How To Paint Glossy Furniture Without Sanding

LEARN HOW TO PAINT GLOSSY FURNITURE THE EASY WAY WITHOUT SANDING - A TODDLER BED MAKEOVER.

If you are a regular here you know that recently I completed a budget-friendly room makeover in the shared grandkid's guest bedroom. In the room was a portable crib for our granddaughter. It had been almost three months since her last visit (thanks to the Big C of 2020) and we quickly learned that she reached more milestones in her development.

The first thing she did when entering her new room was trying to climb into the crib, nearly toppling it over on herself. Goodbye portable crib, hello toddler bed!

Back into the room came the toddler bed that was formerly used by our grandson. The dark brown color no longer worked in this space so it needed a quick makeover to match her brother's new bed. The problem was that it had a glossy finish and I was painting the bed with latex paint. Instead of sanding the glossy finish to give the paint some bite, I tried another no-sand alternative to ensure a lasting finish.

How To Paint Glossy Furniture Without Sanding

How To Paint Glossy Furniture Without Sanding


You may be thinking, just use a primer. But even primers recommend you scuff the surface first to give it some bite on glossy surfaces. I have another product in my arsenal that requires NO SANDING and is specially formulated for tough to paint surfaces. I'm telling you, this stuff works!

To be clear, this isn't a sponsored post nor am I being compensated for promoting this product. I'm sharing the love because I'm so impressed by this product. I've used it several times and it's my go-to primer when painting shiny surfaces. I used it on this Repurposed Mid-Century Modern Cabinet and on this Curvy Bombshell Sofa Table Makeover.

Refurbished Toddler Bed Makeover

I should note that because our little toddler is beyond chewing on the furniture stage, I had no hesitation using this to prime the toddler bed. However, this product is not rated low VOC so I wouldn't recommend priming a crib with it because the likelihood of little baby teeth gnawing on the crib rails is high.

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Here's the glossy particle board toddler bed before the makeover.

Toddler Bed Makeover Before

...and here it is after, painted with latex paint. I have complete confidence, thanks to the most important prep step beforehand, that the finish will last for many years.

Toddler Bed Makeover After

Here's the scoop on how to prep the glossy finish without sanding first

Before applying the miracle no sand primer, you need to clean the surface from any oils, wax build-up, and dust. I gave the bed a good scrub with a Simple Green spray cleaner.

Once the cleaned furniture is completely dry, its time for the miracle in a jar!

So what is it, you ask?

It's called Slick Stick by Dixie Belle Paint Company. You can brush it on like I did with my favorite round brush or roll it on with a foam roller. Like I mentioned earlier, it's specially formulated for hard to paint surfaces with no sanding required.

No Sand Furniture Primer

It's important that you follow the recommended directions for a lasting finish. First, it needs to dry for at least 2-3 hours before applying the second coat. Then you let the second coat dry overnight.

A toddler bed with a glossy finish makeover

Now that we've got a good base for the paint to bond to the shiny finish, onto the painting. Normally I don't use latex paint when painting furniture, my first preference is always chalky or mineral-based paint. I made an exception in this case because I'm painting the toddler bed the same dark grey Behr Premium Plus Paint Mined Coal (PPU-18-18) color as I did my grandson's new bed.

Repainting Furniture Without Sanding

My preference for painting furniture is to thin the paint with water to a milk-like consistency. You need more coats that way but you'll get a nice professional looking finish. I also use a spray mister to help the paint glide across the furniture better plus it makes a little go a long way. I let the paint dry 2-3 hours between coats and lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth any bumps. It took three thin coats to paint the toddler bed.

Repainting Glossy Furniture Without Sanding

I let the last coat of paint dry overnight before moving onto protecting the new paint finish.

When painting children's furniture you want a rock hard finish so it withstands the rough and tumble of little ones. I used Satin Clear Coat, another Dixie Belle Paint Company product that cures rock hard with a lovely matte finish. Instead of brushing it on, I applied it with my favorite blue sponge. Just pour a little clear coat onto a paper plate or small plastic food container. Dip the sponge and rub it against the lip of the plate/container to remove the excess and swipe it across with the grain of the wood. So much easier than brushing it on.

If you've never tried this miracle in a jar primer, I highly recommend giving it a try when you have tough to paint surfaces and/or when sanding isn't an option.

If you have any questions about this no sand primer option, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this no sand tip for painting glossy furniture or this toddler bed makeover, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your Furniture Painting Tips or Children's Furniture Makeover board on Pinterest.


No Sand Toddler Bed Makeover Before and After

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Comments

  1. Oh yay, you got to see the grandbabies again. I'm so happy for you Marie. The virus really has turned everything upside down. What did the kids think of their new room? I would have loved to see their faces and you must have grown a few more grey hairs when she clambered up the cot and almost came a cropper.

    BTW, thanks for the heads up on Slick Stick. The whole thought of sanding always puts me off. I just want to get into the fun bits.

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    1. I planned on taking a video of the two of them seeing their new room for the first time but those two little energy bunnies are too quick on their feet for their old grandma. LOL Thank goodness I turned around just when the crib started to lift off its feet. Little stinker. Michelle, you'll love the Slick Stick!

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  2. beautiful work! looks like brand new :) thanks for info how to avoid sanding!

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    1. Thanks so much! If I can avoid sanding, especially considering I work indoors in our home, I'm a happy camper. LOL Thanks for stopping by to visit and have a great week! 😀

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  3. How do you use your spray mister while applying the paint??

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    Replies
    1. Only use the spray mister with waterbased paint. You can do it one of two ways. Either mist your paint brush before dipping it into the paint to keep it wet OR lightly mist over the area you just painted so the paint moves further. Essentially you are slightly thinning the paint as you work. I hope this helps, Rachael.

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  4. Can this no sand technique be applied to kitchen cabinets?

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    Replies
    1. It is vitally important that kitchen cabinets be cleaned thoroughly with something like a TSP cleaner first to remove any grease build up. Aside from the Slick Stick primer, they also carry a cleaner called White Lightning. My recommendation would be to visit the product tutorials tab on the Dixie Belle Paint Company website and search "painting kitchen cabinets".

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