the painted surface

How To Paint A MDF Bookcase

How To Paint the Bookcase

The first coat of finish paint can now be applied. If your situation allows you to spray on the paint this will give you the smoothest and best looking finish. But usually the paint is applied with a brush which can also give very pleasing results. I recommend using the best brush the paint store sells. There is no substitute for good quality brushes. See "How to Choose a Premium Paintbrush" for more information about brushes. Some trusted brands of brushes are Purdy, Wooster and Corona.

When painting mdf I recommend using an oil-based enamel for the finish coat of paint. This will give you more durability than water-based paint and greater protection against moisture which can be a concern when the surface is MDF. You may want to thin the paint with the appropriate thinner to make the application easier. A slight thinning of the paint will not harm the paint, most pros thin paint on a regular basis.

These cards were placed under the bookcase to protect the carpet. Tape is often used for this but tape can be difficult to remove when there is paint bridging the gap between it and the surface. These cards were pulled away when the paint was dry leaving a clean edge and clean carpet too.

The second coat goes on like the first. You probably will not need to sand after the first coat but look and feel for any roughness that may have been missed and lightly sand it if needed. If the first coat was thinned I would also thin the second. A second coat is needed to protect the surface against wear and moisture. The second coat also builds up the finish for a solid and consistent look.

When the second coat is dry the adjoining surfaces can be touched up. On this project the bookcase was to look built in so it was caulked around the joints against the walls. This left the walls in need of painting after caulking, priming, sanding and painting the boookcase.

Two coats of finish paint applied over one coat of enamel undercoater was enough to achieve a pleasing look for this project. A third coat would only be necessary if the color did not cover. The finish matched the other woodwork in the room which was already finished prior to this project. To protect the surface felt pads can be used under heavy objects, felt bumpers on the doors will soften their closing and coasters should be placed under drinking glasses.

These general steps make painting mdf a simple task. More tips about painting techniques are covered in the additional articles. In those will be found details, tips and techniques gathered from over 20 years of painting experience. Here is a list of links to the articles: