Hello!
If you missed last week’s Java Gel Tutorial make sure you watch it, it may change your life (or at least the wood tone in your house).
This week we are talking about painting laminate furniture. Can you do it? What’s the best kind of laminate paint??
I’m going to be honest and say that I never go out seeking to buy laminate furniture to paint. But sometimes, you just have a solid piece of laminate furniture that needs new life. We have one in our master bedroom. It’s no stunning piece of wood, but it’s perfectly functional. And with a coat of paint (or two), it’s a whole lot better!
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You know by now I love General Finishes Milk Paint. And for good reason, it’s just so dang versatile. Because of that, this tutorial isn’t all that different than painting a solid wood piece. You don’t need any special laminate paint, General Finishes will do the job just fine. The difference is in the prep work.
The color I use in the video is my favorite white. It’s a custom mix of 50% Snow White Milk Paint and 50% Antique White Milk Paint. It’s warmer than the pure white, and covers a little better too.
Here’s what you need for this project:
● 120 Grit Sandpaper
● 220 Grit Sandpaper
● Damp paper towels
● Purdy XL Cub
● General Finishes Milk Paint (I used custom mix of 50% Snow White Milk Paint
50% Antique White Milk Paint )
Here’s what this desk started as (something you may try to sell in your yard sale this summer):
And now, it’s a keeper!
Without further ado, here’s how it’s done…
Step 1. Sand down the piece really well, especially the laminate portions. The top of this desk was the laminate portion, so that got sanded down with 120 grit sandpaper until it’s nice a scratched up.
Step 2. Clean your piece.
Step 3. Paint your piece of furniture section by section until it’s covered. This 50/50 mix usually takes 2-3 coats for full coverage. No sanding between coats.
Step 4. Once you piece is dry, distress the edges if desired. I did that with 120 grit sandpaper. This desk was going to be used in my daughter’s room, so distressing was a good option (it was going to happen one way or the other).
Step 5. I did not top coat this piece. But if you are want more durability or a higher sheen you certainly could do that.
What a difference paint makes!
UPDATE: 2.5 years later this desk is holding up so well!! It’s used hard, and there is no peeling paint, scratches, nicks or anything out of the ordinary (for a piece of furniture in a kid’s room).
UPDATE 2: I re-filmed a new tutorial for you that’s a little more updated. You can see the updated version and video here.
Happy Painting!
Jenni
