Flipping Furniture for Profit – Income Ideas + Chalk Paint for Beginners

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Did you know that you can earn up to $40 per hour or more flipping furniture for profit?

I recently painted a coffee table I had found on Facebook marketplace and tripled my investment!

You might be thinking ‘But I’m not crafty, Melissa…like not at all…’

Thankfully, chalk paint and milk paint are very forgiving, and you can practice on pieces you already have at home before attempting to flip furniture for profit.

Chalk Paint for Beginners

You’ll need a can of chalk paint to get started. I really love Rustoleum Chalked Paint because it offers classic colors such as:

• Linen White
• Aged Gray
• Chiffon Cream
• Coastal Blue
• Other Colors Available

You’ll also need a chalk paintbrush and wax if you want to seal the piece. If you’re going for a more distressed look, you don’t have to seal it.

If the thought of waxing furniture is daunting and messy, consider using a topcoat sealer like this one.

If you’ve never painted a piece of furniture before, start with a picture frame you already own.

We all have old picture frames packed away. You can use chalk paint on virtually any surface with little to no prep.

This means you don’t have to sand it, strip it, or prime it (in most cases).

Rinse your paintbrush with water. Then, gently ‘flick’ the excess water out of the brush into the sink.

Using a slightly damp brush will keep the paintbrush from holding onto all of the paint, and it’ll give you a smoother glide across the surface.

Gently dip just the end of the paintbrush into your chalk or milk paint. Brush up and down, with the grain, carefully removing any stray bristles that may stick to your picture frame.

It helps to place the frame on top of two paint cans to keep it steady. You can also place it on a paper plate.

Chalk paint dries very quickly, so you’ll be able to add a second coat within 10-15 minutes or so.

Once both coats have dried, you can either sand, or wipe with a wet cloth, to distress (if needed), and then you can seal with wax or topcoat.

Once you have the hang of it, you can practice on a small piece of furniture, such as an end table.

How to Start a Furniture Flipping Business

The best part about flipping furniture for profit is that you can start with one piece at a time and snowball your income!

Start by paying cash for supplies (chalk paint, brushes, and sandpaper). Never go into debt starting a business. You can start your furniture flipping business for less than $40, so there’s no need to use credit cards.

You could literally start by painting photo frames and furniture within your home, but you might want to find furniture to attempt to sell.

Ideas for Flipping Furniture – Where to Find Great Pieces

I’ve found furniture for my own home and pieces to resell in many different places. Some of my best finds were at local shops near me, but here are some other ideas of where to find beautiful pieces to paint and flip for profit.

• Facebook Marketplace
• Estate Sales
• Antique Stores
• Goodwill
• Garage Sales
• Your Grandmother’s House

I’ve been pretty vocal about how much I hate Facebook here lately, but the one thing it is good for is finding furniture to flip.

When you’re first starting out, any solid wooden piece will do, but if you’re really wanting to maximize profits, here is a list of keywords to search for on Facebook marketplace:

• Solid Wood
• Wooden
• Dresser
• Headboard
• Ethan Allen
• Drexel
• Drexel Heritage
• Antique
• Vintage
• Bassett
• Mid-Century Modern
• Bernhardt
• Mahogany
• Chairs
• Table
• Coffee Table
• End Table

Keep your search simple. Start with 1-2 words and always add ‘wood’ or ‘wooden’ to your search to maximize results.

How to Make Money Flipping Furniture – Pricing Tips

Once you’ve painted your furniture or other items and are ready to list them for sale, you want to do a bit of research.

Because I’ve been flipping furniture as a side hustle for quite a few years now, I know what most furniture sells for in my area.

But you need to do research before you list your pieces for sale so that you price them correctly.

Chalk Paint Furniture Before and After

For example, I paid $30 for this coffee table. It is a heavy piece of furniture, and I know that people will pay good money for a solid piece!

It took me three 2.5-3 hours total to complete, so I priced it at $150. I actually didn’t think anyone would pay that much, but lo and behold someone did! I sold it the same day that I listed it for full price!

I earned approximately $40 per hour doing something that I love! For me, painting furniture is somewhat therapeutic!

I throw my hair in a messy bun, turn on a Hallmark movie, and get to work! It’s so much fun!

If you’re considering starting a furniture flipping business to earn extra money on the side, I think that’s a great idea! The best part is…you can flip furniture in your spare time even if you have a full-time job (or kiddos demanding your attention 24/7).