Furniture painting in Exeter
Professional furniture painting services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£85-£210
Typical Duration
2-4 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Furniture painted properly with prep, primer, paint, and sealer. Transforms tired old pieces into something you'll actually want in your room - a fraction of the cost of buying new.
Give Old Furniture New Life
Got a perfectly solid wardrobe that just looks tired? Inherited a chest of drawers that's good quality but hideous? Painting furniture is the smartest way to update your space without spending a fortune on replacements.
💡 Pro tip: A £50 second-hand solid wood chest of drawers painted properly looks better than a £300 new flat-pack one. Quality bones + quality paint = furniture you'll keep for years.
Why Most DIY Furniture Painting Fails
Here's the hard truth: brush marks, sticky drawers, paint that chips off in sheets after a month. DIY furniture painting looks easy on Instagram - it isn't.
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ Done Wrong |
|---|---|
| Sanded smooth, degreased, primed | Paint straight over varnish |
| Multiple thin coats, sanded between | One thick coat, drips everywhere |
| Drawers and doors painted separately | Painted in place, stuck shut |
| Sealed with protective topcoat | No sealer, chips after a week |
What You Get
🔧 The Full Process
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Prep | Everything sanded, degreased, hardware removed |
| Prime | Proper primer applied for paint adhesion |
| Paint | Multiple thin coats, sanded smooth between |
| Seal | Protective topcoat for durability |
📦 You're Left With
- Furniture that looks custom-made
- Smooth, professional finish
- Durable surface that handles daily use
Pricing Guide
| Item | Estimated Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Small item (bedside table) | 1.5-2 hrs | £85-£110 |
| Medium item (chest of drawers) | 2-3 hrs | £110-£160 |
| Large item (wardrobe) | 3-4 hrs | £160-£210 |
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Intricate details or poor condition adds time.
Perfect For...
✅ Solid wood furniture - proper quality worth saving
✅ Dated styles - good bones, wrong colour or finish
✅ Charity shop finds - transform bargains into treasures
✅ Rental properties - update tired furniture cheaply
Why Choose Us for Furniture painting in Exeter?
Properly prepped and primed for durability
Smooth, brush-mark-free finish
Sealed and cured ready for use
Saves hundreds vs replacing furniture
What to Expect
Step 1: Strip & Prep
All hardware comes off (handles, hinges, etc.). Everything gets sanded smooth and cleaned thoroughly. This stage takes the most time but makes all the difference.
Step 2: Prime & Paint
Quality primer first, then multiple thin coats of furniture paint. Each coat gets lightly sanded for that smooth-as-glass finish. No brush marks, no drips.
Step 3: Seal & Cure
Protective topcoat goes on for durability. Then it needs time to cure properly - I'll tell you when you can use it normally.
🔧 DIY Tips
Fancy having a go yourself? Here's how to avoid the common disasters:
🔧 Products you'll need
- Sandpaper (120 grit, 240 grit)
- Sugar soap or degreaser
- Quality primer (Zinsser BIN for tricky surfaces)
- Furniture paint or eggshell (not emulsion!)
- Small foam roller and good brush
- Clear topcoat/sealer (matte or satin)
📐 Proper prep (the bit everyone skips)
- Remove all hardware - paint around handles looks amateur
- Sand everything with 120 grit - you're keying the surface, not removing all the finish
- Wipe down with sugar soap and let dry completely
- Fill any dents or damage with wood filler
- Sand filled areas smooth with 240 grit
🎨 Painting technique
- Apply primer first - proper furniture primer, not watered-down emulsion
- Multiple thin coats beat one thick coat every time
- Foam roller for flat areas, brush for details and edges
- Light sand with 240 grit between coats once dry
- Let each coat dry properly (check the tin)
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Not removing doors and drawers - paint them separately!
- Using cheap emulsion instead of proper furniture paint
- Rushing between coats while paint is still soft
- Skipping the sealer coat (this is what makes it durable)
- Putting stuff back in drawers before it's fully cured
💡 Pro trick: For a really smooth finish on flat surfaces, lightly wet-sand the final coat with 400 grit and soapy water, then apply your sealer. Takes patience but looks factory-finished.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Colour matching: Bring me a Farrow & Ball colour code, a paint sample, or even a photo of something you like. I can mix to match pretty much anything.
Multiple pieces? Doing a whole bedroom set? I'm already set up with primer and paint mixed - you'll save on per-item costs doing them together.
Old Exeter furniture with character? Those solid Victorian chests and Edwardian wardrobes are proper quality - worth every penny to restore them rather than replace with flat-pack that won't last five years.
Frequently Asked Questions
What furniture can you paint?
Pretty much anything wooden or MDF - wardrobes, chests of drawers, bedside tables, dining tables, desks. Even flat-pack stuff can be transformed if it's in decent structural condition. I'll be honest if something's too worn to paint well.
Will the paint last or just chip off?
If it's done right with proper prep and the right products, it lasts for years. I sand everything, use primer, apply quality furniture paint, and seal it. This isn't slapping emulsion on - it's a proper durable finish that handles daily use.
Can you paint it in my house or does it need to go somewhere?
Most furniture I can paint on-site - just needs a room with good ventilation and ideally no carpet directly underneath. For bigger jobs or if you're in the middle of decorating, I can sometimes take smaller pieces away to work on. We'll figure out what works best.
How long before I can use the furniture?
Touch-dry in a few hours, but I always say give it 48 hours before putting anything back in drawers or on surfaces. Full hardness takes about two weeks - treat it gently at first, then it's bombproof.
Do I choose the colour or do you advise?
Your call entirely - bring me a colour you love and I'll match it, or I can advise based on your room. Farrow & Ball colours are popular for furniture. Darker colours hide imperfections better, lighter colours show off details more.
Furniture painting Also Available In:
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01392 964094Request Online QuoteOur Rates
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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