Choose a product that features strong adhesive properties over one that covers stains, if you have to make that choice. For my piece, the end result was subtle. This article received 18 testimonials and 93% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Make sure to prime laminate furniture before painting. This coming week, Im finishing up the floor painting and Ill have that ready to show you next week! These Ikea chests have helped me work out a better clothing storage solution for my kids upstairs attic bedroom. Its available in various colors, and you can also paint laminate to look like a piece of wood furniture but what steps do you need to follow to make your laminate look like wood? Once youve determined a color you want, compare your desired wood tone to the current tone of the laminate wood. Some areas will appear darker than others, but that will only enhance the wood grain effect. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 659,420 times. If you don't have the time for trial-and-error, you can get reasonably predictable results by using a paint comb and a wood-graining rocker. Remove the cabinet doors and lay them on a flat surface. Which part should I do first? You might be wondering: Can you really paint laminate furniture? Coat your project with a polyurethane glaze. Discover all my favorite brands and tools for doing DIY makeovers here. For extra smoothness, lightly sand between coats also. I used 220-grit sandpaper to gently smooth out some areas where the finish was uneven. Once your laminate piece is dry and the seams are taped off, youll need to mix: This will give you a thinner solution that you can apply with a rocker. I ordered them immediately. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. I applied about 2 coats of primer, letting it dry between each coat. If you make a mistake, you can erase it by simply spreading more glaze. If you find youve gone too dark, use a clean damp cloth to remove the finish as quickly as possible. Youll need to take your time so that you dont miss any spots! When I first saw the curtains, I nixed the idea of using them because Id planned to paint a floral motif in a mural on the wall behind my daughters bed. The difference in wood tones may not be super obvious at first and thats okay. You will need to prime all surfaces of your piece before moving forward with any other steps like adding color coats or applying protective sealant. Click the images below to see what projects all the other bloggers are up to this week: You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! References Even though Chicago Grey is a light gray, it isnt too light you can see the difference below versus the white primer on the drawer. Some furniture looks like its made out of solid wood, but it's actually covered in a thin, wood-patterned paper called laminate. Cheap is awesome but free is best, right?! With over 20 years of experience, James specializes in exterior and interior painting, drywall, powerwashing, wallpaper, staining, sealing, and carpentry. Faux painting is a craft that takes some time to master, especially when trying to simulate something as complex as wood grain. Draw the comb along the edge of the rocker pattern whenever you want to create the impression of a separate plank. Since this is a French Provincial style dresser, I gave it some subtle glam with metallic paint in the grooves and on the curvy details. Thanks, "I'm planning on painting my desk to match my new room decor. The glaze will add a gloss to your project and protect it from spills. Another way to vary the pattern to give the same impression is to draw the rocker in the opposite direction. I bought them anyway, assuming they were covered in a wood veneer (a super thin cut of real wood) and I could just alter the stain color. Sand the doors separately. Roll the mixture onto one side of the cabinets or one of the doors with a 4-inch roller. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? This way you can feel comfortable tipping the table to it's side or upside down so you can complete the bottom without scratching or marring the newly painted top. Then, apply a coat of an acrylic latex paint with a brush or roller using short, even strokes. To do this, use a simple screwdriver that fits the type of screw used on your furniture. Support wikiHow by After youve applied your primer, wait for everything to dry before moving on with color coats. As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies. Quick question: can I replace the primer you mentioned for Stix primer? ", "A very nice tutorial! It had a few issues and its not a great quality piece, so I almost dropped it off at the thrift store a couple weeks ago. This will help you get rid of any rust spots or scuffs that are on your item. Run the paint comb along one edge of the surface, holding it at a 45-degree angle, starting at one end and pulling it in a straight line all the way to the other end. I also loved how much more space this gave her to play in the room. Apply a light coat of the darker mixture to the laminate surface, and using the rocker tool, rock it back and forth in one sweeping motion in the direction of the assumed wood grain. The goal is to spend less than $500 and show you 5 different DIY projects that you can incorporate in your own home. Laminate is an inexpensive and durable option that can be easily wiped clean when kids or pets come in contact with it. Recalling how much plaid we have throughout the rest of our home, I was instantly enamored with the idea of bringing in a masculine pattern to counteract the polka dots in the rug. Set the rocker on one end of the surface with its edge overlapping the comb pattern and draw it in one continuous motion to the other end. How Long Does a Memory Foam Mattress Take to Expand? Could spray paint be used to obtain a similar outcome? In photos, the stain of the wood looked perfectly suited for our modern aesthetic. First, the prep work is really important. Using semi-gloss paint will give you more shine, but it wont be as glossy as high-gloss paint. But once I got there to pick them up, the wood stain looked more whitewashed and kind of farmhouse-y. Commenting on this post is disabled so I can focus on our upcoming projects + client designs but that doesnt mean that I dont want to hear from you. After the primer has dried at least overnight, its time to paint the dresser. Send me your questions and comments on Instagram by either commenting on my latest post or sending me a direct message. Now I am ready to get started. This double coating will provide your furniture with optimum protection and keep the wood look fresh for years to come. Instead, I had to get creative. These surfaces will need to be covered completely so that you dont accidentally get paint on them while working on the furniture pieces you do want to paint. Thanks! I definitely planned to reuse the original hardware. How Do Cooling Blankets Work? Apply a small amount of this paint mixture to the laminate furniture with a dry brush, following the assumed wood grain direction. Theyre not real wood. Spray primers like this will give you a smooth, even coat to work on top of. Yes, you can apply a sealer to the paint after you've painted over the laminate. Its also important not to rush when priming. Allow the paint to dry for 2 hours, then repeat the process with two more coats of paint. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Sometimes plans change. I pulled the drawers out, removed the hardware (keeping the pieces in a bag for safekeeping), and cleaned everything really well with damp paper towels. 21 July 2020. By following the six steps above, youll have your laminate looking like wood in no time flat! thanks for your support! Practice on a scrap piece of plywood. The combination of sanding and priming laminate furniture helps gives the paint something to grip to. If you do skip areas, they can cause problems later when you try to add color coats or when you try to apply a protective finish like lacquer or varnish. My desired wood tone was achieved in just two coats. Use masking tape to tape over the insides of each drawer opening so that theyre nice and neat. You can use a stronger cleaner or degreaser like, There were a couple sticky parts on top that I cleaned up with some, How to Paint Laminate Furniture with Chalk Paint, After the primer has dried at least overnight, its time to paint the dresser. Use any clear varnish to seal and protect the paint from marking. This is because plastic is nonporous and therefore cant absorb water like real wood can. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since 1975. AD BREAKrunning ads on this site helps me keep the lights on.thanks for your support! Confessions of a Serial DIYer 3. Friend, todays makeover almost didnt happen I bought this French Provincial style dresser a couple years ago to be a project for my book (Amazing Furniture Makeovers), but it didnt make the cut. I also use one specific brush that I only use for primer. It's important for the primer to bond with the surface of the laminate. To remove the cabinet doors and hardware from your piece of furniture, youll need to remove the screws from the hinges and faceplates. This article was co-authored by James Guth and by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Hall. For going super dark, like creating a mocha stain, you may find youll be adding black and brown to the base. Do the bottom first. Expert Interview. Next, apply an oil-based primer with a brush or roller and wait 4 hours for it to dry. James Guth is the co-owner and founder of Chesapeake Painting Services LLC. Apply just enough water that your paint mixture becomes transparent but not so much that it looks like water. Once youve done this, make sure to clean down the laminate surface thoroughly and remove any dust and debris present. Bubbling paint might be a sign that you haven't sanded the laminate enough. Using a similar ratio, mix up another solution using a darker paint color instead of the medium tone you used first. Make sure you give the paint enough time to dry before using masking tape to tape off the seams of your door, where the direction of wood grain would typically change. Ive sent a message to my ASCP stockist to see if there are other factors Ill let you know if I hear anything different. This article has been viewed 659,420 times. For this French Provincial dresser, I picked up a new can of Chicago Grey paint. Since I really wanted the wood look to go with our existing decor, I didn't want to paint them. This tool will help you create a grain effect on your laminate project, making it look like genuine wood rather than simply a coat of paint. Use either matte, satin or gloss depending on the finish you want. Feel free to Pin this post to easily find it again later, or share it with someone else who might learn from it. After the drawers were removed, I noticed that there were pieces of cardboard underneath the tracks held in place by a couple staples kind of ugly and not really necessary anyway! Let the glaze dry and then protect it with a coat of clear polyurethane varnish so it doesn't chip off and ruin the wood-grain effect. Prime the cabinet and doors with an oil- or water-based wood primer. You want your cloth rag to be damp with stain but not wet. Thanks. 12 Ways to Remove Grease From Wood (Get Rid of the Stain). "I have laminated bedroom furniture, and would now like to paint it to match my new white headboard and side tables. This was a really easy process for me because I have a lot of existing furniture that already has the yellowish pink stain I was hoping to achieve. If the piece youre working on has drawers, open them so that they lie flat on top of each other without creasing or sticking anywhere along their edges.