How I Painted My Piano

At The Point
27 Comments

I am shy about writing a” how to” post since the paint is barely dry and I haven’t lived with it long enough to know if it’ll stick.  I’ve had a lot of questions about how I painted my piano, so I’m going to tell you.  But keep in mind….I’m no expert.  I sure don’t want to be responsible for anyone else’s piano.

I told you last week that I decided to use oil paint.   And I should also tell you that I emailed back and forth with three piano tuners who all told me that, while it was a crazy idea, it wouldn’t affect the sound.  That was all I needed to hear.

To begin, I took it apart as much as I could without touching any of the actual instrument.   All of the removable pieces went onto the front porch.

Next I applied liquid stripper.  I let that sit for about 20 minutes and started sanding it off.  I sanded.  A lot.  Honestly, I couldn’t tell if it was doing much.  One of the tuners I emailed told me that pianos have the finish baked on and it may be hard to get off.  This was true….that sleek surface stayed pretty smooth.  I still worked to get it as scuffed up as I could.  Then I wiped it down with damp cloths.

The primer and paint were both oil based.  The color is by Olympic B58-3.  It’s called Alpine Valley and I got it at Lowe’s.

I used a sponge roller made for cabinets and doors as much as I could and a brush for everything the roller couldn’t reach.

I let that dry overnight and then gave it a light sanding.  Then I started painting.  The painting process was the same as priming….brush and roll, brush and roll.

Next day, sand again and add second coat.  Overnight.  Sand.

This last sanding was fun.  In addition to sanding out drips and globs, I went around the edges.  Sometimes I’d sand all the way down to the original brown.  Sometimes I’d just let the primer show.

Then I let it cure for three days and gave it a coat of polyurethane.

Now I am going to wait a week or so and give it one last top coat and I will be completely finished.

I do have a confession to make, lest you think it all went perfectly smoothly.  Within the first 20 minutes of priming I spilled more than half of my quart of primer into the piano.  It was like slow motion…..NnnnnnnnnooooooOOO!!!   I thought my heart was going to stop.  The good news is that all but a tablespoon landed on the newspaper I had used to cover the delicate inner workings.  The primer that slipped beyond the newspaper barrier went down the side and didn’t get on any of the music making part.  I screamed for help, four kids came running and we scooped up the newspaper with the  three cups of paint on it and dropped it into a bowl.  I dipped out of that newspaper bowl for the rest of the project.  And to be totally honest, I was too lazy to go get more newspaper to cover that spot again, which is why only half of the piano top is covered in the picture.

So here’s my number one tip if you decide to paint your piano….keep your can of paint on the ground.

We are pretty careful with our things, so I wasn’t worried if it needed to be handled with care.  I have given my little pianists strict instructions: no drinks on the piano, don’t drag your music books across the top, don’t put toys on it, etc.  These should all be rules anyway, right?  At least in theory.  My plan is to keep a baby food jar of the paint in the kitchen for touch ups.  I do that with most things I paint.  Then if it chips I can just dab my finger in the jar and fix it in a second.

If any of you actually try this, I’d love to see pictures!  Maybe we’ll start a trend.

27 Comments

  2. Question….why not just prime and paint, without all the sanding; do you think the outcome would be the same? After reading this second post, I am really thinking hard about doing this.

  3. Desi, I really wanted a smooth look. I would have little spots that were drips or bumps and I wanted them to be smoothed out. Sanding after each coat wasn’t really a big deal and only took about 10 minutes each time. I think it helped make it look less “hand done.” I would REALLY like to know if you do it….I’m so excited! Lisa~

  4. I’m new to blogging and when I saw your page w/this amazing project I am addicted! I have often thought of giving my unused piano a new look and you have blazed the trail for me!! You are so courageous!
    What is the color of your walls – they’re beautiful as is the piano and decor.
    MJ

  5. Holy Cow! I just found your blog & I am in love! You are so very talented! I have been thinking of painting my piano for years. My hubby thinks I’m crazy, but now after seeing how beautiful your’s turned out I’m doing it! Thank you for the inspiration! Now I’m off to check out the rest of your blog!
    .-= Jamie´s last blog ..{ Inspiration: Bedrooms } =-.

  7. WOW…one word that is all I have!!!

    This is a project I have wanted to tackle with my old ugly brown piano as well. My walls are chocolate brown and the piano just blends right into the wall. My accent colors are aqua and white….and an aqua piano would seriously be the icing on the cake!!! Thanks for the inspiration and the encouragement to try it myself.

    ~Amanda
    .-= Amanda@ImperfectlyBeautiful´s last blog ..Out With the Dark…In With with the Light =-.

  10. That is just beautiful. I hope I can get up the courage to paint my piano this summer. My piano is the same one my dad learned to play on in the 1940s. It wasn’t in perfect shape when I was a kid, and now the finish is just kind of worn out. It’s sitting in my family room just staring at me. Thanks for the inspiration!
    .-= Carolyn´s last blog ..Make it Yours Day {19} =-.

  11. I love your painted piano. I’ve seen another blue one and a green one on others’ blogs. It’s really great. The bummer was that I saw these AFTER I said no to an aesthetically ugly baby grand. Oh how I wish I would have taken it and painted it. My friend and I laughed about painting it or decopaging it but didn’t dare. After all, the piano was free. But the practical side got the best of me and I sent it on to someone else. Sigh. I wish I would have seen this before… Thanks for the inspiration for the future.

  13. We ARE two peas in a pod!

    I recently also had my “NOOOOO!” moment when I spilled an entire gallon of yellow paint on the tile floor of our kitchen. I had to “911” text my husband home from a meeting so he’d help me, I was crying. Lol, in hindsight it’s funny. {And, yes, it all got cleaned up.}

    Your piano turned out beautifully! I love the color!
    I linked to your blog as well {I was going to before you mentioned it, I swear!}
    .-= Heather´s last blog ..{New for 2010} =-.

  14. Wow! Everyone loves your piano including me! Unbelievably gorgeous, might even make you want to play it more. Love you, Cherie

  17. I love that you painted your piano! I have one that is very similar that I would LOVE to paint. I think my MIL would kill me though. It was her mom’s piano who passed away about 7 yrs ago, but I think she is a little miffed that SHE didn’t get the piano. Our piano is definitely a giant brown glob in the corner so I have decided rather than risk my relationship with my MIL and paint the ENTIRE piano and I going to paint the bench a bright fun color and re-upholster it as well. That should lighten things up a bit.
    Thank for sharing your project. I like people who are crazy enough to paint a piano…I mean why NOT?!

  18. Hello Lisa, I received a link to your page via Leslie Hoyt (Goodbye House! Hello Home!), a dear friend I met through blogging. This is absolutely beautiful. I was surprised by the tears rolling down my face, especially when I saw that perfect word sitting on top–forgive. I would love to paint my piano but must admit I’m shaking in my boots about it. Do you highly recommend the stripping or is it a step that can be skipped? Also, did you paint the inside crevices around the keys? I would absolutely use that gorgeous color you chose. Thank you for sharing.

  19. I just got a piano FREE from a family friend and I hate the yucky yellowish orange brown. The second I got it in the house and to it’s rightful spot I said to my husband…I am so going to paint this thing! You would believe how many people have tried to talk me out of it! I haven’t had a chance to get to the project yet but i guarantee they will not stop me!! I will pursue this project! Especially after reading this!! I can’t wait to get to it! I was thinking a shabby chic kind of red with a sanded edge like yours but after seeing that gorgeous blue I’m torn!! =)

  20. I am sooo glad I found this post! I’ve had this idea in my head but couldn’t imagine doing it – I’ll be picking up my grandmother’s piano next weekend and will be giving it a little facelift, hopefully very soon, and I have you to thank for the inspiration!

  21. Wow! This is amazing! Really. I’ve been wanting to redo my piano for years, but just haven’t been quite sure where to start. You’ve given me inspiration. Just one question; why did you decide to go with oil base paint? I’d appreciate any tips.
    Thanks,
    Meg

  22. The piano is beautiful. I agree with Sarah K, it makes me want to go out and by a piano and paint it.

  23. Pingback: how we painted our piano » Betsy King Photography

  24. Love the piano! Love everything about it. The color is beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial.
    We are about to get a console piano, I am thinking of painting it. Now I have a good starting point.
    Did I mention that I love the color? 🙂

  26. I’m glad you posted this! I recently inherited my childhood piano from my dad with all the (secret) intentions of painting it! I think it’s actually in pretty good condition considering it’s age, so I’m a little nervous about doing it, BUT I can very vividly see it’s potential for being an AWESOME piece of art in my home! Too bad I’m having baby # 3 in 3 weeks (I mean…not too bad…you know what I mean)! In time, in time. I guess in the next year I will be working hard to find the “perfect” color!

  27. How ironic I found this. I have the exact same piano and was considering the exact same color to paint it! Mine was my grandmothers. I grew up playing it and I got it from her since I homeschool my kids. I didn’t tell her yet I want to paint it but I asked where she got it from and it wasn’t from anybody overly special. That takes some of the sin away from painting it, no? So fortunate I got to see what piano will look like if I do choose this color!

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