Paint for a crib

[Tim Thomas]

My wife and I recently purchased a used crib. It is 100% solid red oak that has a very dark stained finish. We like the fact that it is solid wood, and the overall design of the crib, but SWMBO would like for me to paint it in an off-white color to lighten it up. We also have a changing table made out of pine, and I am making a dresser, so painting seems to be the best solution to make all of the different pieces look like they go together.

My question is, what is the best way to go about this? My gut tells me to clean and sand the finished pieces, then prime and paint. Where I need some help is on the details. What grit sandpaper should I use? What primer and paint should I use? Should I top coat with something like a water-based poly to increase durability?

The current plan is to scuff sand the furniture with 220 grit paper, hit it with a tack rag to remove all sanding residue, then prime and paint. Based on other recommendations for painting furniture that I have found in the forums here, I am leaning towards using a 100% acrylic product like Sherwin Williams ProClassic Waterborne or Benjamin Moore Waterborne Satin Impervo. I don't know what primers to use under those products, but I'm sure the folks at the paint store do. (Luckily I have both stores within 5 miles of my house.) For applying the paint I have an air compressor and a spray gun, but I haven't used it before so any tips on spraying acrylic paint are appreciated.

This has turned into a long post for what is basically a simple question: What is the best way to turn this dark stained red oak crib into an off-white painted crib? Picture of the crib and my spray gun are attached.

[Phil Phelps]

I wouldn't paint it. Personally, I don't like paint on an open grain. Secondly, you'll spend a lot of time and money killing the dark stain, even with Bin. That dark crib will look great "with" painted furniture, however.

[Jack Giovo]

I like the crib natural also why cover that nice looking wood and paint or stain the pine make the other furniture to match.

Jack

[Jason Roehl]

Guys, you're missing the point--if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. I agree that painted open-grain woods don't look that great, but if that's what momma wants...

Phil touched on one possible product to use--Bin, or any shellac, for that matter, though a white-pigmented shellac will help your cause a bit. In general, "shellac sticks to anything, and anything sticks to it".

Option #2 is an acrylic bonding primer. Since you mentioned Sherwin-Williams, they have one by the name of PrepRite Bonding Primer. It's good stuff. Pro-Classic Waterborne over this will give a very good finish, and it won't take an excessive number of coats. I'd be surprised if it took more than 3 sprayed coats, provided you haven't thinned it too much.

Option #3 is an oil-based primer, then proceed with the P-C WB. If you're spraying, this will, um, suck in terms of smell and overspray. You're going to have some odor and overspray anyway from the other products, but they'll dry quickly and fall from the air as dust in short order, the oil-based stuff will linger and stink for some time to come, not to mention stick to everything within 3 blocks.

I'd also probably only sand with something more like 150- or 180-grit. The open-grain will already help hide sanding scratches, and you want as much mechanical bond as you can get. Sand aggressively before the primer, then don't sand until right before your last coat, and only sand lightly to knock off any nibs--here you can use a little finer grit like 220.

[Tim Thomas]

Thanks Jason. Yeah, leaving the crib as-is is not an option. You can't see it in the photos, but the finish is not in good shape. There are quite a few scrapes, so the paint will be covering up those also. I'm not too worried about the open grain showing because it is very smooth right now from whatever clear coat is already on the piece. It seems to have filled in the pores pretty well. I think as long as I don't get too aggressive on the sanding and I get good even coverage on the paint that it will look just fine.