repainting a set of dresser drawers

I have a set of dresser drawers which is solid wood.  Unfortunately I do not know what kind of wood it is.  It is  painted a glossy white and I want to change it to a glossy black.  Do I have to sand all of the paint off or do I lightly sand off some of the old paint and then paint over it?   What kind of paint should I use?  Since it will be a glossy paint should I use the foam rollers to avoid brush marks?  Thanks in advance for any suggestions.stephw

lightly sand so no gloss is left on existing paint and the surface is smooth, but not so smooth that the new coat won't adhere to.  I would use a good enamel paint from your favorite brand, in my opinion nothing beats enamel for cabinets etc.. As far as applying the enamel/paint I would spray it, if not, why not try an area and see which one you like.

Yes, use the foam rollers for a smooth finish.  You'll probably need several coats, as the rollers leave a thin coat. Better, lasts longer. After the light sand, I'd use a primer, just to improve the way it adheres. I  personally like to use the acrylic paints for furniture. Fast drying and doesn't stink with a water clean-up.  Wal-mart sells some that are very good., last forever and come in a variety of colors. A quart is about $7. Should be all you need.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

First remove old paint and stain using 80 or 100 grit sandpaper. Use a spray primer, as it usually gives a neater, thinner coat than a brush-on primer does and paint it with your favourite paint (made for wood)

I agree you should remove the old paint first, use a Eco-friendly water based stripper they are safer to use and much more pleasant (no fumes). Then prime then paint this will make the paint last much longer and look better. For a dresser I would spray on paint for a smoother finished look. My stripper of choice is called Home Strip its the most effective (I've found) of the green paint strippers out there. Good luck with your project!

A light sanding is all that's necessary..........just enough to kock off the gloss and give the primer something to "bite" onto.  Use a quality bonding primer such as Zinsser's 1-2-3.  Apply the primer and let it dry for a day or so.  Then you can apply your topcoats.  It's really not necessary to remove the old paint if you're REPAINTING the dresser.  In fact, sanding and removing old paint may expose you to lead.

Yes you should sand it off first before anything else.

You do need to sand off the old pain first. What type of paint you use should depend on how much use the dresser is going to see. If it's going to be used a lot, choose a paint that won't easily chip and is easy to clean. 

I am also not very familiar with pieces of furniture and I had the same kind of dilemma when someone gave me a nice looking armoire. The wood looks like the same that you have described here. Then, someone told me to look at the outlet store that sells custom-made old-fashioned pieces of furniture to get some ideas. I do surf the internet a lot, but it is very different to look at pieces of furniture for real and feel their texture. Try to visit Brandenberry, an Amish Furniture Outlet store.

You needn't worry for the type of wood that you are having. Just make sure its rubbed well with sand paper prior to re painting and also after you finish the sand paper work, go for applying a primer as that would bring a smooth finish for your wood surface. I contacted an online portal for my furniture solutions. I think you would like to view there services. Just Google them out for everything outdoor furniture. They lay an immense help in every regard.