Ok, I am sure that somehwere in the 183 pages of forums this questions has probably been asked and answered. However, I really haven't the time to search each page and my "advanced search" isn't coming up with what I am looking for. So my apologies if this is a repeat.

I have some very old (20+years) presswood dressers that have a faux wood laminate on them. They are in excellent condition (one nick out of 5 pieces!). They are extremely dark and outdated though. I can not afford to replace the set so I'd like to paint them. I know that I can't simply paint over the current finish and expect any kind of good result.

What do I need to do in order to paint these and have a nice clean smooth finish that will last?

Thank you,

Remodeling Mom

 

Using fine sand paper, or sanding sponge, suff the entire surface to be painted. you want to scuff it enough to provide 'tooth' for good adhesion, but not enough to break through the laminated surface. Wipe it down real good with a tack cloth or damp reag to remove all the sanding dust.

Prime it with a good bonding primer. Some prefer Zinsser's 123, I prefer an oil underbody.

After primer dries, very lightly sand it again, wipe off, and paint with your finish porduct. If using a waterbased primer, you will want to wait until its completely dried/cured before attempting sanding/recoating. If using oil, only wait until its dry enough to sand without gumming up.

 

Thank you I will give this method a try.