A dining table and chairs is one of the most impactful furniture painting projects you can take on — and one of the most technically demanding. The table top in particular needs to be done right, because it's a surface that gets used hard every single day. Get it right and you'll have a beautiful, durable result that lasts for years. Rush it and you'll be repainting within months.
Here's how we approach dining furniture — including the one decision that makes the biggest difference to how long the finish lasts.
The Most Important Decision: Paint Choice
For dining furniture, we always recommend Artisan Mineral Paint over chalk finish paint. The reasons are straightforward: dining tables get food, drinks, cleaning products and daily handling. Mineral paint's water-resistant, washable, self-sealing finish handles all of that far better than chalk finish paint.
If you love the flat matte look of chalk finish paint, you can use it on the chairs and base of the table — but the table top should always be sealed with a durable polyurethane or water-based topcoat regardless of which paint you use. The top is the surface that matters most.
Best Colours for Dining Furniture
Dining furniture tends to suit colours that are either calm and neutral (so they don't compete with food and tableware) or bold and confident (so they become a deliberate statement). The middle ground — wishy-washy mid-tones — rarely works as well.
Our favourite Artisan colours for dining furniture:
- Cotton or Magnolia (mineral) — clean whites that suit almost any dining room
- Natural Linen or Moleskin (mineral) — warm neutrals that feel relaxed and inviting
- Charcoal (chalk) or Iron Gate (mineral) — dramatic and sophisticated; a charcoal dining table is a real statement
- Navy (chalk) or Regatta (mineral) — rich and classic; beautiful with brass or timber chairs
- Noir (chalk) or Jet (mineral) — bold black; pairs beautifully with natural timber chairs left unpainted
Painting the Table and Chairs Separately
One of the most effective dining furniture makeover approaches is to paint the table and chairs in different but complementary colours or finishes. For example:
- Painted table base + natural timber top (whitewashed or oiled)
- Painted chairs + natural timber table top
- Table in one colour, chairs in a complementary colour
This two-tone approach adds visual interest and is also practical — it lets you use a more durable finish on the table top while using chalk finish paint on the chairs for a softer look.
What You'll Need
- Artisan Mineral Paint (or Chalk Finish Paint + durable sealer)
- 180 and 220 grit sanding pads
- 400 grit for sanding between sealer coats
- Quality furniture painting brush
- Small foam roller for the table top
- Sugar soap or degreaser
- Polyurethane or water-based sealer for the table top
Step-by-Step: Painting a Dining Table
Step 1: Clean Thoroughly
Dining tables accumulate food residue, oils, cleaning products and wax. Clean every surface with sugar soap solution. Pay particular attention to the top surface. Allow to dry completely.
Step 2: Sand
Scuff sand the entire table with 180 grit. For the top surface, sand more thoroughly — this is the surface that needs the best adhesion. Wipe away all dust.
Step 3: Paint the Base and Legs First
Always paint the base and legs before the top. Any drips from the top onto the legs can be covered when you paint the legs, and you won't drag paint from the legs onto a freshly painted top.
Two thin coats, sanding lightly between coats.
Step 4: Paint the Top Surface
Use a foam roller for the top surface — it gives a significantly smoother result than a brush on a large flat surface. Apply a thin, even coat. Allow to dry completely, sand lightly with 220 grit, wipe away dust, and apply a second coat.
Step 5: Seal the Top (Essential)
The table top must be sealed with a durable topcoat. We recommend polyurethane for maximum durability on a dining table — apply 3 coats, sanding lightly with 400 grit between each coat. Allow each coat to dry fully before sanding.
The base and legs can be sealed with wax or a water-based sealer — they don't need the same level of protection as the top.
Allow the topcoat to cure for at least 7 days before using the table normally. Treat it gently in the first week.
Painting Dining Chairs
Dining chairs are more straightforward than the table — there's no large flat surface to worry about, and the finish doesn't need to be as durable as the table top.
- Remove any cushions or upholstered seats before painting
- Clean and lightly sand as for the table
- Apply two thin coats of your chosen paint
- Seal with wax or a water-based sealer
- For chairs that get heavy use, a water-based sealer is more durable than wax
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Not sealing the table top properly. An unsealed or under-sealed dining table top will mark, scratch and wear within weeks. Three coats of polyurethane is not excessive — it's the minimum for a dining table that will last.
Using the table before the topcoat has cured. Water-based topcoats feel dry to touch within hours but take 7–14 days to fully cure. Using the table before it's cured will leave marks and impressions in the surface.
Applying the topcoat too thickly. Thick coats of polyurethane bubble and dry unevenly. Thin coats, sanded between, give a much better result.
For more on sealing: How to Seal and Protect Painted Furniture
For colour inspiration: Best Paint Colours for Australian Homes 2026
