Painting an Ikea Kitchen Table (laminate)

[FabricLiveBaby!]

So I bought an Ikea kitchen table... and it's white and I don't really like the colour that much and it doesn't really go with the kitchen.



But it wasn't expensive and the shape and style were really nice so I thought why the hell not make a project out of it.

I want to paint the table top a dusty pink (it is laminate) and the legs and chairs a dark grey (they are wood - beach I believe). I am planning on have the chairs change colour from dusty pink to dark grey. But I'm not really sure how to go about this whole painting process. I do know I need to invest in an orbital sander. Obviously the paint needs to be durable because tables and chairs get a lot of abuse. I'm more confident with the wood, but painting on laminate is confounding me because that part of the table will get a lot of abuse. I know the process goes like this (after taking the thing apart:

1) Sand the bugger
2) Primer
3) Sand it again using a medium grit
3) Paint two or three coats (and sand each later smooth to get brush strokes out)
4) sand
5) Top coat/varnish
6) Sand? (maybe - not sure about this)

The question then is:

1) What kind of paint should I be using? Bearing in mind it needs to be hard wearing. Does it matter that much? I know I can get water based, oil based, or acrylic paint
2) What primer do I use?
3) Do I need to thin the paint to get a smoother finish? If so, what is the thinner depending on the paint?
4) What kind of varnish do I need to use and does it depend on the paint? Do I need to use a varnish at all or can it be something else like a wax etc.
5) What kind of application should I do (brushes/roller/spray gun)
6) Anything else I need to think about?

I'm quite confident in taking stuff apart and putting it back together but when it comes to painting I really don't want to fuck it up too badly (I mean, how much can you fuck up an Ikea table). I've done a bit of research online too, but the vast majority of articles are copywriting SEO filler content usually trying to sell something. So I don't really trust 'em... So over to you, experts of Urban.

How would you approach this project?

HALP.

 

[platinumsage]

If it's laminated rather than veneered, it's going to be melamine foil or some similar thin layer of plastic isn't it? I'm not sure you'll have much luck sanding that.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

If it's laminated rather than veneered, it's going to be melamine foil or some similar thin layer of plastic isn't it? I'm not sure you'll have much luck sanding that.

Yes it looks like it.

Table top/ Extension leaf:
Particleboard, Melamine foil, Acrylic paint, Plastic edging

Leg/ Side rail:
Solid wood, Acrylic paint

Does that mean I should just go straight on with a primer?

 

[dessiato]

I assume you are in the UK so what I say might not apply there. Here IKEA sell table tops, so it might be possible to change it, cheaply, to a more paint friendly top.

 

[platinumsage]

Just paint a second coat of acrylic paint on top of the existing acrylic paint.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

I assume you are in the UK so what I say might not apply there. Here IKEA sell table tops, so it might be possible to change it, cheaply, to a more paint friendly top.

No. Not in the UK.

 

[Boudicca]

It's not going to paint well I'm afraid. too shiny. I've never tried sanding melamine, but I wouldn't expect it to go well. You can buy cupboard/melamine paint but I reckon it's just paint with a bit of PVA mixed in. Probably works for a cupboard, but not a table top with all the wear and tear involved.

On the other hand, if you still have the paint, you can patch it up if it chips.

I have wallpapered table tops but again not so durable.

Could you leave the top white and paint the legs?

 

[klang]

if it's laminated you can burn it off with a bunsen burner.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

if it's laminated you can burn it off with a bunsen burner.

But that'll just reveal horrible chipboard.

 

[spanglechick]

There are melamine veneer products you could stick over it. My ex talked about re-covering our worktop after the old lodger melted a hole in the surface of mine.

 

[peterkro]

Glue a second sheet of laminate on top in colour of your choice and trim edges. Do some research on how to do this and prices before you attempt.

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

Glue a second sheet of laminate on top in colour of your choice and trim edges. Do some research on how to do this and prices before you attempt.

I would not even know where to start even looking for that atba easonable price in Poland (and in my shit Polish)... Such is the life of an immigrant.

I think I will go with the OG plan, and if it works I'll let you all know.

 

[haushoch]

Maybe car spray paint would work on the top?

 

[FabricLiveBaby!]

Maybe car spray paint would work on the top?

Maybe it would! Better research it tho!

 

[pug]

scotchbrite the melamine to key it up

 

[StoneRoad]

gently but thoroughly sand the top with a fine paper, to "key" the surface and dust/tack off.
paint with watered down PVA, allow to dry, this is to allow the paint something to bond onto.
then a coat of oil-based semi-matt paint in your selected colour, thin it enough that you don't leave brush marks. You may need more than one coat
lightly sand and then heat resistant clear varnish.

 

[RubyToogood]

Buy a tablecloth...

 

[Epona]

I'd be inclined (if I hated it that much) to at least try to put primer (eg Zinsser) or other oil based primer on it and see if it can be painted.

Primer, let it dry, very very lightly sand the surface to just gently smooth over any brush marks from the application of the primer, dust off, then paint over that - use something quite hardy (gloss) as the top coat for a piece of furniture that is going to be in a lot of use. But using a good quality primer will help

 

[izz]

Sticky backed plastic.

 

[izz]

Actually a much more creative solution would be a collage of pictures from magazines etc with a glass top or lacquer.

 

[Epona]

Actually a much more creative solution would be a collage of pictures from magazines etc with a glass top or lacquer.

Decoupage

 

[lazythursday]

I had all my kitchen cupboards and surrounding bits (a mixture of wood and laminate) repainted by someone who knew what they were doing recently. They used Johnson's cupboard paint, 2 coats, and it looks great.

 

[izz]

I had all my kitchen cupboards and surrounding bits (a mixture of wood and laminate) repainted by someone who knew what they were doing recently. They used Johnson's cupboard paint, 2 coats, and it looks great.

What did they use do you know ?

 

[Sweet FA]

Maybe it would! Better research it tho!

Car/spray looks good on but it take a few coats to look really good. You need a lot of space - ideally you want to hang the table top in a dust free environment. It works out way more expensive than normal paint.



eta, there's been some wood chat on the last few pages of the house meddling thread btw.

 

[lazythursday]

What did they use do you know ?

It was definitely this: https://www.johnstonespaint.com/products/cupboard_paint

The decorator was very insistent upon it being this. He was also incredibly careful at making sure there were no drips, wasn't a quick job, but it has come out far better than I expected. I am glad I did this rather than replace all the doors and surrounding bits, which would have cost me about twice as much money (and I'd have been replacing good wooden doors with shitty MDF ones). I did it because I just hated the idea of wasting perfectly good resources that just happened to be the wrong colour but I sort of expected to regret it, but actually with new knobs the kitchen looks completely different and the paint (so far) is not rubbing off or marking.

 

[campanula]

These days, there is a paint for everything. From tile paint, paints for concrete, melamine, rubberised acrylics, enamels, chalk paints, oil based, water based. The main thing is preparation. You don't need a sander but a good oil based undercoat. Water based paints have gotten better but I am old school and would still wait the extra drying time. Very popular are chalk finishes, which are waxed for extra durability...but for a working kitchen table, I don't think they would work (and are often used to give a sort of faux distressed look, which only works on wood. In truth, any coating will have to be maintained and will have a fairly limited 'life'. My solution, for this, I think, if it was my kitchen table, would be to go all out (paint and colourwise) on the rather nice shaped legs and get a really nice PVC cover (I have one with chickens on).