Cane Back Chairs on the Lighter Side ~ Free vintage website

These chairs are beautiful. Although I love to paint just about anything, I honestly have a problem painting furniture that is in great condition. Most furniture I take a brush to is in dire need of improvement, and that usually comes with paint. But these chairs were in very good condition.

But you see … I’ve created a bit of a paint monster – my mother. Since painting her buffet, ( in case you missed that you can see that HERE). I’ve spied her looking around her place for more furniture to paint… “to compliment the hutch, as it were”.

I just know there’s more to come.

So here are the Louis Cane Back chairs, in great condition but needing a lift.

The fabric wasn’t going to be changed so this presents a bit of a challenge for painting. Fortunately by the time they came to me my mother had already taped them up. Remember proper preparation of your piece is crucial to a good outcome.

I always start with pieces like this turned upside down. You just can’t miss any spots if you work with it this way first. The entire chair was primed with spray KILZ.

Cracks were much more noticeable now the the chairs were primed. These had to be filled before going any further. I used wood filler that was sanded with a sanding sponge when completely dry. Remember to always sand after your primer is dry.

Because the buffet was done in Heirloom White, the chairs were also done with this color. Below are both chairs with two coats of Heirloom white. After painting I also sand lightly with a sanding block to ensure a smooth finish. You need a very smooth surface when applying glaze. This ensures that your glaze will be easy to wipe down.