What is the best way to refinish laminate furniture?

Kiki
by Kiki
I have a few bookcases that are laminate/MDF and I’d like to paint them a different color, but I’ve read horror stories of people who did so and the paint didn’t adhere properly.

  5 answers
  • Lisa S. Lisa S. on Feb 16, 2018

    Wipe down with liquid sandpaper. Sand lightly. Use a primer like Kiltz. Then paint. I would try a small section first.

  • William William on Feb 16, 2018

    Make sure they are clean and dry. Prime with a good stain blocking primer like Kilz. Paint your color. Seal with at least three coats of a water based polyurethane. Use a foam roller and foam brush for a smooth finish.

  • Holly Kinchlea-Brown Holly Kinchlea-Brown on Feb 16, 2018

    If you use a chalk paint, fusion paint or pant specifically formulated for laminate you shouldn’t have a problem....chalk paint needs either a wax sealer or polycrylic to protect the finish afterwards and I would seal the fusion paint as well if the piece will be used frequently (ie dining table, kids room)

  • Homertalk Homertalk on Feb 16, 2018

    Don't do it. The pain simply scratches off. Even the paint specifically labelled FOR Laminate lasts only a short while as it gets scratched up from regalr use. It's junk. You can buy laminate in sheets from your local building centre. Get some water based contact cement, or if you can work outside the regualar cheap yellow contact cement works fine. Just don't breathe that poison. It cuts beautifully on a table saw. Cut your peices a 5mm oversized, apply contact cement to both surfaces, let it dry till it wont stick to the nail on your finger. Position carefully. Press into place firmly. (You can get a small hard rubber roller to make sure it's pressed down fine. I just use these meat-hooks I call hands and it works just fine.) Use a trim router with a ball bearing trim bit, and run it around your piece to trim it nice and flush to the surface. This part is child's play. The ball bearing on the bit ensures that you can't cut into the wood.(Idiot proof as they say.) Repeat the process until you have re-laminated your entire piece. And if you have the router and bit, the laminate might not be that much different in cost than a gallon of "special paint " that doesn't work at all.