Often, a wardrobe, chest of drawers, or even all the furniture that has served us for many years, no longer meets changing demands. They become unfashionable, do not match the color of new tiles or wallpaper, become boring and simply do not please. Of course, you can buy new ones, but not everyone is ready to spend a considerable amount on this. And old things, although not fashionable, familiar and comfortable, are often associated with pleasant memories.
The best way out of the situation is to repaint them in a different color. If successful, the usual things will not just get a second life, but will turn into a real element of the author's design.
Is it possible to paint MDF furniture at home, how to paint MDF furniture at home, how to repaint MDF furniture with your own hands and what is needed for this - we will tell you below.
Content
How to choose the right paint
Paints for MDF are produced taking into account the material's features - high absorption capacity. The right choice depends on the type of MDF facade coating:
- for MDF laminated with PVC film, polyurethane or alkyd enamels are suitable;
Tikkurila alkyd enamels based on synthetic oils or polymer resins 
Polyurethane enamel is applied using airless and pneumatic spraying. - for those covered with natural veneer and for previously painted ones – oil or alkyd;
Oil paint for wood is one of the most durable and sealed coatings. - for MDF facades with plastic or acrylic coating – oil, alkyd or polyurethane composites.
Alkyd based paint for MDF furniture
For all types of coatings, water-based acrylic enamel and acrylic car enamel in aerosol packaging are suitable.
Different types of paints for MDF have their advantages and disadvantages. Thus, polyurethane compounds have high adhesion to the surface and provide a coating resistant to mechanical impacts after drying, but require careful handling during application due to the presence of harmful substances. Oil and alkyd paints take a long time to dry and have a strong odor that persists for a long time. Water-based acrylic enamels are safe, have virtually no odor and are easy to use, but are inferior to those listed above in terms of coating strength.
Paints and varnishes for MDF are produced by almost all leading manufacturers and are available in the range of most construction supermarkets. Glossy, matte and semi-matte options are available, differing in the degree of gloss of the finished product. If you cannot find special paint for MDF, you can use paints for windows and doors, or for wood.
Necessary materials
To paint MDF furniture at home, you will need:
- dye;
- primer;
- putty;
- a solvent appropriate to the selected paint;
- masking tape;
- covering film.
Depending on the chosen painting method, you will need the following tools:
- sandpaper, mesh and sponge with different grain sizes;
- brushes, rollers, spray gun;
- narrow and wide spatula;
- stationery or construction knife;
- set of screwdrivers;
- protective gloves, glasses, respirator;
- clean rags.
You will also need patience and a strong determination to create a miracle.
Let's get to work
It is necessary to thoroughly wash the parts to be painted with a sponge soaked in vodka with the addition of detergent to remove dirt and grease. Remove the facades from the body. Remove all handles, glass and curtains. Seal cracks and chips. Any wood filler will do for sealing cracks.
Acrylic is preferable, as it is easy to apply, dries quickly and is easy to process. For plastic and acrylic coatings, it is better to use automotive putty. Narrow cracks are treated with the blunt side of a knife before puttying. Putty is applied to chipped areas "with a margin", in layers no thicker than 1 mm. Each new layer is applied after the previous one has hardened.
The elements are carefully sanded. Sanding removes excess putty and gives the surface the roughness necessary for better adhesion to the future coating. For sanding, we use sandpaper of 150-180 grain size.
The puttied chips are given the desired shape. It is better to use an abrasive mesh, as it clogs less. In hard-to-reach and relief places, it is convenient to use an abrasive sponge. Sanded facades are thoroughly cleaned from dust with a clean brush and vacuum cleaner.
The primer is the main character
This is not an exaggeration. A properly selected primer not only provides reliable adhesion to the painted surface, but also strengthens it, fills in small defects, prevents pile from rising and reduces absorption capacity, significantly reducing the consumption of the paint composition.
The most commonly used two-component polyurethane and water-dispersed primer compositions. Water-based primers are not recommended to be applied over polyurethane and nitrocellulose primers, and polyester paints and varnishes are not recommended to be applied over them. There are no such restrictions for polyurethane primers. When choosing a primer, it is advisable to consult with a consultant at a hardware store.
The primer must be applied in a clean, well-ventilated room in several stages. First, the ends and relief details of the elements must be primed, and then the entire element.
After the first layer has polymerized, the product is cleaned of raised wood fibers and other small defects using an abrasive mesh or sponge with a grain size of 220-240.
The sanded surface is thoroughly cleaned from dust and primed a second time. Before applying the finishing coat, repeated sanding with grain 280-300 is necessary.
The most important stage is painting
The best results are achieved by painting with a spray gun, but not every home craftsman has the necessary equipment at his disposal. You can also use paint in aerosol cans. The coating applied by spraying is highly uniform and has an ideal appearance. The difficulties of this method include the need for a separate room that you don’t mind painting at the same time.
If there is no such room, it is better to paint with a brush or roller with small pile. When buying brushes and rollers, be sure to consult with the seller whether they are suitable for the selected type of paint composition.
The paint must be applied strictly in one direction, usually in two layers. The second layer is applied only after the previous one has completely dried. It is advisable to place the facades to be painted horizontally. The work must be carried out at a temperature of at least 15 degrees in a well-ventilated room, but avoid drafts. Be sure to use a respirator, protective gloves and glasses. Cover with film what does not need to be painted at all.
If a speck of dirt or a stray insect gets on the freshly painted surface, remove it with the sharp tip of a knife. If a defect remains in this place after drying, carefully sand it with abrasive paper and touch up with a cotton swab using light touching movements.
Painted surfaces must be allowed to dry completely and only then assembly can be performed. The complete drying time is indicated on the packaging of paints and varnishes. Do not try to repaint everything at once. It is better to do it element by element. Then, when preparing for painting and repainting the next element, you can take into account the nuances and correct the mistakes made when working with the previous one. It is important to follow all technological operations and the manufacturer's requirements for the temperature regime and drying time of primers and paints with maximum care.
The process of repainting is quite labor-intensive and painstaking, but the result is worth it. Updated favorite things please not only with their modern look, but also with the knowledge that this miracle was created with your own hands.
