How To Paint Over Laminate Furniture – With Chalk Paint

STEP 1: The Prep

Begin with a scuff sanding over the laminate surface with fine-grit sandpaper or a sanding block. I like the blocks as they are easier on this Grandma's hands. And if you have an  electric sander, by all means, pull that bad boy out. I’m all about quick and easy. After you have sanded the surface, you will need to clean it well. This can be done using a product called White Lightning. It cuts the dirt grime and anything else that could cause your paint finish to fail. Again, don’t miss this step. After cleaning with this product, be sure and rinse the surfaces clean with water and towel dry. Now you’re ready to proceed to the next step.

STEP 2: Creating A Bond For The Paint To Adhere To On Laminate

Creating a bond for the paint to adhere to is easy and my recommended product to use is Slick Stick. The name says it all. Use this product to prepare any slick surface you want to paint. Surfaces like PVC, glass, Formica, laminate, metal, and more are easily painted and stay painted.

*Slick is a problem-solving product and is not needed for every painted surface.

How To Use Slick Stick:

Application Apply one coat of the Slick Stick bonding primer with a quality synthetic paintbrush and allow to dry 2-3 hours to dry at room temperature. Apply a second coat and allow to dry overnight before painting your project.

* I like to test the surface by lightly scratching my fingernail across it the next day. This gives me the reassurance that the bond is solid and ready for paint.

STEP 3: Applying Paint Over Laminate Furniture

Now that your surface has been prepared, choose a good quality paint in your choice color and paint away! Of course, I prefer chalk mineral paint over latex, but it’s your choice. For this project, I chose to use Caviar (black chalk mineral paint) and was worried about painting over white but was pleasantly surprised when it was covered in two coats. Who doesn’t love black?

STEP 4: Apply A Top Coat For Added Durability On Laminate

Lastly, you’ll want to add a topcoat over your newly painted laminate surface for extra durability.

Check out the edgy design I chose for this MCM Credenza, and I’m seriously swooning over those hairpin legs. Hello, I think the 1970s wants its furniture back! And no one will know it’s laminate. It’s our secret.

*Would you like to learn more about painting furniture or how I created this design without a stencil? Join me in The Art Of Painting Furniture Subscription Video Library.

Happy painting… xo, Do 🙂