How do you paint wood furniture?

[Kungjo]

I have some wood furniture from Broyhill that I want to have repainted. I have never painted furniture before, but want to paint and replace knobs to give it a new look.

What's the best way to prep it? Do I need to prime it before painting? It's a honey like finish right now. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[elizabethkott]

First, you're going to have to sand the piece down to get the old finish off.
Once you've gotten the finish off, you need to wipe it down with a damp cloth to get the sanded particles off.
Beyond that, if you're painting the piece instead of staining it, you do want to use a wood specific primer before putting the color on. Most hardware stores/paint shops would be able to steer you in the right direction as to what you'll need.

[lowrioh]

In addition to Liz's comments, I would suggest using oil based paint rather than latex if possible. We painted our wooden kitchen cabinets with oil based paint and we didn't have any chipping. As she said, go to a good paint shop and get some advice.