I’ve had an old rocking chair sitting around my house for years. I figured it was time to spice it up a little bit and refinish it. With a little sandpaper, paint and love, my ho-hum rocking chair became a work of art. It was easy. Here’s how to do it:

Before you get started, just get the idea in your head that this isn’t a project that you’ll finish all in one day. Just take your time to make it look right.

Step #1: Sand your rocking chair

You’ll be tempted to skip this step. Don’t. It will allow for a smoother surface for your paint to adhere to. I use 220 grit sand paper. It’s very fine sand paper. If you have access to an electric sander, I would highly recommend using it just because it’s A LOT faster. However, you’ll still have to sand the little nooks and crannies by hand. Wipe your rocking chair down with a damp towel to make sure all the dust is gone.

Step #2: Paint … then sand again

Buy a can of paint and primer in one. It will save you steps and look fabulous. I chose Frosty Glade for my color since I thought it would look nice in my baby’s room, but you could pick any color you want.  It’s your project!

Make sure you paint the rocking chair with a small foam roller on as many surfaces as possible. It will come out looking smoother without many brush strokes. Use a small paint brush to paint the areas that you can’t get to with the roller. Then let it dry completely. After that, LIGHTLY sand the rocking chair to get out any bumps or bubbles.

Step #3: Paint … then sand again

You’ve got to put on second coat. No questions asked. Follow the same process as in Step #2. Sorry for the dark pictures, I had to paint at night when my kids were in bed. Ha ha.

Step #4: Polyurethane … then sand

If you stop after step #3, the paint will start chipping off your rocking chair almost immediately. All that work will have been for nothing. Polyurethane will provide a glossy, smooth finish and prevent chipping. I used MinWax Clear Satin Polyurethane. I bought a less-expensive brand once on a dresser that I was refinishing and it left a yellow hue to the entire dresser. It looked awful. It’s worth it to pay for a higher-quality brand. It will look better.

Try to use a foam roller or a foam brush for the polyurethane. Keep in mind that you can’t really wash the polyurethane out of the brushes, you’ll basically be throwing those away after you’re done. You can wrap your brushes in a plastic grocery bag however for a few days so you can use them for the second coat as well. Make sure you LIGHTLY sand after the polyurethane has dried.

Step #5: Polyurethane … then sand

This is the last step! Yay!  Follow the process in Step #4 and you’re done!!

Since I’m not a seamstress, click here for a tutorial on how to make your very own cushion for your newly refinished rocking chair.

What other pieces of furniture have you refinished? Leave your comments below.

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