Tuesday, March 4, 2014

The Painted Couch...YES, I said painted.

So...someone gave me a couch.  The couch was in perfect shape, it was comfy and well made but it was U.G.L.Y.  I thought about slipcovers but honestly I have not had a great experience in the past with them, they seem to never look exactly right and never stay in place and I wasn't about to have such an old couch reupholstered.  So where did that leave me?  Paint!  I googled and found that yes it was possible to paint a couch and the best part was that it looked fairly easy and cheap. So, on a Saturday I decided to give it a try, the couch certainly couldn't look any worse.

~Before~ (I forgot to take until I had already started painting)

It was actually very easy and only took around 3 hours total.  I used normal Flat Latex Paint (Lowe's) mixed with Textile Medium (from Hobby Lobby - don't forget your coupon!).  I used a mix of 1/3 Textile Medium to 2/3 Latex Paint.  In the future I would use 1/2 & 1/2 mixture to give the material a little more flexibility.  I used less than 1/2 gallon of paint for the whole couch.  Make sure you spray the material down with water before starting to paint, the water will keep the paint from absorbing too quickly.  

~After~   

I love the final product.  The couch was a little stiffer than leather for around a month or so, but once it was worn in a little it became super comfy.  I have had it as our main couch for around 2 years with no issues.  Best part - it's water resistant!  If you spill something it bubbles up on top and you can just wipe off.  

Have you ever painted fabric furniture?  If so, how did it turn out?  I would love to see pictures!  

12 comments:

  1. I can see the flower patterns in the photo.... nice Damisk look, I did my dinningroom chairs , sorry no photo's, 4 coats of primer, 2 coats of straight paint, wipe clean, turq. my fav color, love them, will try spraying water for my next project, couch... :-)

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    1. Thanks! I would love to see after pictures! :) I still cant believe that it worked and has held up so well, people look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them I painted a couch!

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  3. I have two wing backed chairs that need either a slip cover or paint. Not sure what I'm going to do. I've read about painting furniture but, frankly, it scares me! lol Yours turned out beautifully.

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    1. I promise it's not hard at all! It seriously took me all of 3 hours! You can do it! What I was most worried about was the comfort level of the couch after being painted. It was a little stiff for around a month but almost 2 years later we are using it everyday and I dont even think you would know that it's been painted unless I told you. Go for it!

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  4. This turned out well! For mine, I don't want the flowers showing through, so priming it first would probably be a good idea.
    How long did it take the paint to dry? We do have a carport, so if it has to stay outside overnight, that's okay. (And we have a patio door, so that will make it even easier to get outside! I've always wondered why anyone would put a patio door in a trailer that sits about 30" above the carport. . . It's a nightmare to decorate around, since it takes up most of the wall and isn't centered on the large window on the other side of the narrow room, but I'm about to love it!)

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    1. I think if you are painting fabric I wouldnt use any primer on it. I would just do extra coats of the paint mixed with the textile medium. I would think that the primer may cause it to be very rough and hard? I would say 24-48 hours for the last coat of paint to dry. You just want to make sure you have given it plenty of time before sitting on it because some of the paint sinks into the foam underneath and takes longer to dry. :) Good luck! I would love to see pictures!

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  5. What kind of brush did you use and how many coats did it take?

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    1. I used a 2" Blue Hawk Brush, it's my favorite. I did one full coat and then went back and did touch ups. :)

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  6. Hi Heather - I've been wanting to paint an upholstered I have, but have been putting it off, but after seeing yours I think I will have a go - you've done a great job :) Although I'm thinking of just using Annie Sloan's paint instead of having to mix it. Have you tried Annie Sloan's paint on fabric?

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    1. Hi Denise, I have not tried Annie Sloan's paint. I have heard great things but the cost keeps me from trying it. I try to find budget options and Annie Sloan seems a bit $$$. :) Good luck, I would love to see your before and after pictures!

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  7. That looks amazing! I will be needing to purchase (probably used) a couch and some chairs soon. Now that I know I can paint them if they're ugly I'll only have to focus on the condition and comfort at first. Thanks for posting this!!

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