist walks you through those 15 minutes in the right order, and flags the few pieces that need extra love.

Follow it every single time and your finish will outlive your furniture trends.

THE ONE RULE

Paint sticks to clean, dull, dry surfaces. Every step below serves one of those three words.

Shabby Frames N More · 12561 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville FL · shabbyframesnmore on Instagram

The 15-Minute No-Fail Prep Checklist

print me and tape me to the garage wall

EVERY PIECE, EVERY TIME

  • Remove hardware and drawers. Label a zip bag for the screws.
  • Vacuum or brush off dust, cobwebs, and crumbs.
  • Wash every surface with a 50/50 white vinegar and water mix, or a mild degreaser. Grease is invisible. Wash anyway.
  • Rinse with a clean damp cloth. Residue counts as dirt.
  • Let it dry completely. Go make coffee.
  • Run your hand over everything. Fill dings with wood filler, let dry, sand smooth.
  • Scuff sand shiny surfaces with 220 grit. Two minutes, light pressure. You are dulling, not stripping.
  • Wipe off sanding dust with a barely damp cloth or tack cloth.

ONLY IF YOUR PIECE HAS...

  • A waxy or slick feel: remove wax with odorless mineral spirits and a clean rag. Nothing sticks to wax.
  • Deep gloss or lacquer: scuff sand a little longer, or use a bonding primer.
  • Laminate or thermofoil: bonding primer, no exceptions.
  • Water stains, wood knots, or smoke smell: one coat of stain-blocking primer or the stain will bleed through your paint.
  • Wobbly joints or loose veneer: glue and clamp now. Paint will not hold furniture together, no matter how much we wish it would.

Piece prepped? You have earned the fun part. Come grab your paint at the studio and we'll help you pick the color.

Shabby Frames N More · 12561 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville FL · shabbyframesnmore on Instagram

WALK-AWAY WARNING SIGNS

A few things mean more project than most of us want: active woodworm holes with fresh dust, strong mildew smell deep in the wood, particle board that is swollen from water, or missing structural pieces. Some pieces are lessons, not projects. It is okay to leave them at the thrift store.

The shopping list

STANDARD PREP

White vinegar, clean rags, 220 grit sandpaper, wood filler, zip bags, tack cloth

FOR SPECIAL CASES

Odorless mineral spirits, bonding primer, stain-blocking primer, wood glue and clamps

Studio Interior
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Shabby Frames N More

We are a DIY craft studio in Jacksonville, Florida. We teach furniture painting and sign making classes, stock the full Fusion Mineral Paint line in store, and cheer very loudly for first-time painters. Classes run by appointment six days a week.

12561 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville, FL · (904) 521-2375 · Book a class: shabbyframesnmore.com

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Shabby Frames N More · 12561 Philips Hwy, Jacksonville FL · shabbyframesnmore on Instagram