Prepping Pieces for Paint: Fold out Buffet

Remember our friend Jimmy Buffet (pronounced like "all you can eat buffet"), from yesterday? Well we got to work on him! 

First things first we removed that heinous brass hardware from the center. 

Then filled the holes left behind with wood filler and gave him a scuff sand with 220 grit sandpaper. I'm not sure if I'll put some more hardware there in the future... thoughts?

I actually had to use my power sander on the top to scuff it up since it was lacquered 'till next Tuesday. 

 And taped off the hinges and areas where primer could get onto the fold-out buffet top that we like so much.

 Then we primed her him up. I think that primer is a really important step that you shouldn't skip, especially if  you're working with latex paint, like I do. It gives your finish something to really hold on to. I like Kilz Oil-based primer. It comes in a can or spray can, and for this project. I had both on hand. I started out applying the primer with brush and roller and man, what a pain. It pulled and left icky brush strokes and made the area I was working on a gloppy mess.
Enough of that, said I. I went straight to the Kilz spray-on primer in the brown can. Perfect. I will NOT be bothering with brush application ANY more.
Do make sure you have a good respirator- this stuff is icky and you don't want to be breathing it in.

 

I had such a stroke of genius for the fold-out buffet top- I REALLY hope it works. *fingers crossed* So in the coming days it will either be a "how-to" or "what NOT to do". Only time will tell.

xo,