French Polishing and Bespoke Furniture
Oil -based paints are much less forgiving with mistakes and take longer to dry. Acrylic or latex paints, which are water based , are the easiest paints to use.
As it turns out, not only can you spray paint wood without sanding – you can also spray paint pressed wood /particle board (which some parts of this desk were) and even that papery cardboard panel on the back. All of it you guys. Just spray paint ALL of it. Then let it dry and do it again.
Sand the Surfaces Since particleboard furniture faced with laminate has a glossy finish, it’s difficult for paint to stick to the surface. Sand the entire item with fine-grit sandpaper or a sanding block to remove any old finish, lacquer, or gloss.
Sand the pressed wood furniture with 220-grit sandpaper until the finish appears dull. Wipe down the pressed wood with tack cloths. Set the pressed wood furniture on a heavy-duty fabric drop cloth. Coat the pressed wood furniture with oil-based primer, using a natural-bristle paintbrush.
STEPS First, apply the primer with the roller in larger areas, and fill in the smaller corners with the brush. Let the primer dry completely and sand with a fine sanding block. Let the primer dry completely again, and then apply the paint color of choice. Sand until smooth, and apply a second coat if needed.
Yes SAND! Laminate is a slick and non-porous surface so it’s best to lightly scruff the surface. I use 150-220 grit sandpaper to sand the laminate because it’s the BEST way to get the primer and paint to adhere properly.
Here are 5 Ways To Paint Furniture Without Sanding : USE A MINERAL PAINT . Mineral paint is very similar to chalk style paints in that no prep or prime is required. USE MILK PAINT + BONDING AGENT. As I already mentioned, the antique desk in this post was not prep- sanded . USE A BONDING PRIMER. USE A LIQUID SANDER /DEGLOSSER.
Can you paint over varnished wood without sanding ? Yes. There are a few ways to do this, but we choose to use an oil based primer to prepare our varnished wood for new paint . The oil based primer will stick to varnished or sealed wood .
If you see the grain but the pattern tends to repeat and it lacks texture and feels perfectly smooth, it’s probably veneer . If it lacks grain altogether, it’s most likely laminate .
The 2 Best Ways to Paint Laminate Furniture ~ Method #1 Clean the Surface. This dresser was dusty so all that was needed to clean it was a soft cloth dampened with warm water. Lightly Sand the Entire Piece. Yes SAND! Prime. I used B.I.N shellac based primer. Paint . Protect with a Sealer/Topcoat.
Oil or lacquer -based paints will work best for painting particle board. However, if you have primed the wood with an oil -based primer , you should be able to use water -based paint without the particle board absorbing any water . A variety of different colored paints should be available at your local hardware store.
The primer is the key to a good paint finish on particleboard . A water-based primer such as latex causes particleboard to swell, so it shouldn’t be used. A solvent-based primer such as oil or lacquer is required to prep the surface for paint . Latex, oil or lacquer paints can be used once the primer dries.
You can sand, prime and paint laminate as if it were a solid wood piece of furniture ! Because it’s often somewhat glossy-looking, and important to sand it down until the finish is very dull before priming. We recommend using 120 grit sandpaper for this. And, unlike real wood , it’s unnecessary to sand with the ‘grain’.
Pressed wood furniture is composed of particle board finished with a veneer to give it the appearance of solid wood . Because pressed wood furniture does not accept stain well, you should refinish it with enamel instead.
You do not want to sand through the surface, but merely dull it down. Do not use a courser grit sandpaper , as scratches might show through the finish coat, especially if spray paint is used. Whether your furniture piece warrants this effort is a choice you will have to make, but it can be done!