How I Refinish Furniture without Sanding

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I  earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links (at no cost to you).

We had this 54" table that was a marketplace score. I wanted to sand it down and bleach it, BUT the top layer was veneer and not solid wood as advertised. Boo. So, I had to leave it stained a darker color. We don't get a ton of natural light in our kitchen, and it just always felt too blah in our nook!

The table is the perfect size though ... 60" is too big for the space and anything smaller won't seat all six of us. After spending way too much time shopping for a new 54" table online, I decided to just paint ours white, and buy some new affordable wood chairs (thanks, target!). I LOVE our little breakfast nook refresh!

I avoid sanding/completely stripping furniture at all costs - lol. I know it's necessary sometimes! I've used this method on furniture several times, and it works well with minimal sanding.

Links to: 1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5.

1. I usually do a light sanding just to remove the shine. I only did this on the table top - so it took less thank three minutes. I do 1-3 coats of primer
2. Use a foam roller for primer, paint and topcoat. It gives a smooth "sprayed" look without brush strokes. For grooves and other areas you can't roll, use a brush and then go over it with a roller
3. Cabinet paint works wonderfully on furniture. Be sure to get a water based option! It's just so much easier to clean up! I used the exact Benjamin Moore paint shown above that we had leftover from other projects ...
4. but I'm guessing Valspar is comparable. Each brand has their own version of cabinet paint.
5. Topcoat! I did two coats of this topcoat. Polyurethane will yellow over time, so be sure to use Polycrylic. I poured a little right onto the tabletop and then rolled it out with the foam roller. I only did one coat of top coat on the pedestal base.

Our round table ($50 on craigslist and we used it for a good 8+ yers!) at our old house was painted with this same method. Once or twice a year I'd roll a fresh coat of paint over the top and then do another layer of top coat that night once the kids were in bed. I was always really happy with how it looked, and hope this one holds up just as well!

Everything in our breakfast nook is linked here :)