It's easy to skip the sanding step, because sanding is a drag… but it's especially important with laminate. Because it's often somewhat glossy-looking, and important to sand it down until the finish is very dull before priming. We recommend using 120 grit sandpaper for this.
Don't skip sanding. Laminate has a synthetic, glossy surface, so sanding is especially important. Don't oversand. Laminate is a thin material, so be gentle to make sure you don't break through the top layer.
All of the primers that we tested ended up sticking to the laminate. But some needed sanding before priming! Both the Bulls Eye 123 primer and the Country Chic Paint Bonding Primer need the laminate to be sanded before priming to really stick.
Using 120-grit sandpaper, lightly sand the laminate surface in a circular motion. Don't worry if the furniture starts to look a little dull and less glossy, this is what you want to happen. Avoid sanding too much or you might tear up the laminate from the surface, or even make a hole.
A: Like most rules, there's always an exception, so YES, you can paint laminate furniture without sanding or priming IF you use the right kind of paint. You can skip the primer if you are painting laminate furniture with chalk paint.
The best way to ensure paint on laminate lasts is to sand the surface and use a good bonding primer, followed by two layers of high-quality latex paint and a durable top coat – allowing each layer to dry thoroughly before adding the next.
The BIN shellac-based primer, Cover Stain primer, and clear shellac primer mentioned above all come in aerosol spray paint cans and are SO good at getting paint to stick to laminate cabinets or furniture.
Primer is important, especially when painting over laminate. Unlike wood, laminate is a smooth, non-porous material, so it really needs something to 'grab' onto—primer will do the trick! It's suggested that primer takes seven days to completely dry.
For painting laminate furniture, you want to do at least 2 coats of primer and let them cure completely (overnight if you can!) in between coats. You can even sand in between coats for maximum adhesion.
Tip: Latex paint is recommended for laminate surface painting projects because of its durability and smooth finish.
Since laminate or most IKEA furniture has a high gloss smooth finish you'll need to start with a primer. Not just any primer will do, it needs to be Zinsser BIN Shellac-Based Primer because it is a shellac based primer and a water-based or oil-based primer won't hold.
Unlike wood, however, laminate floors don't have any grain. The color and grain you see are actually just images printed onto the fiberboard and sealed by a layer of protective resin. Accordingly, too much sanding on laminate could end up scratching the underlying image and distorting the look of the board completely.
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.
Step three: Prime
Priming is really important with laminate furniture, so don't jump straight to applying the paint as this will be wasted effort. If the laminate has never been painted before, you will need to apply two coats of primer.
I like to do at least two coats of primer, and I strongly recommend you do two coats of primer for laminate kitchen cabinets (or bathroom cabinets) where you're going to subject them to everyday use.
Most water-based primers dry relatively fast, in 3 or 4 hours. After that, they will be good to use for the next 30 days. As long as you paint your surfaces in that time period, your paint will stick with no problems.
| Hunker. You can remove laminate from cabinets and paint the pressed wood as long as it's MDF. If it's particleboard, you probably won't be happy with the results.
You should mix equal portions of water, rubbing alcohol, and vinegar. The next step is to add a few drops of dish soap to the solution and mix until soap suds begin to form. This mixture will usually lift any kind of paint. Water-based paints are lifted since the water and vinegar will dissolve them again.
What happens if you paint laminate cabinets without using a primer first? 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.
The first step is the trick to painting laminate. It's not difficult, but to create a base for the main paint to stick to you'll need to prime the furniture first. The best primer to do that is Zinsser BIN Shellac-Based Primer.
Laminate is not wood. It is a plastic coating, or a plastic-type coated paper. The KEY to having the paint stick is to use the proper primer. I recommend using Zinsser Oil Based Primer.
Get This Look: Start with a high-quality primer that promotes adhesion, like KILZ 2® All-Purpose. This formula is designed to help paint adhere to a variety of surfaces, from rough wood to glossy laminate.