If you don't want to sand before you prime, use some mineral spirits and a rough sponge to clean and lightly rough up the cabinet area you're painting. This doesn't open up the wood cabinet material as much as sanding but does get you some additional grippy area for the primer to adhere to.
Similarly to laminate furniture, older pieces of furniture often have a delicate top wood veneer. You can paint veneer furniture without sanding with the same steps as solid wood furniture. However, if you have to do any touch up sanding, make sure to use a very fine grit sandpaper so you don't damage the veneer.
If the veneer is in good condition and isn't chipping… you can sand, prime, and paint like you would any piece of furniture.
Look for 100 percent acrylic, semigloss self-leveling paint, Digmann suggests. This type of paint will help smooth out any worn areas or dings and will also be durable and easy to clean in high-use areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. (Matte finishes on cabinets tend to be harder to clean.)
'If you prefer not to sand to rough up the surface before you paint, you still have options that will work great. One option is to use a product called liquid sandpaper. It will chemically interact with the surface of the furniture to dull it and make it ready to paint.
The paint needs the primer to help it bind to the cabinets. Use a bonding primer, a stronger product than a regular primer, to ensure it sticks to the laminate. If you don't prime laminate candidates, the paint may quickly flake or peel.
Can You Paint Over Cabinets Without Sanding? Skipping the sanding step is OK if you're making a change from one newly painted surface to another, or painting raw, unvarnished wood cabinets.
Oil-based paints are a great choice for painting veneer furniture and nearly any other surface. This paint type is available in vibrant colors and leaves a shiny finish. A key benefit to oil-based paint is that it protects wooden surfaces from heat, moisture, and mold damage, as well as rot, insects, and abrasions.
If you're looking to update doors, kitchens or furniture that has been covered in a wood veneer, you will need to ensure you prep and prime the areas carefully before painting for the best results. Since wood veneer are thin slices of wood panelling, it is important this isn't damaged during the painting process.
Apply a thin and even coat of primer to the rest of the veneer surface. Primer provided a better adhesion of paint to the surface. Without it, your paint can prematurely peel. Once the primer has been applied, let it dry for at least three hours before applying your first coat of paint.
A sure way to recognize wood laminate is when the grain does NOT follow through your piece. Wood Veneer is a sheet or thin layer of 'quality-natural-hardwood' that is adhered to a lesser quality wood surface. Wood Veneers give the impression of a more desired quality wood without being as costly.
Painting a beloved, but perhaps slightly dated, piece of laminate furniture empowers you to easily freshen up your space—without spending a lot of money. Can you paint laminate? Yes—and it's actually quite simple.
The initial condition of the surface will determine what exactly will happen if you don't sand before painting. A clean, smooth, not glossy surface will take paint well. However paint can feel rough, streak, peel, chip, or even not adhere if not sanded first.
Conclusion: Chemical stripping is your better option for a veneered piece. If you have sanded veneer and feel comfortable doing, it can certainly be done, just be patient, start at 100 or 120 rather than a 60 or 80 grit. Don't press hard with the sander, let it do the work.
The key to painting over high gloss furniture is a good scuff sanding to break up and dull the shiny finish and an excellent BONDING PRIMER! Also, a big question is what type of paint to use on high gloss furniture? Once your shiny piece of furniture is prepped properly — ANY type of paint will work.
You can apply a stain to your wood veneer if you want to, but you don't have to. If you want to change the color or hue of the wood, staining will be necessary. Some stains are available as a finish and a stain all in one.
Whether or not you sand the cabinets before painting, you will want to use an interior enamel paint designed for cabinets, doors, or trim. Most cabinet paints are satin or semi-gloss.
DecoArt Satin Enamel Cabinet Paint
In the past, if you wanted to paint cabinets or furniture, you had to strip, sand and generally kill yourself getting a good surface ready to paint on. Now, with DecoArt's Satin Enamel paints, you don't need to do any of that.
Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 All Surface Primer
This is a great overall water-based primer that seals uniformly and will stick to surfaces without sanding.