Eager to turn your Billy bookcase blue or give that Lack table a colourful makeover? Here’s all you need to know about painting IKEA furniture…
Flatpack hack: how to paint IKEA furniture
Want to personalise that piece of IKEA flatpack but not sure how to paint laminated furniture or MDF? Follow these tips to ensure your paint job will look good for years to come.
These days, the nation’s favourite flatpack store produces furniture in all sorts of materials, but the most affordable and, arguably, the most popular, are the pieces made from bare or laminated MDF.
Can you paint IKEA furniture? Yes! A lick of paint is a great way to put your own stamp on a flatpack but to get a lovely, lasting finish – particularly on laminated pieces – you’ll need to do a bit of prep first. Just follow these simple steps…
You'll need
- Dust sheets
- Protective clothing (including a mask if you’re using spray paint)
- Newspaper
- Masking tape
- Sandpaper
- Primer
- Paintbrush
- Small roller and tray
- Paint
- Sealant (optional)
Step 1: Protect the area
Decide on a painting spot, clear out or cover any furniture and throw a couple of dust sheets on the floor. If you’re painting a large piece, it might be easier to do the whole job outside, if possible – just check the weather forecast!
Cover up with old clothes and have a mask at the ready if you’re planning to use spray paint.
Step 2: Prep your furniture
It’s always easier to paint flatpack furniture before it’s assembled, so if you’ve just bought your dream wardrobe, don’t be tempted to put it together straight away. If you have space, lay each section on the floor and, before you do anything else, make sure each piece is the right way up (ie with the surface to be painted uppermost); you don’t want to end up painting the inside rather than the outside of your wardrobe door.
If you’re painting an older IKEA piece, disassemble it as much as you can (keeping any screws or bolts in a jam jar ready for when you put it together again). If it’s too tricky to take apart, don’t worry – just cover anything you don’t want to paint (hinges, glass panels etc) with newspaper and masking tape.
First flatpack painting project? Then it might be a good idea to start small with something like a storage box, and then move on to bigger items when you’ve mastered the technique.
Step 3: Sand
So how do you paint laminated furniture? The secret’s all in the prep. Laminated MDF won’t absorb paint, and even bare MDF needs a bit of sanding to make it ready for painting. Go over all the areas to be painted with fine sandpaper – this will ‘key’ the surface without scratching, and make the paint do its job more effectively. Wipe away dust with a damp cloth and leave to dry.
Step 4: Prime
To guarantee a great final finish, it’s always best to prime furniture before painting. Choose a water-based wood primer, such as our multi surface primer undercoat that will be kinder on the environment than a solvent-based one. Even better, it’s touch-dry in an hour, so your furniture will be ready to paint after a quick tea break. Use a brush for small items or a brush and roller for larger ones to speed up the process.
Step 5: Paint
Once your pieces are primed, you can use any paint finish for the top coat. (Though if you’ve used a water-based primer, we recommend a water-based top coat, too.)
What’s the best paint for IKEA furniture? For furniture that will get lots of wear and tear (kitchen cabinet doors, for example), you’ll want to opt for a hardier, wipeable finish, such as Quick Dry Satin of Eggshell. Take a look at our range of paints for wood below.
- Using a brush, paint the details first – corners, crevices, around handles etc…
- Fill in the larger, flat surfaces. A roller will make this easier, but you’ll get a slightly textured finish. For a super-smooth result, use a high-quality paintbrush for the whole job. Try out both techniques on a spare bit of wood or MDF to see which effect you prefer.
- Using spray paint or a spray gun is an alternative that can work well for furniture with intricate detail. It makes things quicker but takes practice.
- Once painted, leave to dry, sand, wipe and paint again.
Step 6: Seal
Whether you need to seal your furniture depends on the paint you’ve used. You won’t need sealer over gloss but lower sheen paints – even eggshell and satin – can do with a final overcoat if you need a very hardy finish. Apply evenly and allow to dry.
Step 7: Assemble your furniture
Ta-da! All you need to do now is admire your handiwork. Oh… and clean those paint tools.
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