- June 27, 2020
- Repair Tips
- Tatiana Rodina
The question “How to repaint chipboard furniture with your own hands?” asked by those who want to update their home and save money. Is it possible to repaint budget furniture? Yes, you can. It is easy to transform interior items made from laminated chipboard yourself by changing the color and texture.
In order to start thinking about how to paint chipboard furniture, it is important to understand what particle board is and have the necessary tools available.
What is chipboard
Chipboard is a special type of sheet construction and finishing material. The abbreviation comes from the full name: particle board. It consists of sawdust compressed under pressure and at high temperature, combined with special compounds (natural or artificial).
Chipboard is made from residues after wood processing. Use sawdust, small shavings, and so on. Sometimes non-commercial wood or re-grade wood is shredded.
Production technology
The chipboard manufacturing process is as follows:
- The chips are sorted by size - layers of different chips are alternated in the slabs. Larger chips are located in the center, smaller chips are located at the edges. This is how the strength of the material is achieved.
- The workpiece is sent to a press, where under the influence of high temperature and pressure the chips are converted into a monolithic slab.
- After the slab has cooled, it is cut into pieces of the desired size.
- After inspection, the chipboard is sent to the workshop for sanding, lamination and other processing methods.
Technology can change. For example, to produce single-layer chipboard, large chips are additionally crushed using special equipment.
If there are insufficient quantities of natural binding elements (contained in coniferous wood), synthetic binding agents are added to the chips during production.
Types of chipboard
Chipboard has several varieties. First of all, it is divided by area of application:
- Construction boards. Used for external and internal work. They are durable, moisture-resistant, protected from the development of fungus and bacteria. To obtain such slabs, special components are added to the chips. This material can be either polished or unpolished.
- Standard slabs. Suitable for indoor use, they are not treated to enhance their protective properties. Furniture is made from such chipboard.
- Special plates. Such material is required to satisfy all additional customer wishes. They can be fire-resistant and have enhanced protective properties.
Each type of work involves choosing a certain type of chipboard.
Decorative chipboard coating
Decorative coatings are often applied to standard slabs. These include:
- Melamine film and subsequent coating with a layer of varnish. In this way, a laminated material is obtained, which can be identified by looking at the marking: the letter “K” is added to the name.
- Melamine film pasted under high temperature and pressure is a lamination process. The letter "L" is added to the name. This type of coating significantly increases resistance to moisture and improves appearance.
- Veneer is a very thin cut of wood. It is glued to the surface of the slab and coated with varnish. Externally, such slabs differ little from real wood.
When wondering how to repaint chipboard furniture with your own hands, it is important to have knowledge of which types of boards are better: chipboard, laminated chipboard or veneered. The worst option is laminated slabs. The varnish wears off quickly, the design disappears, and furniture made from such material cannot be restored.
Veneered chipboard and laminated chipboard have approximately the same properties in terms of coating strength, but the former is less resistant to moisture and is much more expensive. It is not always wise to use it in rooms with high humidity: kitchens, bathrooms, and so on.
How to repaint an old Soviet table with your own hands - remodeling inside and out
Watch also the promised video - how to repaint an old varnished table with your own hands and turn it into a new bright and stylish one.
Also a few more photos of the finished result.
Share your opinion below in the comments, did you like the remake? Would you like more articles or videos like this? You can also ask your questions! I read everything and respond as best I can.
For those who like to draw, I also recommend the article - How to draw with sketching markers, step-by-step lessons for beginners
Advantages and disadvantages of furniture made from chipboard
To understand the nuances of repainting furniture chipboard for specific furniture, you need to know its pros and cons. All chipboard is made from sawdust and wood shavings, which are impregnated with formaldehyde as a binder. In the future, during operation, chipboard is capable of releasing formaldehyde, which negatively affects the environment and the human body, but the advantage of laminated chipboard is its top layer - a protective film that prevents the harmful substance from evaporating.
Laminated chipboard is quite resistant to mechanical and temperature damage and has a huge number of variations of different textures and colors. It can imitate the appearance of valuable wood, and you can put anything hot on it.
MDF furniture
MDF is also a chipboard material, but it is produced using improved technology. The slab includes small compressed fractions of sawdust. Because of this bonding, MDF becomes a homogeneous, high-strength and safe for human health board. But it costs more than chipboard.
The main difference between MDF and chipboard is its coating. It is pressed into the structure of the slab, which makes it stronger and more resistant to water. These slabs can also be found in a variety of patterns and textures.
Due to its environmental friendliness, furniture for children's rooms is often made from MDF.
This is a fairly dense material, which is why it is indispensable in the manufacture of furniture with an unusual design: elegant lines and roundness.
The disadvantages, in addition to the high price, include low resistance to damage and easy flammability.
Repairing furniture yourself
No matter how carefully people treat everything that surrounds them in their home, in any case, sooner or later the furniture needs to be repaired. This helps restore damaged elements and worn upholstery to their former beauty. It is possible to carry out the work yourself; you just need to try a little for a beautiful and high-quality result.
Major repairs and furniture production are complex processes that require the involvement of professionals, but minor defects can be tried to be corrected at home.
How to paint chipboard at home
Over time, panels tend to fade, fade in the sun, or they simply become boring. Then you can pick up paint and a brush. This way you can save a significant amount, because if the wallpaper is changed every couple of years, and the curtains are changed at least every month, then furniture is usually bought to last for many years.
First of all, you need to figure out what kind of paint composition is needed to repair furniture. There is a huge range of paint on the market, but not every paint is suitable for the required work.
Preparing for painting
The laminated surface of furniture elements is a special type of plastic that is resistant to moisture. Paint will not adhere to such smooth materials, regardless of its characteristics. Therefore, before painting old chipboard furniture made by yourself, you need to carefully prepare.
First, remove all dust, dirt and grease from surfaces using solvents and special cleaning agents. This work is very important to ensure that the paint holds up in the future.
Furniture can be disassembled for convenience. In the case where only the facades are to be painted, they are removed from their hinges and laid horizontally. Fittings and furniture handles should be protected from paint using masking tape.
Decor options
Different techniques are chosen for decoration. If some do not require skills and abilities, then for others you will have to try to get the desired result. Photo printing will require little effort, but frosting glass is a difficult process. Before choosing a decoration method, you need to understand exactly what this option implies. On the Internet, people share photos of how they decorated their furniture.
Common techniques: photo printing, photo wallpaper, vintage film, vinyl stickers, textured plasters, fabric covering, wallpapering, frosting of glass surfaces, including mirrors. You can update an old cabinet with your own hands in different ways, and photos before and after restoration show how much the furniture has changed.
Removing the top laminated layer
To protect the painted surface from swelling and cracking, the top layer should be removed from furniture elements. To do this, use sandpaper. Firstly, you will need coarse-grained sandpaper for cleaning at the main stage, and only then fine-grained sandpaper to consolidate the result and create a surface for painting kitchen furniture made of chipboard or bedside tables. This action creates roughness and the paint will stick.
During work, personal respiratory protection should be used to prevent dust from entering the lungs.
Coloring
The surface is covered with paint in 2-3 layers. If the first layer turns out to be uneven, with bald spots, the defects are corrected during the second painting. After drying, the first layer can be lightly sanded with fine sandpaper. This grinding has two purposes. It removes sagging and grooves of paint, and makes the surface matte, so that the next layer will adhere better.
After the first coloring Source mebelnada.com.ua
Padding
Applying primer to the entire surface is a mandatory step before painting. High-quality material will not allow the paint to peel off and prevent the formation of bubbles.
It is better to choose a primer based on polyurethane; it applies to any surface, even glass and ceramic tiles. The furniture should take about 20 hours to dry at this step.
Spot painting for polished cafe
Spot painting is perfect for a polished cabinet. In this case, there is no need to remove the varnish and sand the surface. The technique is simple:
- Drawing using a marker
- The marker is painted with paint using dots. Learn more about the technique of dot painting of plates here.
How to choose paint
Choosing paint is the main task for anyone who is looking for a way to repaint chipboard furniture themselves. Of course, it is better to stick to special paints that are marked “for furniture,” but alkyd or polyurethane paint is also suitable for these purposes. Formulations with a strong odor and those that take a long time to dry should be avoided.
To paint chipboard furniture, you can also choose interior acrylic paint, but in this case the primer should be applied at least twice.
There are several components in acrylic paint and varnish compositions:
- Water as a solvent. By evaporating, it ensures rapid drying of the material.
- Coloring pigments give the composition the desired color.
- Acrylic resin acts as a fixative - it forms a strong and elastic film on the painted surface, resistant to temperature and mechanical influences.
For furniture located in rooms with high humidity, it is advisable to use interior acrylic paint containing latex or silicone. These components provide the coating with resistance to water and detergents.
The stores offer a huge palette of paint shades, but when the finished product is not suitable for the implementation of the plan, you can buy white water-based paint and tint it in any color.
Wallpaper or film
When using film or any other paper covering to update your cabinet, you should remember that we use the cabinet every day. And usually such a coating does not last long, but it is very simple to implement.
We recommend using this method in conjunction with painting: look at the beautiful ideas for decorating a cabinet using film and painting.
Painting
Tools with velor or foam tips are suitable for creating a smooth surface, while those with long piles are suitable for adding texture. The ends, corners and other hard-to-reach places are treated with a small brush. It is easier to determine the required size while working with paint for chipboard furniture.
The composition of the selected color should be applied in one direction with quick movements, without paying attention to stains that appear after absorption. The second layer is applied a day later with a thicker composition. After drying, apply the finishing coat.
So, you will have to paint in two layers, allowing the first layer to dry well.
Briefly about the main thing
Repainting a cabinet a different color on your own is a simple job that only requires care, time and a set of necessary tools. The process is divided into several stages. The main task is to create a rough surface that helps the paint lie evenly and tightly. The cabinet is first cleaned, defects are repaired and primed.
The main problem may arise when removing the old varnish or film layer. It is solved mechanically, chemically or thermally. The paint is applied in several layers, the number of which allows you to emphasize or hide the texture of the base. For the finishing coat, choose wax or water-based or polyurethane-based varnish.
Ratings 0
Protecting the painted surface
In cases where furniture is actively exposed to water or dirt (for example, kitchen facades or hallway furniture), it becomes advisable to apply varnish to the painted surface. It should also be chosen with acrylic in its composition, just like paint. Varnishes can be either glossy or matte. It is applied with a brush or roller to completely dry paint.
So, repainting chipboard furniture with your own hands will not be difficult, especially if you first carefully study all the nuances. After all the work, you can really get furniture that will become the highlight of the interior and bring individuality to the design of any home. Thus, with the help of paint you can transform an old kitchen, dining area, chests of drawers and bedside tables, wardrobes and bedroom sets.
Despite the apparent complexity, the work does not take much time, if you do not take into account the drying time of each layer, and allows you to get truly exclusive furniture while saving money.
Restoration
Of course, without special skills, materials and tools, you are unlikely to be able to restore antique furniture or restore damaged decor on newer interior items. However, you are quite capable of repairing small cracks and chips.
Many furniture manufacturers try to release products specifically without any embellishment, so that everyone can decorate it themselves.
Putty is used to eliminate chips, scratches and cracks. And so that the restoration material does not subsequently fall out of the crack, the damaged area must first be treated with a primer. Experts recommend using automotive primer to restore hardwood furniture.
It won’t be difficult to make a real work of art out of an ordinary cabinet.
A high quality product will ensure reliable adhesion between the putty and wood. After applying the putty, the surface is carefully sanded. Dust and remnants of putty material are removed with a damp cloth.
A white chest of drawers will decorate your room.
