These classic beech dining chairs came into the workshop in their original varnished finish and left in a crisp, modern shade of white. Our customer wanted them to soften and brighten her dining area without losing the honest, hard-wearing character of solid beech. Judging by the setting these white painted dining chairs have ended up in, they're all set.
White Painted Dining Chairs Are All Set
The chairs are a classic country-style design in solid beech, with gently curved top rails, horizontal back slats and square, tapered legs. Beech is a lovely timber to work with—dense, smooth and forgiving under the brush—but its warm pinkish tone can feel a little dated in a more contemporary interior. A coat or two of Dulux eggshell paint transforms them completely.
Steps to Complete the White Painted Dining Chairs
Step 1
We started by giving each chair a thorough inspection, checking the joints for any movement and making sure every rail, stretcher and dowel was tight. A wobbly chair is no use to anyone, and it's far easier to deal with at this stage than at the end. Glue and furniture clamps are quite normal at this stage.
Step 2
Next, we hand sanded each chair from top to bottom. Backs, seats, legs, stretchers, the lot. Hand sanding takes longer than using a machine, but for spindly pieces like these it's the only sensible approach. The aim here isn't to strip the chair back to bare wood—it's to key the existing finish so the primer has something to grip onto.
Step 3
Once sanded, we wiped every chair down with a tack cloth to lift off the fine dust. Paint will happily pick up every speck you leave behind, so this step is worth the extra attention.
Step 4
Then came the Zinsser water-based primer. A good primer does two jobs: it blocks any tannins or stains in the wood from bleeding through into the topcoat, and it gives the paint a stable foundation to bond to. Beech is generally well-behaved on this front, but we never skip the primer on our furniture.
Step 5
With the primer dry, we applied an undercoat. This builds body and evens out the surface before the topcoat goes on.
Step 6
Finally, we applied two coats of Dulux white eggshell, lightly denibbing between coats. Eggshell gives a soft, low-sheen finish that's kind to the eye and hard-wearing enough to cope with the bumps and knocks of everyday dining. Pure white was the customer's choice, and it suits the chairs beautifully. It looks sharp without being too clinical.
White painted dining chairs pose outside ready for delivery.
Step 7
Once the final coat had fully dried, we checked over each chair, touched in any small imperfections and they were ready for delivery.
The finished chairs have slotted into their new home as if they'd always been there. The white paint lifts the whole dining area and works happily alongside the exposed brick. Very tidy. Very chic.
When you need help, advice or a quote to paint your dining room furniture, then please do not hesitate to get in touch. Because we can paint your furniture.
Let's Get In Touch
Contact Details
Please don't hesitate to get in touch for any furniture painting advice, shabby chic style, two-tone painting or a modern painted look.
Phone Number
07766 225329
Email Address
furniture@shabby-chic-surrey.com