The dullest question EVER asked on MN....

[moondog]

Right,I've got some old wooden pieces (bookshelves) that I want to paint.
What do I do first?
Sandpaper?
What about primer?
What kind of paint can I use?
One coat or two?

God,I've just bored the arse off myself....

Blimey Pixie,only ever remember a blind (windows) shop there..am scratching head now.
Sooo glad you share my weakness Lafemme.
I have long been fighting the urge to have a really detailed conversation about steam cleaners.

You shouldn't need to strip the varnish, just sand it to give a key - the varnished bits won't need undercoat (the undercoat basically seals the wood and evens it out). Lightly sand theundercoat.

Oh and use a roller, not a brush if you can. One of those dinky little foam ones. If doing 2 coats, lightly sand the first before applying the second - you'll get a smoother finish.

\link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=1012&threadid=158979\Moondog, just for you}

\link{http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=2200&threadid=149897&stamp=060228084611\As you can see this one generated a lot of interest...not}

In fact the Gardening Club has a whole host of yawn inducing questions

Ah Pod..I am scared and jealous of people who know how to garden like grown ups.
Titter ye not.

How to hide ugly bins...? hmmm...

mmm, boring questions I have asked...
how much water do you use: response: nil
(cringingly) have you used bokashi to make your compost. response: nil.

so I guess it's not really true that you can be oblivious to how boring you are being. I guess the difference is I don;t really care. It's not quite the same as being ignored in rl is it?

I remember being surprised at the response to my 'how to wash towels so they're fluffy' thread

I remember it well Welshmum. wasn't vinegar inolved?

Primer and undercoat are different. You have to prime the wood first before undercoating to stop the paint sinking in.
You can however get an all-in-one primer/undercoat, which is very good.

You forgot to ask about brushes..
if you want a smooth finish use one of those small foam rollers, (no.. not hair...sigh)
you get no paint marks ....

And yet more gems!
Yhank you ladies!

To add my tuppenworth, if you want a super smooth finish, in between coats, sand with fine sandpaper and then wire wool for a really really professional finish.

If you wanted to be really imaginitve, you could put them in the skip and buy new ones

lafe, here's one to top yours.

What do you do when your skirting boards have been painted black, and you've paintend them white, but keep knocking them with the hoover? And making black spots on them?

We really do need that domestic topic!

I found this great wipe on primer (i didn't really find it my dad told me about it he's decorator) all you do is wipe it all over the varnished wood then gloss straight on top super easy grest finish with no hassle. Have used it all over the house, doors, cuboards and dado's.

primer is called esp easy surface primer or bulldog primer god i'm boring!

Not at all Carol.
I am lapping it up babes!