Can You Paint Laminate Wood Shelves

These bookcases are made of a particle board like composite with a faux wood laminate exterior.

Can you paint laminate wood shelves. Using an all purpose cleaner degreaser wipe down the shelves to remove all dirt and grime. Several specialty companies make primer. Primer is important especially when painting over laminate. Applying in a well ventilated area begin painting at the top of the shelving unit holding the can of satin ivory 6 8 inches from the surface and paint using a sweeping side to side motion with slight overlap.

Rinse thoroughly with water and allow to dry. You ll just need to do some extra preparation before you get started. Avoid the pitfalls of. After scuffing the surface prime the laminate just like you would a wood surface.

C ommon concerns when painting laminate furniture are. With a high grit sandpaper and an oil based primer you ll be ready to paint over the laminate on your furniture so it looks updated and new. I d still recommend that orbital sander but regular ole medium grit about 120 sandpaper will be fine. Remember to wear an appropriate mask while working with paints stains and finishes.

And here s how to paint laminate wood shelves. Unlike wood laminate is a smooth non porous material so it really needs something to grab onto primer will do the trick. If you re painting straight on the laminate as in the furniture doesn t have a coat of paint on it in need of removal then you don t need to do as much sanding. With wood exposing the grain is vital for the paint to adhere to.

Laminate and melamine are designed to repel kitchen spills like food oil and water so they naturally repel paint also. Even though it s not solid wood you can still update your laminate furniture with a few coats of fresh paint. Unlike wood laminate and melamine cannot be sanded down to a natural grain because they have no natural grain. Manufacturers use this product to cover less expensive wood composite furniture to give the appearance of higher quality wood.

Follow the directions and warnings from your particular brand step 1. Laminate can be painted but it can not be stained. Laminate is a man made shiny smooth non porous material that is like a print or photo of wood grain.