I have a veneer grandfather clock that I want to paint to match my dining rm furniture. The DR furn is black and cherry wood. The chairs are in black and have a worn look and you see a red color where it is worn. How can I do that to my clock? ~Wendy

Hi Wendy,

Sounds like a fun project, and definitely do-able. Here are the steps you will need to follow:

1. Sand - Lightly sand the areas on the clock that you will be painting. Use a fine grit sanding sponge. This scuffs up the surface, so the paint has something to adhere to.

2. Tape - Tape off the areas that you do not want to get paint on, such as the clock face, glass, etc. Use a low-tack painter’s tape.

3. Prime - Prime the surface of the clock with a good primer / sealer. Be sure to look at the can to find out the proper dry time, usually it dries between 1 & 3 hours.

4. Base coat - Base coat your clock the red color that is showing through on your furniture. Two coats should be sufficient. I would use a small 6″ roller called a weiny roller. This will give the surface a nice smooth finish and the roller is small enough to get into the areas that are hard to reach. You can also use an artist’s brush to get in the tiny cracks and crevices, if there are any.

5. Wax - Grab a plain white unscented candle and rub the edges pf the clock with it, where you want the red to show through.

6. Top coat - Paint the clock black. It is your decision on what sheen you would like the paint to be - satin, semi-gloss, or high gloss. Be sure to use at least 2 coats and roll it on with the weiny roller. It is important to get this top coat as smooth as possible. If you use a brush, you will most likely see the brush stroke and we want to try and avoid that.

7. Rub - Once the top coat is dry, rub the edges with a fine steel wool or extra fine sanding pad. The black paint should come off pretty easily because of the wax underneath.

8. Seal - I would suggest sealing the clock with a water based varnish. You should wait about 3 - 4 days before doing this, so the paint has time to fully cure.

So, that’s it. Follow these simple steps and you should have a wonderful brand new clock. Don’t forget to take before and after pictures!
Hope all goes well, That Painter Lady, DAWN
photo credit: Svadilfari