| Q: I saw a commercial on TV just once and I thought it was a Rust-Oleum product. It was a furniture paint, not a stain. We have an old French Provincial bedroom set that my wife likes but doesn't like the color. I considered stripping it and staining it but an antique furniture dealer told us that in the era that set was built if they knew it was going to be painted they used all different kinds of wood, whatever they had as scraps, to make the drawer fronts since you couldn't tell because the wood grain would be covered up. I saw ‘American Accents’ among the Rust-Oleum brands at Lowe's. Is this the same product and is this suitable for furniture to paint over the French Provincial finish?
A: I’m not sure what you saw on TV, but American Accents is a Rust-Oleum paint product, and it is indeed perfect for furniture. To paint over an existing finish, start by cleaning and degreasing the surface with either mineral spirits or TSP on nylon abrasive pads. The pads will abrade the surface enough to eliminate the need for sanding. Add one coat of primer, such as Zinsser BIN, then paint with whatever color you choose.
As for what the antique dealer told you, that is quite true. "Paint grade" is the term for wood that was initially intended to be painted, and more often than not, that meant wood that was mismatched, erratically colored, or simply too ugly to work under a stain and clear finish. On the other hand, I have seen painted pieces that were actually quite acceptable for staining once they were stripped. It’s a bit of a crap shoot, but from the sounds of it, in your case it will remain a mystery a bit longer.
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