It’s Not the Paint’s Fault — It’s Yours (and I Say That with Love )

Let’s be honest for a second.

We’ve all had one of those “what in the world happened here?!” moments while flipping furniture. You’ve cleaned (well, sort of), painted your heart out, maybe even top-coated like a pro… and then, a few days later, you notice peeling, bubbling, or weird streaks that make you want to cry into your paintbrush.

The first thought?

“It must be the paint!”

Then we blame the poly, the brush, the humidity, the alignment of the moon… anything but what’s really to blame: Skipping steps during prep.

I say this with love, friend — your paint didn’t fail you. Your prep did.

If you prefer to listen rather than ready the podcast episode is below, just click to listen...

Prep Isn’t Glamorous… But It’s Everything

I get it. Cleaning and sanding are boring. You want to get to the good part — watching that transformation happen, seeing the before-and-after, sharing it online with “Look what I did!” vibes.

But skipping prep is like baking a cake without preheating the oven. Sure, you’ll technically get a cake… but it’s probably going to be a lumpy, gooey mess.

Furniture flipping works the same way.

Paint and topcoat only look as good as what’s underneath. Dirt, grease, furniture polish, smoke residue — all those invisible little culprits can wreck your beautiful finish before it even dries.

And yes, I learned this lesson the hard way.

My “Aha” Moment (AKA: The Wall-Paint Disaster)

When we moved into the house we live in now, my husband was up on the roof putting on new shingles, and I decided I’d handle painting the inside walls.

I didn’t clean the walls properly, I only wiped the walls down with a wet rag. Everything looked great… until I noticed weeks later the paint wasn’t sticking well. It looked blotchy, and in some spots, it literally peeled off in sheets.

That’s when I discovered two life-changing facts:

Paint doesn’t stick to dirt.
Wall paint (latex) has an elastic quality to expand and contract — so it's great for walls But it's terrible for furniture.

It was a humbling moment. But it also made me a much better flipper.

My “Do It Anyway” Rule

People love to tell you, “Oh, you don’t need to sand or clean first — this paint sticks to anything!”

And I smile and nod… then go clean and sand anyway.

Here’s why:

If you clean after sanding, you’re just grinding the dirt into the wood fibers.

If you skip cleaning altogether, you’re painting over invisible grime.

And if you trust marketing claims more than experience — you could be peeling your paint off in sheets by next week or noticing little chips when you (or your client) bump into it.

Prep is the one step that separates the flipper who’s frustrated from the one who’s profitable with a good rep.

My basic steps never change:

Clean
Repair
Sand
Clean again
Prime (if needed)

Every. Single. Time.

The Not-So-Secret Weapon: Krud Kutter

If you’ve followed me for long, you know I’m a Krud Kutter girl. I’ve tried the fancy cleaners, the DIY recipes, and the “just use vinegar” approach. Nope.

Krud Kutter gets the grime off without leaving a residue. I spray it on, let it sit a minute, wipe it down with Rags in a Box, and then rinse with clean water. For those extra-detailed, carved pieces, I break out my rotating scrub brush — total time-saver (I’ll link it below if you want to check it out).

Then I dry it completely — overnight if needed. Proper prep is not fast, but neither is regret.

The Heart Behind the Work

I can’t help but see spiritual lessons in all of this.

Maybe that’s just how my mind works, but it’s true.

When I clean up an old, forgotten piece, it reminds me how Christ finds us — dirty, dented, and headed for the dump. But with care and love, He cleans us up and makes us new again.

Bad to good. Ugly to beautiful.

That’s redemption — and that’s why I love flipping furniture so much.