TODAY I’M SHARING HOW TO MAKE **ANY** GLOSSY-SHINY-NON-PORUS SURFACE PAINTABLE! [VIDEO]

Hi sweet SI family!  Thanks for joining me on one of my favorite days of the month – Furniture Fixer Upper Day! I’ll be sharing links to the before and after makeovers from my talented FFU crew at the bottom of today’s post but first…

I’m so excited to share this makeover and problem solver with you!

If you’ve ever had an issue with paint NOT sticking to glossy furniture OR slick surfaces like glass, mirrors, plastics, tiles, countertops, builders grade cabinets, laminate, melamine, linoleum floors, particle board, metal, ceramics, vinyl, PVC, Formica, varnish, shellac or ANYTHING with a non-porous-slick-surface — this product is the fix!

Here’s what I started with. A vintage cedar chest with a high gloss finish. This pic doesn’t show much gloss (Nick texted me this pic asking if I was interested) but you can really see the shiny finish in the video tutorial I’ve included below.

Here’s what she looks like now. NO sanding required and the paint adhered 100% to the slick topcoat – no problem.

THIS POST IS SPONSORED/CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS TO PRODUCTS I USE.  YOU CAN SEE MY FULL DISCLOSURE HERE.

SOURCE LIST

• • Vintage Cedar Chest – SALVAGED
  • Paint Brushes
  • Foam Roller
  • Sandpaper | Shop Towels
  • Water Misting Spray Bottle
  • White Lightning Cleaner
  • Slick Stick Primer
  • WoodUbend Applique
  • Barn Red Chalk Mineral Paint
  • Collard Green Chalk Mineral Paint
  • Lush Floral Furniture Transfers
  • Satin Clear Coat

CEDAR CHEST MAKEOVER

I’ll start with the 411 on this cedar chest.  I’ve also included 12 FAQ’s about this primer down below. Here’s a video How To Apply The Slick Stick, what surfaces it works on, and a few tips and tricks. If you’re having an issue watching it below, here is the direct link to my Youtube.

STEP #1  Clean and Prime

I started by giving this piece a good cleaning with this White Lightning Cleaner.  Any good cleaner will work.  Just be sure to wipe off any residue before using the primer.

Once the chest was clean and dry, I applied 1 coat of Slick Stick Primer. After letting the first coat dry for 2 hours, I applied a second coat and let it dry overnight. You can’t rush this. This primer requires an overnight dry time to adhere 100%.

STEP #2  Scratch TEST

Once the primer has dried overnight, I like to do a scratch test to make sure it has adhered to the slick surface. If you use your fingernail to scratch the surface and it stays put, it’s perfectly fine to start painting. If any of the primer scratches off, it requires more time to dry/cure before painting.

STEP #3  WoodUbend Applique

To add some more character to the piece I added a WoodUBend appliqué. This is a really fun way to fancy up a plain piece of furniture.

STEP #4  Paint

I chose this Barn Red for the body of this chest and smoked and blended with this Collard Green. If you missed my blending tutorial, you can check it out here.

STEP #5 Furniture Transfers

After the first coat (red) was painted, I used this rub on method to apply Lush Floral furniture transfer by Redesign by Prima.

STEP #6 Blending Paint

With the floral transfers in place, I used red and green to blend in the transfers and create a vintage aged look with color. I paint right over the transfer and then while the paint is still wet, wipe it off the design. This works nicely because it slightly tints the transfer to blend in with the rest of the piece.

STEP #7 Protect With Topcoat/Sealer

This cedar chest will be sprayed with this Satin Clear Coat for a durable finish.

 

SLICK STICK PRIMER – 12 FAQ’s

1. Is there any prep before using Slick Stick?

Yes. The piece your working on does need to be free of dirt, dust, and grease. Using White Lightening or any good cleaning product is recommended before applying this primer. Also wiping off any cleaner residue for good adhesion is a must.

2. How Do I know WHEN to use Slick Stick?

Slick Stick is a problem-solving primer. It’s not required for most pieces of furniture. But when you have a piece of furniture (or ANY slick surface) that has a shiny-slick-non-porous surface that you can’t or don’t want to sand, this is the perfect solution.

If you’re not sure whether to use Slick Stick or not, I would lean on the side of caution and use it! You don’t want to put in all that hard work painting only to have the paint not stick.

WHEN  NOT to use Slick Stick

I never use Slick Stick if I have sanded a piece of furniture. Why? Slick Stick does NOT cover stains or bleed through which can occur after sanding. Also, this primer is meant for non-porous surfaces. Once wood is sanded or scuffed up, a stain-blocking primer is a much better choice.

3. Can I use Woodfill or Bondo OVER Slick Stick?

Yes. There are many times I prime and THEN see the flaws. If you use a wood filler or Bondo over this primer, make sure to add another coat over the repair so it takes the paint the same.

4. Is Slick Stick Water Based?

Yes. Slick Stick Primer is a water-based product. This makes for a much better smelling product (although good ventilation is still suggested) along with much easier cleanup.

5. What colors does it come in?

Slick Stick comes in white. It goes on white and remains white once dry.

6. Can I Tint This Primer?

Yes. You can tint Slick Stick with water-based paint. To keep the slick formula intact, I would start by adding a only few teaspoons or tablespoons depending on the size of your project. Just like with any other bonding primer, you don’t want to dilute the adhesion qualities.

Tinting the primer is a great idea when using dark colors because it will help you use less paint with full coverage.

7. What sizes does it come in?

Slick Stick comes in jars of 8oz, 16oz, and 32 oz. I like the 32oz because its the best bang for your buck and its good to have on hand for those hard to paint projects.

8. How do I apply it?

This primer can be applied with a brush or roller and goes on exactly like paint. I prefer to lay my primers with a foam roller. I find it a lot faster and it gives a smooth base to work with.

Use a mister to dampen your brush to help it glide a little better. But again, very little because you don’t want to disrupt the recipe of Slick Stick.

You apply a coat of Dixie Belle Slick Stick. Wait 2 hours and apply another coat. Wait 24 hours (or overnight) and you’re ready to paint.

9. Do I need to sand it?

No. There’s no need to sand in-between coats of this primer or before painting.

10. Does It Cover Stains and Bleedthrough?

No. Slick stick is NOT to be used when a piece has been sanded because it won’t cover bleed through or stains. That’s when you need a product like BOSS or BIN Shellac Primer or a STAIN blocking primer. when you want your paint to STICK to a SLICK non-porous surface, this primer is great.

11. How Much Area Does Slick Stick Cover?

A 16oz jar of Slick Stick will cover approximately 100 square feet. 32oz jar will cover 200 approximately square feet.

12. How Do I know it’s Sticking?

After painting 2 coats and waiting overnight (the required dry/cure time) I like to do a scratch test with my fingernail before painting. I take my nail and run it over the primer with considerable pressure. WARNING – it feels like nails on a chalkboard… UGGGHG… but if nothing scratches off, you know you’re good to start painting.

And now for some FURNITURE FIXER UPPER FUN!

Below are my FFU crews BEFORE photos – visit the links underneath to see the amazing AFTERS and to learn how they did it! I’m heading over to take a peek right now myself! x

1. Confessions Of A Serial DIYer

2. Petticoat JUNKtion

3. Girl In The Garage

4. Salvaged Inspirations – I’m SO happy you’re here!

 

Here’s one more look at the before and after! What do you think?

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS CEDAR CHEST MAKEOVER… OR FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT SLICK STICK. I’D ALSO LOVE TO HEAR WHAT PRIMER YOU USE TO GRIP PAINT!

Happy furniture painting my friends!

Denise x

RELATED POSTS::

5 Ways To Paint Furniture WITHOUT Sanding

2 BEST Ways to Paint Laminate Furniture

Painting Over Laminate – The EASY Way

How To Use B-I-N Shellac Primer

How To Paint Furniture The PERFECT White 

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