When deciding to paint a piece of furniture its important to have the right base. Like in building a home, if the foundation is not sturdy the house will crack. The best product I swear by is bonding primer. I use it on every piece of furniture before I paint. (Even when the paint says no primer needed) Because I purchase older furniture that may have had a sordid past, I always use bonding primer to ensure that whatever may have seeped into the wood will be sufficiently covered. If you take the time and do this extra step before painting you will love the results!