What is the best way to get a lacquer look paint finish?

Mary B
by Mary B
My daughter wants to paint the nursery dresser a shiny lacquer green. The base of the dresser is wood. The top is a laminate. What is the best process. Has anyone ever done this? This is the color green she wants. Any suggestions for paint brand and color would be wonderful!
  9 answers
  • Darla Darla on Aug 13, 2014
    About the smoothest finish you can get easily is oil based glossy paint or enamel applied with a good roller. Make sure to keep it in a dust free area while it dries. The water based paint tends to retain brush marks.
  • Mary B Mary B on Aug 13, 2014
    Thanks, do you mean a regular paint roller or a foam roller?
  • Patty Swanson Patty Swanson on Aug 13, 2014
    Mary B...We have recently completed 2 projects....the bottom of my farmhouse table in Hunter Green and my Adirondack chairs....Grass Green. We used Rustoleum 2X and it does such a good job. Shiny and easy spray paint. Great selection of colors and not too expensive. It will cover most anything.
  • Becca Becca on Aug 13, 2014
    You can use a product call flowetrol (sp?). It keeps the brush marks from showing.
  • Dyana Elkins Dyana Elkins on Aug 13, 2014
    May sound crazy, but I would use acrylic paint and 2-3 coats of polyurethane over it
  • Cori Warner Cori Warner on Aug 13, 2014
    Floetrol only works with latex paints, and is advertised as giving latex paints the same self-leveling property as oil based paint. It helps, but you will get the finish you want with oil based paints. Also, with the laminate top, and going into a child;s room, you will get the best durability with an oilbased high gloss laquer finish. For the most durable finish of all, take it to an auto body shop and have them paint it for you if it's in your budget.
  • Ray Phillips Ray Phillips on Sep 13, 2014
    Paint is not going to stay on the laminate top unless you sand it first. I agree with Cori Warner if you have the budget take it to a body shop. Call around before you go because most body shops don't want to do something like this.
  • Steffony Steffony on Jan 30, 2015
    Prime & paint with Rustum spray paint for plastic furniture. Then seal with clear coat may take 2-3 clear coats. Vent well .please wear mask.
  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Oct 02, 2022

    You will need to strip the paint off the laminate top (unless it is not going to get much wear, as it will scratch etc. You would need to use a special Primer for that job!