Most of the time, there is very little you need to do in terms of prep work. You do want to make sure that your piece is clean, dust-free and is mold-free.
If the piece has been painted before, make sure there is no loose or scaling paint (unless you don’t mind that the new coat will chip away). It all depends on the look you’re going for! If the surface is glossy, then we recommend you sand it lightly with 120 grit sandpaper so the paint adheres better.
Certain types of wood may cause the stain to bleed through to the paint, leaving it looking yellow or pink. To avoid this, you’ll need to apply a stain-blocking primer (such as Shellac) before you paint. If you’ve started painting already, you can also apply it over the paint, let it dry and continue painting with a new coat.
Before you start painting, always make sure the surface is dry and the temperature is approximately between 10°C (50°F) and 30°C (86°F). If it’s too hot the paint will dry too quickly and if it’s too cold or too humid the paint will take a long time to dry.
Please visit our Surface Prep Tutorial for detailed instructions!