How to Paint Particleboard Furniture

If you have pieces of particleboard furniture that need to be repainted to look better, there are ways to repaint it. It is not a matter of simply applying a new coat of paint to the furniture. Some prep work is required before the surface is ready to paint. The surface needs to be refinished so that it is able to absorb the paint. Here is the process to repaint the old particleboard furniture.

Step 1: Sanding the Surface

A lot of particleboard furniture is made with a laminate coating on top, which makes it difficult for paint to stick unless it is sanded. Using a #120 grit piece of sandpaper, sand the entire surface and edges evenly. Wipe the surface with a soft clean cloth to remove all dust and sand particles. Once the sanding is done, the primer and the paint will be much more likely to adhere to the surface.

Step 2: Prime the Surface

After the sanding is done and the surface is free of the laminate coating, apply a good primer onto the surface. Depending on the piece of furniture, it may be easiest to use a spray primer instead of a brushed primer.

Step 3: Re-sand the Primer

After the primer is applied and is dry, it is time to sand again. Rough up the surface of the primer with a #220 grit piece of sandpaper. Don't remove the primer. The goal here is to ensure the paint sticks to the primer. Remove any dust with a clean cloth before painting.

Step 4: Find the Right Paint

After you have sanded the surface and are ready to apply the paint, make sure that you find the right type of paint that will adhere well to the surface. Usually oil or water based paints are the best choices for particleboard. Apply one coat of the paint to the surface and allow it to dry. Check to see if the paint seems to have taken to the surface. If not, the previous steps may need to be repeated. If the paint is not sticking well, try using the #220 sandpaper on the surface again followed by another coat of paint. You do not need to reapply the primer. Repeat only the sanding and paint to see if it does a better job.

The paint should be sticking well after the second round of sanding and painting. If not, you may need to start over or maybe try another grit of sandpaper to make the surface easier to work with.  If you do need to apply more than one layer of paint to the particleboard, try to use thin layers and distribute them evenly across the surface to get a better result when you are done.

Using these steps will make painting any of your furniture a lot easier and can dress up any piece of particleboard that is in your home. It is also an affordable way to get better looking furniture without having to go out and buy more.