how do I prepare furniture for repainting?

I have a bed side table that is painted in white paint. It is old and I want to repaint it white but am not sure how to prepare it. Do I need to take all the paint off or can I paint over it?

Answers:
Personally I would sand off the old paint.
Use a rough grade sandpaper and finish off with a fine grade to get a smooth finish.
Then paint it, making sure you've wiped all the dust off it.
Give it a couple of coats.

Have you considered varnishing it for a different look? If it was white before why not go for a change?

Other answers:
you can paint over it, but prime it first. you can also lightly sand it to rough it up so the new paint will stick if you don't want to prime it.
you can paint over it, but prime it first. you can also lightly sand it to rough it up so the new paint will stick if you don't want to prime it.
Sand and prime. Use GRIPPER primer from Home Depot if the furniture has a lacquer or shiny surface. The GRIPPER primer allows you to primer over surfaces that may not be totally sandable. It's a bit thick so use it sparingly.
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