| Q: We have older contemporary bedroom pieces with solid oak drawer fronts and veneered cases in clear coat that we're going to finish in satin black. What's the best way to prepare the surface and paint it for a durable finish?
A: Clean the pieces by scrubbing with mineral spirits or TSP on nylon abrasive pads, seal with a coat of white primer, such as Zinsser BIN, or use Zinsser SealCoat clear primer, then paint. There are a wealth of paint options, including one, called Universal, which will allow you to skip the primer step.
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