Painted Bookcases For Our Homeschool Space

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EASY DIY Painted Bookcases For Our Homeschool Space

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I cannot believe it is already the end of October! It seems like summer was just here and we started on our homeschool journey. A few months in and things are going great! We have been really enjoying our new routine.

The only thing I still need to work on is our homeschool space. I really want a space that is inviting and fun for the kids yet blends seamlessly with the rest of the house. One of the things I needed to tackle was storage space for books and I was finally able to make some progress on that front.

Over the summer, I came upon a couple of bookshelves on FB Marketplace for only $10 each. They needed an update, but they were in good condition and had great bones.

As you know, I love giving furniture pieces makeovers so I was eager to give these bookcases a fresh look even though they were just simple bookcases. Sometimes it can be easy to overlook simple pieces like this when they are listed online. Even though they don’t have intricate design elements they can still make an impact in any room. Plus, they are functional pieces for storage and that’s a double bonus!

Now, these bookcases are pretty dark so one of the most important things I needed to consider was using a good primer to cover the dark color, especially since I was going to lighten it up. I also wanted to make sure the paint treatment would last, because after all, this was going to be used by kids.

I have used KILZ® Primer in the past with previous furniture projects and it has always worked great so it was a no-brainer that I would use it for this project as well!

For this go-around I used KILZ® All Purpose 2 Primer easily found at your local hardware store.

This primer is great for blocking medium stains including minor water stains, rust, grease, ink and even marker. It’s ideal for changing colors and reduces the number of coats of paint necessary to complete a project. KILZ® All Purpose 2 works both for interior and exterior applications and it can be applied on surfaces such as wood, drywall, plaster, paneling, masonry, and even metal.

Another great feature is that it works with oil and water-based paints so it gives you flexibility.

Application is easy. First, I made sure that the bookcase surfaces were clean. Then, I used a small angled sash brush as well as a 4 inch foam roller to apply the primer.

Applying the primer is simple. I like to use the angled brush to get in all of the nooks and creases first and then I roll over everything to make it smooth with the roller.

When applying it on long surfaces, I like to roll the roller from one end of the piece to the other. This helps ensure a nice smooth application straight across.

And I make sure to get every single last part of the bookcases. If it was getting painted, it was getting primed!

Now, if you ever use primer and notice that the primed piece looks a little streaky or uneven – this is perfectly normal. As long as it is covered, it is fine!

Just make sure it is completely dry before you move onto the next step!

Once the bookcases were dry I was ready to paint!

I have been liking more earthy and warm tones lately when selecting my colors. I really love Solid Wood from Magnolia Home by Joanna Gains®. It’s like a mushroom color (at least that’s what it looks like to me).

So I used this paint for the bookcases. I use the same angled sash brush for the creases and nooks, but for the roller, I prefer to use a Wooster Pro 4 inch roller for smooth surfaces. It gives the painted surface a smoother finish in my opinion.

It’s the same roller I use for my kitchen cabinets as well.

The second difference is that I always apply two coats of paint no matter what. For me, this is imperative as this ensures that the surface is completely covered.

I let the second coat dry for at least 24 hours so that the paint could properly cure. Then, it’s all about the decorating!

I used mostly books and things I had on hand, but I was able to get a few fun accessories to make the space for fun.

And what is a homeschool space without a globe?!??

We are slowly adding more books to our collection, but I think we have a great start!

I love how fresh and clean these bookcases look now with their new paint!

The final application looks great and the paint is holding up well!

If you are new to KILZ®, they have so many products available! They carry many different types of primers, paints and even specialty products. They are available at over 30,000 retailers and even online across both the United States and Canada.