As expected, once I got the idea to update the trunk in our new downstairs laundry/family room, I knew I was going to have to follow through on my mint green and gold dreams.

Here’s where things started:

On old, dinged-up trunk that I got for free (and I think was maybe originally from Cost Plus?  Who knows.)

I removed the hardware from the trunk (2 back hinges, 2 side handles, front closure, and unscrewed the internal hinge) so I could paint those separately.  Removing the hardware also made painting the trunk a lot easier, because I didn’t have to tape and paint around anything.

Here’s the trunk with the hardware removed:

First I primed and painted the hardware, using Kilz spray primer and Rustoleum metallic gold spray paint.

Original hardware:

Primed:

Painted:

If you’re thinking that metallic gold spray paint is awesome — well, you’re right.  It totally is.

Next I got to work on the trunk.  First I sanded down the surfaces I wanted to paint using an electric sander.  Like I’ve said before, I hate sanding, so I just did a quick once-over with the sander to rough up the surface to make sure the primer would adhere.

I then did one solid coat with the primer (Glidden Gripper, you are amazing), and let that dry:

I didn’t bother to paint the inside of the trunk because I a. didn’t want paint to potentially get on any of the 47 blankets I like to store in there and b. I didn’t think it was necessary since no one was really going to see that anyway.

After the primer dried, I started in with the paint.  I used a small roller and brush to apply 2 solid coats of Behr Kiwi Squeeze (allowing time to dry in between), and did an extra coat on the top of the trunk, since that would likely get the most wear and tear.

All painted:

After that dried, I screwed the (newly gold) hardware back on, and left the trunk in the basement to cure:

Once the paint had cured for 7 days, I sprayed the top with a couple coats of indoor water-based polyurethane to seal it (since it will likely have drinks sitting on it, food/water/whatever).

And now, the how-to:

How to Paint a Wood Trunk

 Materials I used:

• Trunk (obvi)
• Screwdriver (to remove hardware)
• Sandpaper (I used 100 medium grit)
• Optional: electric sander (makes life so much easier)
• Clean dry cloth
• Drop cloth
• Paint brushes (1 for primer, 1 for paint) and small roller (for paint)
• Glidden Gripper Primer in white
• Paint (I bought a quart of Behr regular semi-gloss in Kiwi Squeeze)
• Kilz Original Primer Sealer Spray (for the hardware)
• Rustoleum Metallic Gold Spray Paint (for the hardware)
• Indoor Water-Based Polyurethane Spray (semi-gloss finish — the seal the top)

How I did it:

1. Remove hardware with a screwdriver and place on a drop cloth.  Spray with 1-2 coats Kilz Original Primer Sealer Spray and let dry.  Spray with Rustoleum Metallic Gold Spray Paint — as many coats as you need to get the coverage you want, allowing time to dry between each coat.
2. Sand the surface of the trunk where paint will be applied with medium-grit sandpaper.  A quick once-over with an electric sander should do the trick — you’re just looking to rough up the surface a little so the primer will adhere.
3. Wipe down the trunk with a clean, dry cloth to remove any dust and then transfer it onto your drop cloth.
4. Paint 1-2 light coats with Glidden Gripper Primer, making sure that all surfaces that will be painted are well covered and let dry.  Don’t worry if the coverage isn’t opaque yet, the paint will take care of this.  You want to just make sure that the primer is covering all surfaces so the paint has something to adhere to.
5. Paint trunk with at least 2 solid coats of your paint of choice (I like to use semi-gloss for furniture), allowing time to dry between each coat.  I do more coats on surfaces that will get a lot of use — like tabletops, the top of the trunk, etc.  Using a roller for this step is helpful because you don’t end up with brush stroke marks on your piece of furniture.
6. Once the paint has dried, reattach the hardware and let the paint cure for at least a week.
7. Once the paint is set and cured (it no longer feels at all sticky or tacky), spray the top of the trunk with at least 2 coats of the Polyurethane Spray to seal it, allowing time to dry between each coat.

And voila!  Brand new trunk.

Finalized pictures of the piece in our laundry/family room will be up tomorrow!