Painting 1980's desk of particle board with contact paper
+16
I have an old computer desk I want to use for a sewing table but as you can see, it is particle board with contact type paper on top. I pulled the worst of it off a few years ago but am ready to fix it up. The second and third pics show the heavy plastic edging - it is in perfect shape. Should I just sand it a little and paint it? What would be the best way to deal with not getting paint on the edging? Thank you in advance. I LOVE Hometalk!!
Particle board with contact like paper from 1980's
Heavy plastic edging
Heavy plastic edging to show thickness
16 answers
-
Actually l like the looks of it with the particle board showing. You could either just clear coat it with a good quality polyurethane, of test a spot and see if it will take stain. As it is, it has a bit of a cork look to it. Stain would not adhere to the plastic/rubber edging so you wouldn't even have to mask it off. Just wipe as you go if you get some stain on it. At the worst, the poly could stick to it, but all you'd have to do is use a utility knife to carefully run between the top and the edge and then peel off the poly like you did with Elmer's glue when you were a kid off your fingers during art class in school.
![Z]()
Z
on Sep 04, 2015
-
Wow, it is in great shape. I think I would "blue tape" the edges before I tried to paint or put anything on the top esp. liquid. Does water bead up on the top? If it doesn't then I would not put anything liquid on the particle board altho it looks like it very tight and not flaking. Possibly some type of oil stain with built in finish would be nice. Have you considered some new contact paper type of finish?
![Gwennie]()
Gwennie
on Sep 04, 2015
-
It's in perfect shape except for that one corner. I bought it new in the 80's.
![Donna Makowski]()
Donna Makowski
on Sep 04, 2015
-
It appears to have multiple levels to it, so I would recommend taking a pic of it before taking it apart and make sure to label pieces and parts, so you can put it back together again after finishing it. First take blue painter tape and cover the plastic edging on the piece and check over the pieces to make sure that there are no dents and such on the pieces. If there are areas that have indentations you need to fill those in and let dry. Then the next step would be to sand all the pieces minus the plastic tape areas with the finest of sand paper sponge blocks so you can get good adhesion of your finish. I would paint the metal legs along with the other pieces. Think about using bronze color finish to the legs and then chose a paint color(s) that speak to you for the other parts of the desk parts. If you choose to use shabby paint for the color be sure to give the piece a protect finish, either by using a glaze or a poly coating.
![LD]()
LD
on Sep 04, 2015
-
If you don't want to get anything in the corner put painters tape on the piece before you do anything.
![Janet Pizaro]()
Janet Pizaro
on Sep 04, 2015
-
You might just get some more repositionable Contact paper in wood pattern (or any other pattern that you like) and apply right over the part where the particle board is exposed. In our former home I used it on one area of our kitchen counter top and it worked really well...durable, washable, etc.
![CK]()
CK
on Sep 05, 2015
-
You could always cover it with laminate sheeting. A 48" x 96" sheet of matte white is under $50 at Home Depot. Hub and I used it 30 years or so ago when we built a lake house. Can't remember now why we made our own rather than buy new, but it wasn't difficult. You can find how-tos online. Failing that, if you want to paint, which I admit is cheaper, try it on the bottom. You'd only need to do a small test spot. Good luck.
![Nancy Gramm]()
Nancy Gramm
on Sep 05, 2015
- See 1 previous
-
Painters tape on the edging is the answer to no paint there. Are you going to treat the keyboard part the same as the top or remove it? I'm assuming this is not a "forever" piece of furniture? Paint would be the least costly way to go. But even as thin as the contact paper is, you may see a division through the paint, of where it is and where you have removed it. You probably also want an easy to clean surface to protect your fabrics. Paint would be the easiest and can also be covered it you later decide on another kind of topping.
![Emily]()
Emily
on Sep 05, 2015
-
On this same day's posting I read about a woman who covered the top of a card table and chair seats with an iron on laminated material she bought at JoAnne Fabric. This might be a good solution to your problem.
![Dgoupil]()
Dgoupil
on Sep 05, 2015
-
hmmmmmm.......
![Donna Makowski]()
Donna Makowski
on Sep 05, 2015
-
You can buy iron on veneer in several different colors. I've done this with the stain able one. Just match the color to your edge. Worked well for me.
![Diane Wickham]()
Diane Wickham
on Sep 05, 2015
-
I've seen a lot of discussion about paper bag finishes. You might want to try something like that for your table.
![Swan Road Designs]()
Swan Road Designs
on Sep 05, 2015
-
You could cover it with Gesso and then paint it how you want.
![Barbara Brown]()
Barbara Brown
on Sep 06, 2015
-
Try a brown paper bag finish and top it of with several layers of clear acrilic spray
![Heliane Ripley]()
Heliane Ripley
on Sep 06, 2015
-
Look here : https://www.pinterest.com/pin/367395282077666592/
![Heliane Ripley]()
Heliane Ripley
on Sep 06, 2015
-
using a shellac based primer will let paint stick to almost any thing.
![Chipp47]()
Chipp47
on Sep 17, 2015
Z
on Sep 04, 2015
Gwennie
on Sep 04, 2015
Donna Makowski
on Sep 04, 2015
LD
on Sep 04, 2015
Janet Pizaro
on Sep 04, 2015
CK
on Sep 05, 2015
Nancy Gramm
on Sep 05, 2015
Emily
on Sep 05, 2015
Dgoupil
on Sep 05, 2015
Diane Wickham
on Sep 05, 2015
Swan Road Designs
on Sep 05, 2015
Sign Up to Answer
