LEARN HOW TO PAINT GLOSSY FURNITURE THE EASY WAY WITHOUT SANDING - A TODDLER BED MAKEOVER.

If you are a regular here you know that recently I completed a budget-friendly room makeover in the shared grandkid's guest bedroom. In the room was a portable crib for our granddaughter. It had been almost three months since her last visit (thanks to the Big C of 2020) and we quickly learned that she reached more milestones in her development.

The first thing she did when entering her new room was trying to climb into the crib, nearly toppling it over on herself. Goodbye portable crib, hello toddler bed!

Back into the room came the toddler bed that was formerly used by our grandson. The dark brown color no longer worked in this space so it needed a quick makeover to match her brother's new bed. The problem was that it had a glossy finish and I was painting the bed with latex paint. Instead of sanding the glossy finish to give the paint some bite, I tried another no-sand alternative to ensure a lasting finish.

How To Paint Glossy Furniture Without Sanding

You may be thinking, just use a primer. But even primers recommend you scuff the surface first to give it some bite on glossy surfaces. I have another product in my arsenal that requires NO SANDING and is specially formulated for tough to paint surfaces. I'm telling you, this stuff works!

To be clear, this isn't a sponsored post nor am I being compensated for promoting this product. I'm sharing the love because I'm so impressed by this product. I've used it several times and it's my go-to primer when painting shiny surfaces. I used it on this Repurposed Mid-Century Modern Cabinet and on this Curvy Bombshell Sofa Table Makeover.


I should note that because our little toddler is beyond chewing on the furniture stage, I had no hesitation using this to prime the toddler bed. However, this product is not rated low VOC so I wouldn't recommend priming a crib with it because the likelihood of little baby teeth gnawing on the crib rails is high.

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Here's the glossy particle board toddler bed before the makeover.


...and here it is after, painted with latex paint. I have complete confidence, thanks to the most important prep step beforehand, that the finish will last for many years.

Here's the scoop on how to prep the glossy finish without sanding first

Before applying the miracle no sand primer, you need to clean the surface from any oils, wax build-up, and dust. I gave the bed a good scrub with a Simple Green spray cleaner.

Once the cleaned furniture is completely dry, its time for the miracle in a jar!

So what is it, you ask?

It's called Slick Stick by Dixie Belle Paint Company. You can brush it on like I did with my favorite round brush or roll it on with a foam roller. Like I mentioned earlier, it's specially formulated for hard to paint surfaces with no sanding required.


It's important that you follow the recommended directions for a lasting finish. First, it needs to dry for at least 2-3 hours before applying the second coat. Then you let the second coat dry overnight.

A toddler bed with a glossy finish makeover

Now that we've got a good base for the paint to bond to the shiny finish, onto the painting. Normally I don't use latex paint when painting furniture, my first preference is always chalky or mineral-based paint. I made an exception in this case because I'm painting the toddler bed the same dark grey Behr Premium Plus Paint Mined Coal (PPU-18-18) color as I did my grandson's new bed.


My preference for painting furniture is to thin the paint with water to a milk-like consistency. You need more coats that way but you'll get a nice professional looking finish. I also use a spray mister to help the paint glide across the furniture better plus it makes a little go a long way. I let the paint dry 2-3 hours between coats and lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth any bumps. It took three thin coats to paint the toddler bed.


I let the last coat of paint dry overnight before moving onto protecting the new paint finish.

When painting children's furniture you want a rock hard finish so it withstands the rough and tumble of little ones. I used Satin Clear Coat, another Dixie Belle Paint Company product that cures rock hard with a lovely matte finish. Instead of brushing it on, I applied it with my favorite blue sponge. Just pour a little clear coat onto a paper plate or small plastic food container. Dip the sponge and rub it against the lip of the plate/container to remove the excess and swipe it across with the grain of the wood. So much easier than brushing it on.

If you've never tried this miracle in a jar primer, I highly recommend giving it a try when you have tough to paint surfaces and/or when sanding isn't an option.

If you have any questions about this no sand primer option, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this no sand tip for painting glossy furniture or this toddler bed makeover, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your Furniture Painting Tips or Children's Furniture Makeover board on Pinterest.



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