Part of the dresser is wood, but the top and sides are like a laminate (this was a childrens furniture line). Now remember, the bottom brushstroke is opposite to the top brushstroke. Sometimes I have painted laminate furniture with primer but the piece still looked like cheap IKEA furniture. Each one will mimic the look of a true wood grain so you cant tell its not the real thing. wink. Please note that some of this sites links are affiliate links, and RenovatedFaith.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Oh good! I painted the edges with the stain to match. Im impressed! We really want to keep the set. ), The Ultimate Guide to Painting and Staining Laminate. Here are your options for a stained laminate furniture finish: Ill show you my easy tips on how to paint laminate furniture to look like stained wood and trust me, it does look like the real thing with these awesome techniques. After your first coat has dried, paint on a second coat so you have full coverage! Meaning along the width. Floetrol makes your paint dry much smoother so you cant see brush or roller marks but keep in mind it takes long for that coat to dry. The surface is dry, water-stained and generally neglected. You want to put it on thick because when it is time to sand, you will sand down to the level of the top of the hole. A few weeks ago I had shown you the laminate table makeover into a farmhouse look which will be used as a computer table. That leaves the question of how to get the laminate cut to size and installed on your pieces. Ive used this process multiple times and have a lot of success with it. Often the back panel of laminate furniture is just a thin piece of wood with long vertical seams. It needed to stand up. It was time to throw it out! It seemed well until I put a wet glass on it. While I had the wood filler out, I also filled some gaps in the legs that were caused by water damage. I love this paint because it has the benefits of water-based and oil-based paint as seen in my post Milk Paint vs. Chalk Paint vs. Latex Paint. Oh wait, Im a DIY blogger! Sign Up Here to Grab my 31 Best DIY Hacks to transform your home on a budget! I used a brand from the Lidl Supermarket. Again, just follow this tutorial up until the point you paint. If you are painting your laminate furniture a dark color, consider having your home improvement store prime it a color thats close to your paint color to cut down on coats. Just make sure you put a thick coat of the Cover Stain on before painting because the last thing you want is peeling laminate cabinets. I asked kitchen-cabinet refacers if they could refinish the tops with new plastic laminate that blends with the sides and drawer fronts, even if it doesn't exactly match. You realize its laminate and you arent sure exactly how to refinish it so your paint doesnt peel off. BIN is great for that. And that walnut against the crispy white is such a great combination. I wanted them to have a little color so I painted the back panels in Sonata Blue by Behr. Please see my full disclosure HERE). It was old and chipped and the sides were worn. Im so happy with how it turned out and its one of my favorite transformations to date! You could take a high-resolution photograph of an undamaged area, and the company would make laminate that matches. It is part of the small apartment series. Laminate furniture pieces often have several rows of peg holes so the shelves can be adjusted easily. I still probably would have purchased it but I probably paid more than I would have because I could have haggled some based on the fact that it wasnt solid wood. In a follow-up email, you mentioned that you had found someone who would do the work but had warned that the process was messy and, because of the fumes, had to be done outdoors. That would make it nicer looking and also sturdier. It has a rough, worn look to it which I love. Today I am sharing how to beautifully transform an Ikea [], Hey just found your blog, you did a fantastic job! Formica (formica.com) and Wilsonart (wilsonart.com), two leading laminate manufacturers, each offer a custom-design option. Lawrence said he has no experience with furniture but would be happy to help Haridi with the laminate aspects. Lawrence said that if you do go with someone who wants to do the work on a deck at your condo, water-based contact cement should work fine as long as youre recovering a flat surface; he has seen problems with these adhesives when the laminate needs to bond to a curved surface. Imagine the Creator of the universe who is simultaneously omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient kneeling down to you to say (Your name here), Im never too busy for you and even your most fleeting thoughts are precious to me. So, you wont get that with laminate but you can still get a beautiful look with milk paint. Next I took a round brush and quickly worked the gel stain across the leaves of the table. This loose edge is then extended by repeatedly prying and applying heat until the rest of the piece lifts free. Fortunately, it was only the top surface I didnt prime in order to show what happens when you dont prime furniture. Required fields are marked *, By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Not only will your furniture piece be stunning, but you can be confident it will last for years to come! Knowing how to refinish laminate furniture gives you so many more options when youre on the hunt for a new project piece! Once upon a time there was an old laminate table. https://thisgratefulmama.com/2017/06/27/versatile-blogger-award-nomination/. Removing old plastic laminate generally involves heating the surface with a heat gun until the plastic and underlying adhesive soften enough so a putty knife can be slipped under an edge. I used some putty and stuck it to the end and then painted over it. At NO ADDITIONAL COST TO YOU, I will earn a small commission, if you purchase them. Most importantly, Morgan adores it and it looks so cute in the corner of her room. In this post, you will follow the first few steps that are critical for any laminate piece and then Ill direct you to another tutorial to finish the stain. Yasser Haridi, owner of Antiques & Furniture Restoration in Sterling (703-437-7446; refinishing.org), typically focuses on repairing fine furniture. You got me wanting to go out and find something to re-do! Save money by giving it a makeover with paint and gel stain. Inventing our own plans will only delay the amazing blessings He has in store for us. To paint a faux stain on your laminate furniture, you can now continue onto one of those tutorials, starting first with the step where you paint on a base coat. Has it held up over the last few years? Glad you feel you have added confidence Geniece. You can order a single sheet. No longer are you limited to solid wood but now you can redo just about any surface by knowing a few important but simple tips. Hey Denise, Yes, you can absolutely put the topcoat on the laminate parts since they have been painted. What did you think? Thank you! Please note that these are products I know/use and recommend. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A DIYer, encourager, and tenacious problem solver determined to help you transform your house into a home. Your email address will not be published. If you purchase any of these products through the links, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. This is an easy way to save an old laminate table with stain gel and give it a second life in the process. Find out how to sand furniture in less than 5 minutes here: A Beginners Guide to Furniture Sanding. After all, as in my case, the finished table is so much better than the before. Manufacturers use heat and pressure to bond and consolidate these layers and base layers of resin-impregnated kraft paper. Because Ive made lots of mistakes in painting furniture, there was one laminate piece I didnt prime. He recommended turning to Jeremy Fair, who ran Modern Laboratory Restoration, a furniture-repair company in Washington, until it closed after a fire a year ago. But if the plastic surface on your furniture bubbled up from water, its anyones guess what the plastic might be. Zinsser Cover Stain also comes in a spray which you can find here: Cover Stain Spray Primer, If you want to paint a detailed design on laminate, you have two options. Have an old laminate table that has seen better days? . It just depends on the thickness of the shelf. Not only is there a right way to paint laminate, but there are some easy tricks to make your project look like a painted solid-wood piece instead of low-cost laminate. You can read more about it using the link below. Because Im using an oil-based primer, I would have to clean my roller with mineral spirits which I dont always love doing. Do you remember what it looked like before? You want to use caulk instead of wood filler on these seams because the panel is flexible and so is caulk. I painted the espresso-colored bookcases the same white as the dresser. I'm wanting to do something similar to a shelving unit but a little worried about the paint/stain durability over time. Before I started the first thing I did was to give it a soft sanding. You might not even have to resort to getting a pattern that blends rather than matches. #confetti toss Click here to access your checklist now: How To Paint Laminate Furniture To Look Like Wood Thats Painted, How To Paint IKEA Laminate Furniture (Video Tutorial), Step 7: How To Paint & Stain Laminate Wood, More Painted Laminate Furniture Makeovers From Renovated Faith, RENOVATE YOUR FAITH: The Blessings of Trusting Gods Direction, FREE Must-Have Painting Tips For Furniture, Related Posts to How To Paint Laminate Furniture, How to Paint Laminate Furniture, YouTube Video, Final Thoughts on How to Paint Laminate Furniture, Best Tips for Painting Laminate Furniture. Because the paint cant adhere well to the surface you will more than likely run into one of these problems: You will notice that as you paint over the surface that bubbles appear with each stroke. Let the primer dry about 4 hours before you start painting. This little bottle went a long way! I was hoping it made sense! But instead, Jan says that Jesus takes the map and tears it up saying, Dont worry. If you paint over laminate without primer, your dried paint job can look great but you find that it peels with very little pressure on the surface. Brandon Webster of Gallery 2112, a D.C. dealer of mid-century modern furniture, sculpture and art, said thats often what he does. Its supposed to be an old table and it should look uneven. To see exactly how to fill gaps in furniture with caulk, see my Beginners Guide to Furniture Painting. The video should come up as a pop-up but if you have trouble seeing it, you can find it on my YouTube channel here: Stop! If you go with spray paint, I would only reserve that for smaller pieces like a small chair or stool because the cost of spray paint can get pretty high. This white laminate console table was so much fun to refinish in my faux raw wood finish. Read more here. Thanks for being a subscriber!! We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Heres how it has developed. I never would have known what Im capable of unless I tried. He estimated the cost at $950 to $1,250. I can do this!! Another option is Zinnser BIN, a shellac based primer, but the fumes are really strong and it doesnt cover as well. | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine, DecoArtAmericana Decor chalky finish paint in Everlasting, DIY Pallet Table with Reclaimed Wood Legs, 20 Household Items Re-Purposed For Halloween Decor. But the table, nice as it was had seen better days. Laminate furniture is made mostly of medium density fiberboard (MDF), which is composed of small shavings of a of lower quality wood pressed and glued together. Here are the two leaves. I so often want to call the shots and do things on my own but I would be silly to trade the direction of an all-knowing, all-powerful God in exchange for my short-sighted efforts in the wrong direction. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The steps are clear and make me want to rethink some other pieces I might have turned away from. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Lesson learned! Notice the pegs in the holes that I want. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. And I also had a repair to deal with. After letting it cure for a week, it was done and I was able to use it. Now you have plenty of options when painting laminate furniture. Join 30,000 other DIYers by subscribing to the weekly newsletter and you will also get instant access to dozens of freebies. Each company offers multiple widths and lengths, with the smallest option being three feet wide by eight feet long. Paint on your primer with your roller or with a paint brush in places the roller wont reach. We called a furniture-repair person who said he doesn't re-veneer. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. How to replace damaged laminate on an old bedroom furniture set, Their futures unclear, Juan Soto and Josh Bell power Nationals in win. You can see the full process here: DIY Desk Made From A Door (IKEA Klimpen Hack). I think I just glued it and that added some extra support and you cant see it. I just worked it back and forth as quickly as I could and did not worry about the overlap of the stained areas. To cover a seam in laminate furniture, you can also cover it with beadboard wallpaper like I did here: Easy NO-BUILD DIY Media Center Hack. I decided to take off the cabinet doors permanently to have open shelves. . I like to use Sherwin Williams Pro-Classic Waterbased Acrylic Alkyd. But thats not necessarily a good thing. Schoenbauer Furniture Service, Inc. | Privacy Policy. (If you are wondering how to stain veneer so it matches the rest of the piece, I recommend using a faux stain over the entire surface.). Painting afterwards fills any tiny gaps between parts with so you wont be able to tell its cheap laminate. Most home improvement stores including Lowes and Home Depot will tint Cover Stain for you if you buy it there. The sharp corners and peg holes area a dead giveaway. I really like Varathanes Waterbased Poly. Without seeing an overall picture of your pieces, its impossible to say whether that would work. Didnt it turn out cute??? This table was eventually put in the small bedroom, where I also updated an old bed frame. As expected, the paint job looked great at first, but rubbing my finger across the dried surface caused the paint to peel off in large pieces. If you are a work-in-progress, just like I am, check out the Renovate Your Faith Devotional at the bottom of each DIY and home dcor post. Karin. This article was published more than2 years ago. Excerpted from The Washington Post Home & Garden Section Article by Jeanne Huber, Q: We have a 30-year-old teak laminate table from Scan that Id like to refinish. Each company requires people to place orders through a distributor and offers a find a distributor service on its website. You have the option of adding a clear coat at this point but I would only do this on pieces that would get lots of use like dining tables and coffee tables. The top of the table was done in the opposite way. Wipe away all the dust. The Nationals rebuild is a year old. This was done intentionally awww, who am I kidding! He wants us to rely on Him each step of the way as He gives us one step at a time right when we need it.. Join me as I give you my best DIY tips and home decor hacks while sharing some faith-filled encouragement along the way. You cant technically stain laminate furniture because theres no wood grain for a traditional stain to absorb into BUT you can paint over it with a faux stain. *. Do we have any options? The resulting laminate is very durable and should never bubble up just because someone left a wet glass on it overnight. Like I said, this is not required but Im a little OCD about brush strokes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. But enough with the exclamationpoints, its time to roll up our sleeves and show you how to save this old laminate table with gel stain! What can I do? The only time I use BIN instead of Cover Stain is when I have problem with knotholes that bleed through coats of paint. I bought a 3 piece set from a friend. Learn how your comment data is processed. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Over the years, it has gotten worse. I made over a chair to match and added some sequin trim to give my girl some bling. You can use a spray gun and even spray paint on laminate furniture. On one wider bookshelf, I put a 12 piece of wood in the center of the bottom of the shelf running along the length. Thank you. I had no idea what I was doing, but the truth is I loved this happy accident of mine. I know a lot of the laminate furniture I have had in the past tends to sag under added weight. But he said he could help you by teaming up with a nearby craftsman who has experience installing laminate on kitchen cabinets, Justin Lawrence, owner of Custom Stroke & Remodeling (703-996-6131; jstnlawrence@yahoo.com). -Arlington. Now I know to never commit to anything until I see it in person. Here is a great tutorial: How To Distress Furniture With Paint. The top part of the table was painted in the other direction. My basement window well keeps filling with water. Solid wood edges are slightly rounded so you want to simulate this look by running your sander along the edges like so. After sanding, wipe down your furniture piece with a damp cloth to remove any sanding dust. . Let it dry for a couple of hours before painting. , All Rights Reserved. You will be so amazed how your furniture no longer looks like cheap laminate after finishing this process! Anyone can renovate a house but only God can transform our hearts! Enter myfree resource libraryfor my latest files, printables, and templates! Be sure to check out the video tutorial that goes with this post and dont forget to download my FREE Must-Have Painting Tips & Tricks HERE to save you time and money on refinishing furniture. Then, I added beadboard wallpaper to the back panel to make them look higher end. How to Paint and Stain Laminate Furniture (The Ultimate Guide! It reminds me of my laminate table makeover with gel stain. Unfortunately, one of the pros of milk paint is that it creates a really cool vintage effect when it soaks into the grains of solid wood. Also, parts might not fit together as well if there is a thicker area of paint. Pick out a paint sample and they can usually get pretty close. A very thin printed sheet of wood or paper covers the MDF to mimic the look of solid wood. Except, we want a full-blown map and detailed instructions before the car starts. You can see the media center transformation here and how to add beadboard wallpaper to furniture here. It was in pitifulshape when I decided to tackle it. The other is paint on the laminate with a tinted primer. So I did not get as much of a heavy stain look. Now you see why even if you are not sure of your talents it is always a good idea to go ahead and try. Can You Paint Laminate Furniture Without Primer? Im sure there must be a better way of fixing it but I was in a big rush. I did not realize it was laminate until I saw it in person but that didnt stop me! (As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. Sanding laminate furniture is a good idea when painting slick surfaces. I actually sprayed it for two days taking my time to make sure that I had lots of thin even layers because this table is a work horse. The blessings of following Gods direction in this weeks Renovate Your Faith devotional at the bottom of this post. It works so well in Morgans room. Thank you for your kind words! Also, Ill show you how to use paint to get the look of any wood stain on laminate furniture. At that point, your only alternative is to re-sand and start the whole process over again. (Reader photo). I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award. That way you dont waste the old shelf! As hard as it is, we have to trust that God is MORE than capable of directing our path and giving us the right direction at the perfect time. You can also check out my post How to Paint IKEA furniture for more tips and tricks!