Once dry lightly scuff sand (this is simply a light sanding - you do not need to remove all the varnish or the pre painted surface) with good quality medium grit sandpaper. Wipe away the dust with a clean damp cloth.

For waxed pine you will need to melt the wax away with Autentico Omni Clean - this method never fails and is the fastest and gentlest way to totally clean the wax from the wood without the use of sanders. I use approx 30ml of Omni Clean to 2 litres of quite hot water. You will need to wear gloves and use a scrubby sponge. The hot water and Omni Clean solution will literally melt the wax away. This is also the best method to use if you have old waxed pieces that you wish to return to their former glory. Once the first wash is complete - rinse off with clean warm water. You may need to repeat if the area is very badly stained. Let your wood dry fully. Once dry very lightly sand with good quality fine sandpaper. Wipe off the dust with a clean damp cloth. If you are painting then follow the priming technique in the next step and if you want to rewax the pine then Autentico have a beautiful range of soft high quality waxes which you can find here . If your furniture has been painted with a decorative chalk paint and sealed with a wax then you can use the above method to remove the wax , you will notice that some of the chalk paint will wash off too so don't be alarmed, In fact 2 Omni Clean washes is rally enough to remove the wax plus the paint underneath.

A note on old pitch pine furniture and hand made reclaimed pine kitchens - think twice before painting - give the Omni Clean a try and see how amazing the wood looks - these old pieces are not mass produced and are usually one of a kind which sometimes are simply perfect in their natural wood finish (self confessed pitch pine lover )

If your furniture has been pre-painted and you would like to remove the old paint but are not too enamoured with the thought of using traditional paint strippers then Autentico have the most amazing product ''Bio Strip'' This gentle VOC free paint & varnish remover (can also be used for wax) is almond scented and is a joy to use. Brush 1 coat onto your surface, leave for 45 minutes, remove with a paint scraper, wash the surface with Omni Clean and rinse. If there were many coats of paint or for heavy oil based paint or varnished factory finishes you may need to repeat the process. But it is so rewarding to use and does exactly what it says on the tin!!

If using a self sealing paint like Autentico Versante Eggshell / Matt or Colourtrend Satin/Eggshell or Gloss (all stocked at Nook Home) you will need to prime in advance. The primer you require will be determined by the surface you are painting - I can advise on that seperately - feel free to send your enquiries to me at hello@nookhome.ie with photos of the areas/furniture you are painting. You can find the Autentico prime range here

Your piece may need 1 or 2 coats of primer depending on the tone of wood, the substrate and the colour of your paint. Please follow the primer guidelines as to how many hours to leave between coats. Now is a good time to apply filler to unsightly gaps and damaged areas as the primer will hightlight these imperfections more. Apply a final coat of primer over these sanded filled sections. For knotty pine I recommend to prime the knots individually and after the recommended drying time apply the primer over the entire surface. It is really important to always apply thin coats of primer as thick coats do not cure (harden) correctly and this can cause chipping later. 

After priming your piece is ready for its first coat of paint. If you are using a self sealing paint (see above) then you will not need to wax, varnish or top coat. Apply your paint always in the direction of the wood grain. If your piece is laminate/PVC (yep you can paint PVC - that's for another post) etc imagine it as wood construction and paint in the direction of how that piece would be constructed in wood. This leads to a much more natural finish.

Again paint in thin coats, with a very fine sand between coats which gives better adhesion for each subsequent layer of paint and allow sufficient drying and curing time between coats.

You can paint using a brush or roller depending on your piece. Larger & flatter areas are easier to paint with a roller. But one thing to remember that a roller finish will be slightly duller than a brush painted finish, you may wish to apply your first coats with the roller and finish the final coat with a high quality synthetic bristle brush. When using a roller apply with a light hand, as a heavy handed roll will result in stippling in your paint finish - never a good look !

Finally mind your piece during the curing process which can be 7 to 14 days depending on the paint brand and conditions such as humidity and temperature. Then sit back and admire your hard work xx Ursula