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MesterulManole April 26, 2018Specialization: many years of experience in finishing works of residential and office premises, dachas, country cottages, etc. Hobby: cycling in all its forms
An old shabby wardrobe will look new or even better than new after repainting it
Do you have an old Soviet cabinet and you don’t know how to get rid of it? Do not rush to throw away old furniture, because it is easy to restore, update and make it visually attractive. Read on to learn how to easily and effortlessly give furniture a second life.
How to paint a chipboard cabinet
Chipboard is a very popular material for making furniture. There are several varieties of it, each with its own characteristics that must be taken into account during restoration.
During production, laminated As a result, the decorative coating has high strength. It will not be possible to clean it completely before painting.
Lacquered panels have increased smoothness. It is very difficult to repaint a film formed by layers of varnish. If you need to update the appearance of a product, it will be easier to thoroughly polish it. However, some experienced craftsmen take on work with such surfaces.
Veneered products can be painted with several types of compounds. Stains, varnishes and acrylic tinting are suitable.
Laminated with a decorative layer of paper. The latter is quite easy to remove, so such surfaces are easy to work with. After removing the paper, you need to clean the surface of the glue.
Paint selection
On sale you can find different types of coloring compounds suitable for working with chipboard.
Oil and alkyd - absorb well, but take a long time to dry and have a pronounced odor that will take a long time to dissipate.
Polyurethane – adheres well to the surface and provides an abrasion-resistant coating, but you need to work with them carefully.
Water-based silicones are somewhat less durable, but they dry quickly, are non-toxic and do not have a strong odor.
Stains – suitable for treating veneered surfaces.
Acrylic - easy to apply, available in a wide range of colors, including those with unusual effects (fluorescent, metallic, etc.). Since the cabinet is not a surface that experiences strong abrasion, such compositions would be a good option.
Chalk , which can be used to treat almost any surface. They do not require removal of the old finishing layer (unless it is crumbling or peeling) and priming. They are also well suited for artistic processing of furniture, for example, if the goal is to age it or create a worn effect. The compositions are non-toxic and safe for health.
Varnishes are used as an independent coating and to create a protective layer on a painted surface.
Paints can be produced in a jar or in an aerosol can. The second type does not require the use of additional tools, is simple and easy to use. This format is also well suited for painting small areas.
Preparing the cabinet surface
If you need to paint an old cabinet, I remove the trim if possible . This can be done in different ways - with a sander, sandpaper, a hair dryer, or a special composition for washing off old paint.
If it is very difficult to remove the old layer, you can simply sand it with fine-grain sandpaper. Further:
- Remove dust and dirt from the surface with a slightly damp cloth and then wipe it dry.
- Degrease the surface with a solvent or special compound.
- If there are strong irregularities on the plane - chips, scratches, etc. - they are sealed with putty. These areas are then sanded and dust and dirt are removed again with a damp cloth.
After this, the plane is primed. There should be a few hours between the last sanding and the application of the sealing primer, but no more than 24.
Dyeing technology
First, the paint must be thoroughly mixed (or shake the can if using an aerosol). the surface to be painted horizontally so that smudges do not form on it. You can also paint vertically.
You need to apply 2-3 layers of paint . The next one is applied only after the previous one has dried. Joints and other hard-to-reach areas are treated especially carefully.
You can complete the painting (after all layers have completely dried) by treating it with glossy or matte varnish . This will give the furniture an attractive look and make the decorative layer stronger and more resistant to scratches.
Drying conditions and times
Paints and varnishes take a long time to dry. It is better for this to happen in a thoroughly ventilated non-residential room. We must try to prevent pets from entering the room so that they do not inhale the paint.
The ideal temperature for drying is +20…+23 degrees. The process takes 1-2 days, depending on the type of paint.
What you will need
To work you will need the following tools and materials:
- A dense roller (or a nozzle handle with two or three replaceable rollers). The width is selected according to the size of the cabinet (chest of drawers), on average 10-15 cm; the roller will help to evenly distribute the paint over a large surface, and the result will be good the first time. The tray is selected based on the roll size.
- Two or three soft brushes of different sizes with artificial bristles. It is not recommended to use hard bristles as they will leave marks that are difficult to remove. Brushes are needed for painting on complex shaped elements where a roller cannot cope.
- Screwdriver Set. You will need to remove hardware and most likely disassemble the furniture. The work will be more comfortable and of better quality if you remove only the doors.
- Scotch. You will need it to protect small parts that cannot be removed. For example, if there are built-in lamps in the closet, they are taken out, but left hanging and protected with electrical tape.
An indispensable tool
- Sandpaper (sandpaper) of different sizes: fine (soft) and coarse.
- New accessories if you are going to change the style of the furniture or make it more original. The easiest way to find suitable pens is in large and specialized online stores: the choice of accessories is truly limitless.
- Paint and varnish materials: paint, varnish and degreasing solvent.
- Rags (napkins) are always needed; polyethylene is useful for protecting the surrounding area from paint.
Optionally, you can use the following elements:
- Grinder, glasses and gloves.
- Spatula and putty.
- If a large area needs to be treated, a sprayer is cost-effective.
Apply paint to the countertop
How to artistically paint a closet
Before varnishing, the surface can be decorated with painting (manually or using a stencil), appliqué or decoupage composition.
Acrylic paints work well for the first option. Painting is carried out after the base composition has completely dried. It is better to use thick paints so that they do not spread from under the stencil and do not mix with each other. The stencil can be made from a piece of foam rubber. When the ornament is dry, the surface is coated with several layers of varnish.
An aged wardrobe can be decorated with a gold pattern . Gradient coloring is also becoming widespread . A smooth transition of tones is achieved by using compositions with different pigment concentrations or independently varying the dose of 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.
How to paint a cabinet white
White furniture, including antique furniture, is a popular element of room decor in different styles. It makes the room lighter and visually more spacious. If you wish, it is easy to paint the cabinet white with your own hands.
The choice of paint and its features
Chalk compositions are well suited for such an operation . They are non-toxic, easy to apply, and form a durable and fairly thick coating. On sale you can find white paint of the usual chalk color and color compositions based on it.
You can use acrylic paints and varnishes for furniture. If the cabinet will be in a damp area, the paint must be suitable for use in such conditions.
Ivan Bokorezov
Furniture columnist and designer
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When choosing a shade, you need to take into account the lighting and design of the room. Matte surfaces look softer and more comfortable, glossy surfaces look very bright. White colors can be warm or cold. If the paint has a purple tint to it, the finished cabinet will look pink after a few years of use.
Technology
The painting technology is generally the same as when working with other colors. If the original color of the furniture is very dark, it can be lightened with bleaching paste . The surface treated with this method is then painted in the traditional way.
Choosing paint
At home, you can paint cabinets with acrylic paint. It can be diluted with water or given the desired shade by adding pigment. The main advantage over alkyd or oil is the absence of a pungent odor.
Coloring is a very simple process. Even a novice painter can cover furniture with acrylic without streaks or smudges. The applied layer can be washed off only in the first hours after painting. If the layer dries, this will no longer be possible.
The final result depends on the choice of paint
You can repaint a wooden cabinet for the living room or kitchen furniture made of MDF with alkyd enamel. Glossy, matte and semi-matte paint applies evenly to the surface. Has many colors and shades. Has a slight odor. Therefore, painting should be done in a well-ventilated area.
Features of preparing and painting a lacquered cabinet
Varnish is a coating that prevents mixtures applied on top from being absorbed into the base. If you do not remove it, you can decorate the cabinet only with paints that do not require prior priming - chalk and acrylic.
remove old varnish using several methods:
Mechanical - accessible and inexpensive, but requiring time and effort. Various tools are suitable for it - a metal brush, a grinder or sandpaper. With their help, the varnish is gradually removed from the surface. It is important to use construction glasses to prevent coating particles from getting into your eyes.
Chemically , through special removers. The product is used in accordance with the instructions.
Thermal : the varnish is heated with a hair dryer or blowtorch. Then it is scraped off with a spatula. The heated coating comes off easily, without much effort on the part of the technician. However, this method does not remove all types of varnish. During heat treatment, the top layer may not separate, and the furniture itself may become charred.
After removing the old varnish, the surface should be sanded so that it becomes smooth, but slightly rough (this will provide better adhesion to the finish). If necessary, cracks are sealed with putty.
