This is How You Paint Your Laminate Furniture Without Sanding

How to paint laminate furniture without sanding – A simple paint makeover can make worn-out furniture look brand new. It is a simple but effective way to transform your piece. You only need to learn the correct technique and get good quality products.  You can go all out and choose new colors and use decorative details. You can make a modern look more traditional, a traditional furniture piece more modern, or give a generic piece new life and personality.

You may want to grab that leftover can of paint in the garage and start going to town on your furniture. However,  it is a good idea to do a little research and prep work first if you want the best results. The first thing you should know is that most furniture painting projects are achievable. Even painting laminate surfaces without sanding is possible.

You may have heard that you have to sand your furniture before you paint it. However, it is not a must to sand after all. With the correct preparation and products, it is possible to paint laminate furniture with no sanding.

If you are not a fan of sanding, there are many ways to avoid it! So keep reading to find out the better alternatives.

So curious to know how to paint laminate furniture without sanding? Read on to find out!

how to paint laminate furniture without sanding?

The perfect way to paint laminate furniture without sanding is to wipe down the surface. Right after that, apply a shellac-based primer. After that, you can use the paint and topcoat of your choice.

1st step: Clean the surface

Before you begin, clean the surfaces you want to paint using a lint-free cloth. It is better to use a tack cloth to clean your furniture. This lint-free cloth is slightly sticky so that it can pick up dust better than other fabrics.

Also, since you will be working with paint later, do not forget to wear gloves and an apron. That way, your hands are protected from harsh chemicals, and your clothes will not get dirty either.

Before you get to the next step of the process, make sure that the furniture surface is clean. Remember that it is crucial to keep your furniture clean before you begin painting. That way, you do not accidentally make spots of dirt stick to the surface.

This step is crucial. Know why? That is because new furniture may have a thin oil film to aid the manufacturing/packaging process. And oil is no good if you want the paint to stick to your surface.

People wonder how to paint Ikea laminate furniture the right way. They think it is too difficult. However, it is not hard at all as long as you do not skip one vital step!

Scroll through and see the next step to find the answer.

2nd step: Prime

Yes, the most critical step is priming.

It is essential to know that, without proper preparation, the paint will not stick to a laminate surface. So how do you get paint to stick to laminate then? The answer is primer. You can paint laminate furniture without sanding by applying a good primer beforehand.

Otherwise, Some colorant will bead up on the surface of the laminate furniture. Others will go on with a splotchy, uneven finish. Also, the first coat will begin peeling off as soon as you try to paint a second coat. Of course, you do not want that sort of a mess, now do you? So make sure to prime!

Apply a high-quality latex primer to the surface. Look for primer at your local hardware or paint store.

When it comes to priming, you have three ways to apply the primer. One option is to use a foam roller. Alternatively, you can use a brush to apply it too. The best part about rolling is that it does not take much time. Also, the outcome is free of brush strokes. However, you will have to use a brush if your furniture has grooves that a roller cannot reach.

If you choose the rolling method, then you make sure to use good-quality rollers. You can dispose of them after use.  You can either spray can primer, which is easier to apply.

Whether you roll, brush or spray, be careful to paint in thin coats. If not, the primer will drag. Apply light coats to achieve an even coverage on the entire surface of the furniture.

3rd step: Paint the furniture.

Next is the fun part; Painting! Hold on- before that, you have to decide if you want your finish to be glossy or matte. According to your preference, look for latex paint with the finish that you want. You can easily find acrylic latex paint at your local hardware or paint store.

Before application, remember to stir your paint using a stir stick. The paint may have globs and bubbles. Mixing your paint gets out any of those globs and makes sure to give off an even color payoff. Once you have mixed your tin of paint, do a patch test on a scrap of wood first. You may want to test the painting to be sure it comes out the color you want.

Once you do the patch test, you can start painting your piece of furniture. Note that the grain will be visible, mainly because you have not sanded the surface. Now, load up your paintbrush with enough paint. Then rub off any excess stain.

Paint the furniture as evenly as possible and use light brush strokes. Remember to follow the direction of the grain when painting.

You can begin painting at the bottom of the surface and work your way up. Move your paintbrush to the unpainted surface and lightly move it towards the part you have already colored until the paint overlaps. Try not to place your brush on the wet paint and work outward. That way, you can avoid leaving brushstrokes.

Only takes about 30 minutes to dry…

After the first coat of paint, let the piece of furniture dry completely. It is better to let the paint dry for at least two hours. However, the amount of time your colorant will take to dry depends on the kind of paint you use. Some paints require about 6-8 hours to dry. On the other hand Chalk Paint, does not take much time at all. Chalk paint which sticks well to unsanded surfaces, only takes about 30 minutes to dry. The drying time is specific to each product. So check the label on the can of paint to see how long the recommended drying time is.

Once the time is up, lightly touch the surface to ensure the first coat of paint is dry. If it is all-set, then we can start applying the second coat.

Wait! Before painting again, wipe the furniture with a dry tack cloth. That way, you can collect any dust that may have settled on the surface after your first coat. Also, make sure to wipe down the furniture between each coat of paint.

Keep on applying more coats…

Keep on applying more coats of paint until you are happy with the look. Remember to alternate between painting and drying until you get even coverage. Understandably. You might want to slather the color to make sure it sticks because you did not sand the furniture. However, it is not the most productive way to get the perfect finish. What you can do is apply many layers of light paint. That will make your furniture look much cleaner. Also, the result will look more professional than if you put on one thick, gloopy layer of paint.

Since we are discussing paint, let us clear a doubt people have about spray paint. Can you Spray paint laminate furniture?  What do you think? Can you or not? Well, you have to know that surface preparation becomes much more critical when working with spray paint. So be sure to research the project you are working on before you start. As always, with spray paint, be sure to have a safe well-ventilated area in which to work. Remember that while spray paint might seem like the fastest paint choice, you will need several coats.

Also, do not forget that your results will depend on what you are painting. It can be more challenging to get an even coat with spray paint. So if you use spray paint, make sure to apply multiple thin coats.

4th step: Varnish the surface

Alright. Now you are done with painting your furniture. Now it is time to sell your work using varnish.  If you used a matte emulsion in step 3, make sure to finish with a coat or two of quality varnish. This step ensures durability. You can use any clear varnish to seal and protect the paint. Depending on the finish you want, choose either matte, satin, or gloss.

5th step: Let the surface cure

This step should test your patience. You have to let the newly-painted furniture cure for a while. Once the first coat is dry, you can re-attach drawer knobs and handles you removed before you started painting. However, avoid setting anything on the furniture yet. Wait for the varnish to cure and harden. You may have to leave the painted furniture alone for a week. Otherwise, the paint might peel off of the surface.

You see, now you know the steps to paint laminate furniture without sanding. The key is to find the perfect primer. So now we have to find out the best primer for you to use for your project.

The Best Bonding Primer For Laminate Furniture

You know that primer is a crucial step in the painting process if you read up to now. So now you have to buy the perfect primer. Wait! Hold up- Do you know which one to get? Well, what you have to remember when buying a primer is that you are working on a laminate surface. So look for a primer that would stick to laminate and accept paint over it.

When purchasing a primer, make sure to buy a shellac-based primer. Painting laminate without sanding is easy with a shellac-based primer. It stops bleeding through furniture. One product you should try is BIN Shellac-based primer. It provides excellent adhesion. You do not have to worry about how to get paint to stick to laminate. This product adheres to slick laminate well.  It also promises quick dry-time. You can paint latex over it, and no sanding is needed.

How Can I Paint Over High Gloss Without Sanding?

Now, what if your furniture is high gloss? Can you avoid sanding in this case too? The good news is yes, you can skip the sanding process. For that, you have to get rid of the gloss. Apply a liquid deglosser on the wood before you start painting to help get an even painting surface.

One such product you can use is Krudd Kutter or M1. It is a specially designed formula that will remove the gloss of most surfaces. It creates a chemical bond between the glossy furniture and new paint.

What kind of paint do you use on laminate furniture?

• Latex paint

Latex paint is the most recommended for laminate surface painting projects. Make sure to pair the latex paint with a water-based primer for painting laminate furniture. It provides a durable, clean finish.

Before purchasing the paint, decide whether you want your finish to be glossy or matte.  Then look for an acrylic latex paint with that finish. You can find acrylic latex paint at your local hardware or paint store.

• Chalk paint

Chalk paint is another option. It is perfect to use to get a matte finish. Note that chalk paint dries pretty fast, so use light, thin coats to avoid leaving visible brush strokes. You can use a product like rust-oleum chalked on the surface. It is the best chalk paint you can use on the furniture to get a smooth matt finish.  You can leave your chalk–painted surface without a coat and finish it simply like that. However, adding no protection means your piece is vulnerable to the elements, wear and tear, and natural distressing.  Also, there are contrasting opinions about whether chalk paint needs priming beforehand or not. The paint might peel off the laminate if you did not use a primer.

Can you paint straight onto laminate?

Usually you need a primer when working with laminate surfaces. However, there are claims that chalk paint does not need a primer or bonding agent. So does that mean you can paint it straight onto laminate? What you can do is test it out yourself.

So paint a little bit of chalk-paint on the flat surface of your laminate. That way, it is easy to remove if the color does not stick to the laminate.

Next, you can let it dry for 24 hours and do a little scratch test. Scratch the paint off with your fingers and see if the paint peels off. If the paint sticks well, then you can conclude that you do not need primer. You can paint the rest of your laminate furniture with chalk paint without primer.

However, if the paint peels off easily, then that means you need primer. To remove the little bit of color, you applied for the scratch test. Then use a shellac-based primer on your laminate furniture before applying chalk paint.

How do you get paint to stick to laminate?

If your paint is not sticking – and your furniture looks like it is repelling the color – take these steps! First, wipe off any wet paint in the areas where it is not sticking. Do not let it dry, and then try to add more. Once the room is clean, add a light coat of paint and dry for two days. After that, check if the paint sticks to the surface. If it does not peel off, you can add a second coat.  Also, as you learned, laminate is a challenging surface to work with paint. So make sure to add a primer that is specialized for laminate surfaces.

How to paint laminate furniture without sanding -Summary

Painting your furniture is such a fantastic way to add a new look to the pieces. It is an inexpensive way to update a tired piece of furniture or give it a fresh look. Painting furniture is not that difficult. You only need time, creativity, the proper technique, and the right products.

Now you know everything about how to paint laminate furniture without sanding. You learned the steps you have to paint the furniture. Also, the best types of paint you can use for the project.  So are you ready to paint your laminate furniture now? Have fun transforming your wooden pieces, and remember to take before and after pictures too!