Painting mdf panels with acrylic paint. The choice of paint for furniture, doors and panels from MDF

Today, MDF is considered a popular and relatively affordable material, without which the production of kitchen panels and various furniture is indispensable. At the same time, MDF is often painted, which makes the facade smoother and more durable. In addition, due to painting, the panels get a deeper and brighter color that can be matched to your furniture.

Ordinary MDF panels can be made an interior decoration by simply painting them.

Advantages and disadvantages of painting MDF panels

Painting surfaces made of MDF is carried out not only for decorative purposes, but also for protective purposes. The main advantages of painting panels with your own hands:

1. The resistance of the coating to elevated temperatures, which allows you to put even hot dishes on the kitchen surface.
2. High-quality painting of MDF with enamel allows you to make the facade more refined and original, giving it a unique design. For example, you can decorate your furniture with interesting decor in the form of pearls, mother-of-pearl, metallics, and so on. To do this, various fillers are added to the paint.
3. Safety for health, as only high-quality paints and varnishes are used for it.

Painted MDF panels not only look better, but are also more reliable and durable.

Disadvantages of painting MDF panels:

• higher price compared to film coating;
• when using not the highest quality paint, over time, the painted facade may fade under the influence of sunlight.

Modern technology for painting MDF panels

Correct and high-quality painting should be carried out in compliance with all the rules of the technological process. To work, you will need paint, a wood primer or polyurethane primer, and varnish.

In order for the painted facade to look beautiful and not deteriorate over time, certain temperature conditions must be observed. It is best if all processes take place at a temperature of about twenty degrees. At the same time, the humidity of the air should be in the range from 50 to 80 percent. Humidity of wall wooden panels should be 8-15%.

Before applying paints and varnishes, they must be filtered with a filter of 50-100 microns. It is advisable to carry out the filtration twice if the paint has been stored for more than two weeks.

The choice of equipment for painting

To paint MDF with your own hands, it is advisable to have a room of at least 40 square meters, equipped with a special chamber for painting and a place for grinding surfaces. In addition, a place should be provided for storing wooden blanks and finished panels.

The temperature in the room where the facade or internal surfaces will be painted must be at least twenty degrees. The paint booth is best equipped with a hood and a rotating table top. The room for drying finished parts should have racks. The place where you intend to carry out grinding is best equipped with reliable vacuum cleaners.

Modern painting technology provides for the application of paints and varnishes and a primer using a pneumatic spray gun with a nozzle of 1.5-2 mm and a receiver compressor of at least 80 liters. If used, then it is applied with a sprayer directly to the surface. Grinding parts is best done with a vibrating grinder. Polishing is carried out with an angular grinder.

Painting stages

Preparatory stage

At the preparatory stage, great attention should be paid to the processing of the plate. In order to treat the surface to gloss, it is necessary to avoid raising the pile and eliminating the embossing that has arisen during the production process.

The facade of the MDF must be milled at maximum speed, which will avoid raising the pile. Since the paint layer here is very thin, it is advisable not to leave pointed corners that can be easily knocked down. For processing corners, it is best to use an edge cutter with a radius of about 3 mm.

In order to properly sand the MDF facade, it is necessary to remove the surface protective wax layer from the entire surface. For these jobs, an eccentric type grinder is best suited. For processing complex bends, it is advisable to use sandpaper. If it is planned to paint MDF wall surfaces, which include several constituent elements, then it is better to putty the joint slots with a primer to fill the pores.

Surface priming

At the first stage, the most problematic relief areas are primed. After that, the edges of the panel are primed. At the final stage, the entire facade is treated with soil. The primer gun should be used to apply the solution first longitudinally and then transversely. At the same time, each next layer is superimposed on the previous one by 50%. This is not only the primer, but also the painting itself.

The most effective soil application technology involves two stages. The first step is to use an airbrush to apply a layer of insulating primer. It should prevent the pile from rising and absorbing the next coats of paint. After that, you need to let the primer dry and sand the surface with P320-400 sandpaper.

The second stage of the primer is that you need to apply a polyurethane primer and let it dry for at least 10 hours. Next, the surface is ground, in places of milling bends, abrasive material Scotch-brite is used.

For sanding after applying the primer, it is recommended to use sandpaper with the number p320

Painting stage

In order to qualitatively paint the MDF facade, it is necessary to use an airbrush with paint consumption parameters of 60-200 g/sq. m. All other parameters of the device are set depending on the type of paintwork used. In this regard, before you paint the facade under gloss, you need to understand the instructions for using the paint well.

Wet painting technology

After the priming stage, drying is carried out at a temperature not exceeding 35 degrees. The average drying time is five hours. Wet painting technique is carried out by applying a mixture with a thickness of 120 to 140 microns. It is advisable to use polyurethane paint coatings.

The paint is applied using a spray gun with a certain pressure. It is possible to apply in two layers, only before coating with a second layer, the surface should be sanded. In this case, the thickness of each of the layers should not be more than 120 microns. At the next stage, several layers of polyester or polyurethane primer are applied to the MDF board, simultaneously with intermediate sanding. The final layer of glossy enamel needs to be polished.

When applying complex compositions of paints and varnishes with different special effects, they must be well mixed. This is necessary so that the details of the scenery do not settle at the bottom of the jar.

In addition, it is necessary to provide for the easy passage of decorative additives through the nozzle of the spray gun.

When painting and varnishing MDF surfaces, care should be taken to keep it free from dust, insects or other debris. To remove them from the painted surface, you need to have tweezers with you. If you find smudges of primer or paint, then they should be eliminated with a clerical knife and emery cloth.

With tweezers, you can easily remove insects, pieces of dirt, and other adhering excess

Powder mixture for painting

The dry method of painting consists in applying a special paint, which is called a powder mixture. The technique involves spraying dry microparticles onto the prepared surface. After that, the applied paint is heated until it begins to melt. The result is an almost perfect flat surface.

Drying

The final stage of any painting is drying the panels. This procedure must be carried out under certain conditions. In particular, the air temperature should be no more than 50 degrees, and humidity - less than 80%.

Drying time depends largely on environmental conditions. As a rule, it will take from 5 to 10 hours for complete drying. In general, the lower the humidity and temperature, the faster the MDF board dries.

Conclusion

Thus, for high-quality painting of MDF boards, all necessary conditions must be observed. This process consists of several steps such as sanding, priming, painting and drying.

Perhaps there is not always enough money to update the interior. Painting MDF is a way out if the furniture frame is intact, but you want to transform or change the design. You can try to repaint the facade of the kitchen or other MDF furniture yourself.

It is good that modern technologies and materials make it possible to paint MDF at home quite efficiently. Let us consider in detail how to paint MDF facades with your own hands using standard technology.

Painting MDF facades is a rather time-consuming process that requires patience and diligence. And also purchase quality materials to get a good result. The materials that are used to make furniture are wood or furniture boards. Recently, the use of MDF facades has become increasingly popular. To repaint furniture, it is necessary to prepare materials that are commonly used for wood processing. These include:

• Sandpaper with varying degrees of abrasiveness.

• Masking tape.

• Facade painting equipment (sprayer).

• Various compositions for degreasing, priming, staining.

Let us consider in detail what these materials are and what function they perform.

Sanding paper

For the process of grinding MDF boards, ordinary sandpaper is used. It is used with varying degrees of abrasiveness and at various stages. In each case, the grain size of the sandpaper changes. MDF is a fibreboard that is processed in a similar way to wood. In this way:

• When preparing the surface for priming, we will use sandpaper with a grit of 220-280.

• To remove the uneven application of the soil, sandpaper with an abrasiveness of 320 is taken.

• Finish sanding before painting with 500 grit sandpaper.

For the convenience of performing work, you can use sandpaper with a foam or felt base.

Paint Sprayer

Do-it-yourself painting of MDF facades can be done using paint brushes or rollers. This is a perfectly acceptable option, but it will not be possible to achieve a flawless surface. Therefore, it is better to use paint sprayers for do-it-yourself MDF furniture processing. In addition to the quality of application, the spray gun will make it possible to speed up the process.

Advice! Use paint sprayers for the priming process as well. This will significantly speed up the application of the primer.

Sprayers for applying paint are divided into two types: electric and pneumatic. You should also pay attention to the diameter of the spray rod. For painting MDF, rods with a diametrical section of 1.2 - 1.3 mm should be used so that the coloring material is applied in a very thin and uniform layer.

Degreasers

A very important point before painting MDF furniture facades is to degrease the surface. If you ignore this process, then after completing all the stages, defects may be found that can only be corrected by completely doing it all over again. Degreasing of MDF facades is carried out using compounds that contain organic solvents. Such products successfully remove various oils and fats. They also work well with polyorganosilicones.

Types of primers

Painting of furniture facades is not carried out without a priming process. It is also one of the guarantors of quality work. It is priming that will ensure reliable adhesion of the surface of facades with paint compositions. You can use several types of primer, which are also suitable for MDF surfaces:

• for plastic surfaces;

• epoxy;

• steam-filling.

Epoxy primers are not recommended for natural wood surfaces. And prime MDF boards in turn with all primers: plastic, epoxy, vapor-filling.

Painting materials

There are two types of enamel paint for MDF directly:

• on an alkyd basis;

• acrylic based.

The first is a derivative of alkyd resins. It is possible to paint MDF panels with this paint quickly, since after application to the surface it quickly hardens at optimal temperatures and degrees of humidity. It costs less than acrylic, but finishing varnishing is necessary.

Acrylic enamels are more convenient when working with MDF, as they absolutely do not require the application of a varnish layer. After surface treatment of this type of coloring matter, an ideal glossy layer is immediately formed.

On the video: MDF painting technology.

How to prepare MDF facades for painting

Painting MDF with enamel requires very careful preparation. The quality of the enamel coating depends on how responsibly this process is approached.

It consists of several points that must be done correctly.

Removing the old coating

An important piece of advice to which we pay attention: you can not apply paint for kitchen facades or other pieces of furniture on painted MDF. The adhesion of the layers will be very weak and the new coating will peel off very quickly. To avoid negative consequences, MDF is pre-treated. Before painting the product, it is necessary to remove the old gloss with coarse sandpaper. It is not necessary to completely remove the gloss, you can simply violate its integrity in such a way that grooves form over the entire area, which can increase the adhesion of materials.

Priming work

The technology for painting MDF with primers consists of several stages. But do not forget that before repainting the furniture and treating it with a primer, the surface should be degreased.

After the degreasing process, do not touch the surface with your hands.

• The process begins by priming with a primer for plastic surfaces. Experts recommend starting from the ends and hard-to-reach places. The primer of this type is applied in two layers. Each subsequent one only after the previous one dries completely.

To achieve a uniform color, both with paint and with a primer, it is necessary to apply each subsequent layer perpendicular to the strokes of the previous one.

• The next primer is epoxy. Apply 1 or 2 coats. Drying should be carried out under optimal conditions for at least a day.
• The following layers of vapor-filling primer. This substance has a tint, so you need to choose it correctly. If it is planned to use light-colored paint, then the primer should be white. In the event that the surface is smooth, then one layer of primer is sufficient. Otherwise, we evaluate the density and condition of the kitchen facade.

final sanding

At the last stage of preparing MDF for painting, it is necessary to perform grinding. To do this, use sandpaper with the finest grit.

Moreover, it is not necessary to press it hard so as not to disturb the primer layers. If, nevertheless, after grinding, areas with open pores have opened, then they are treated with a one-component putty.

The process of finishing sanding is also an important point, since during this excess putty and orange peel are removed, which form layers of primer.

Paint application instructions

Before painting MDF, it is necessary to clean the surface of dust that remains after finishing sanding. It is better to do this by degreasing. Next, we give a detailed description of the technology for painting MDF facades. Is it possible to perform work when painting MDF with your own hands, with a paint brush? I guess, yes. But the result won't be perfect. So, repaint the furniture according to this algorithm:

• The first rule: we prepare the coloring matter for application according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• We fill the atomizer and adjust its operation so that the capture area is small. This will allow you not to waste excess material and more carefully stain.
• The process of applying the coloring material also begins with the most problematic areas, and then moves on to the main area.
• It is better to apply several layers. Painted products are dried at intervals of about 20 minutes.

If there is no experience with the spray gun, then it is necessary to conduct training work on some test piece.

On the video: errors when painting with a spray gun.

After you paint the MDF, it should be varnished for furniture, which allows you to create a gloss. The work process is exactly the same as when applying paint. But you should prepare for it more carefully. The work area must be perfectly clean. If the workshop is dusty during varnishing, then it will be difficult to achieve a mirror gloss.

MDF - fibreboard - is a relatively young material. Its production began in the USA in 1966. In a short period of time, this material has almost completely replaced wood in furniture production.

Furniture fronts have become a common sight in our kitchens, our offices and many other places.

MDF is a medium density material, which is made by pressing (under high pressure and at high temperature) fine chips. Lignin acts as a binding material - a substance of natural origin contained in wood.

Of course, in terms of its strength characteristics, this material is significantly inferior to wood, however, as a material for surface finishing, it is a worthy replacement for it (wood). The main advantages of MDF include the following:

• Good resistance to moisture;
• Heat resistant;
• High surface strength;
• Very technologically advanced and easy to use;
• Low cost;
• Resistant to various microorganisms and fungi.

The use of MDF for finishing furniture facades gave a new impetus to the flight of design ideas and made it possible to significantly expand the possibilities of decorating furniture.

But DDF facades, like facades made of other materials, lose their luster over time. During operation, they may require replacement, or the furniture facades have ceased to harmonize with the respectable appearance of a freshly renovated kitchen. Whatever the reason, there are two possible solutions. Facades need to be either changed or repainted.

Painting MDF facades is a relatively simple matter and does not require any special knowledge from the performer. With the desire and the necessary materials and tools, this task is quite capable of being handled by an ordinary person who is not experienced in modern building technologies.

In this article, we will talk about how to paint the facade of MDF with your own hands.

Wood fiber boards lend themselves perfectly to painting. This fact once again confirms the high quality of this material and its high manufacturability. To understand the reasons for such a loyal attitude of the material to the products of the paint and varnish industry, you should pay attention to the main advantages of MDF:

• Due to the homogeneity, naturalness and solidity of the surface, the material does not require additional surface preparation for painting, unlike most existing materials. If there is a layer of old paint on the surface of the fiberboard, then all surface preparation will consist in removing this layer, which will not be difficult and will not take a lot of time;
• The surface of MDF is very resistant to mechanical deformations. Due to this, the surface can not only be painted, but even make minor changes to the surface texture.

We paint MDF on our own

The algorithm for painting a furniture facade from MDF with your own hands includes the following steps:

• Surface preparation;
• Primer;
• Choice of type and color of paint;
• Applying paint.

In the process of performing these operations, you will need the following materials and tools:

• Roller and paint brush;
• Scotch masking;
• Building hair dryer;
• Latex gloves;
• Primer for wood;
• Fine-grained sandpaper.

Surface preparation

First of all, in the process of surface preparation, it is necessary to remove all fittings from it.

As mentioned above, the MDF surface, provided that it does not have mechanical damage, does not require preparation for painting. The layer of old paint must be removed with a building hair dryer. Do not attempt this operation manually - it will take a long time and may cause significant damage to the surface of the material. If there are noticeable mechanical damages on the MDF surface, they can be removed with wood putty. At the end of the preparation process, the surface must be carefully treated with fine-grained sandpaper.

Surface primer

As a primer for an MDF surface, a wood primer is best. The method of applying the primer is entirely up to you. You can use a paint brush, roller or sprayer.

It will take a day for the primer to dry completely.

Choice of paint type and color

When choosing the type of paint for an MDF facade, it is recommended to give preference to auto enamel. Representatives of this relatively new family of paints and varnishes are characterized by high heat and moisture resistance, and are able to create a durable coating.

Modern manufacturers of car enamels offer consumers a wide selection of products in rich colors. There is no doubt that in this kaleidoscope of colors and shades you will be able to choose the best color option for yourself, which will allow furniture facades to harmoniously fit into the interior of your room.

Paint application

Paint selected. The primer is dry. You can proceed to what you started all this for, to apply paint. Seal the areas not intended to be painted, if any, with masking tape and proceed to paint the surface. The method and method of applying the paint is up to you. Paint must be applied in one direction.

As a result, you will get a durable, lacquered or matte coating, depending on the texture of the paint, that will give the furniture facades a new look and will reliably protect them for a long time.

The video shows the painting of MDF facades:

If you are skeptical about your abilities and do not want to take risks, then you should seek help from specialists. But in this case, the price of painting MDF facades will be significantly higher and will range from 1200 to 2000 rubles per square meter of surface.

Furniture facade painting - the second life of your furniture

Furniture in the house is a kind of visiting card of the owners, which presents their taste, financial well-being, and the ability to create comfort.

They select cabinets, sideboards, bedside tables and much more very carefully, paying attention to the smallest details. And if the functionality of furniture has been tested for years, its appearance - color, finish, decorative details, fall in love with at first sight.

But what if the color of the facade does not really fit the design intent, or you need to update the look of your favorite chest of drawers? Then the most correct solution is painting the furniture facade.

Approaches to the choice of paint for furniture facades

Facades made of MDF or solid wood are best suited for painting. The quality and achievement of the desired effect depends on the choice of paint. The paint for painting the facade must be of high quality and meet the requirements for operating conditions.

For furniture, paints are produced with various chemical composition and performance properties:

• oil;
• latex;
• alkyd;
• water-dispersion.

Auto enamels are often used, which are moisture resistant, form a film when coated and do not deteriorate from temperature changes. Such paints are well suited for coating the facades of kitchen furniture.

A wide choice of colors and types of coating (matte, semi-matte, semi-gloss, glossy) for furniture painting is offered by TIKKURILA, MILESI, NEKNOS, SADOLIN, PINOTEX, ALPINA trademarks.

The products of these manufacturers are resistant to moisture and to many chemically aggressive detergents.

The easiest way to change the tone of a light base. If you apply a tinted varnish or stain, you can get a darker color and, at the same time, retain the original structure of the coating.

Advice! For light furniture, a decorative and protective composition is suitable. When applied in several layers, it will change the color of the coating.

When painting a dark facade, you need to be prepared for the fact that the structure of the tree or other base will not be preserved, especially when changing the color to a lighter one.

The possibilities of color solutions are not limited, since the palette of coatings consists of more than 200 colors that can be combined, mixed, and tinted with each other.

Advice! If the palette does not have the required tone, mix the dark and light colors several times in different capacities and proportions. And then check the result on a test surface.

After drying, you can make a choice.

How to paint the furniture facade yourself

The video shows how to paint the furniture facade:

The technology for painting furniture facades is a time-consuming process, but from the point of view of execution it is not very complicated and you can do it yourself.

It is necessary, firstly, to purchase the necessary consumables and tools, secondly, to study all the recommendations, instructions and strictly follow them, and thirdly, to have a clear idea of ​​the desired result.

What tools and materials are needed

How to choose paint has already been determined.

But what about applying it to the surface? You can use spray guns, rollers, brushes. Depends on personal preferences and ability to work with a particular instrument.

Choose rollers and brushes strictly for the type of paint that will be used for painting furniture facades. This is indicated on the packaging.

Advice! A velor roller is suitable for water-based emulsion, and brushes made of natural or combined bristles are suitable for varnishes, acrylic, stain.

You will also need a primer that matches both the type of paint and the surface to be painted.

Painting mdf cabinet. Is it possible?

You also need to prepare masking tape, gloves, sandpaper, felt, a piece of wool, a building hair dryer, a screwdriver, a drill, a marker.

The main stages of painting furniture facades

It will not be difficult to paint the furniture facade on your own if all the work is divided into four stages:

• dismantling;
• surface preparation;
• painting;
• assembly.

Stage one

The entire facade is completely disassembled: doors are removed, fittings, canopies, fasteners, glass inserts are unscrewed.

All surfaces that will not be painted at all or will be covered with a different color are covered with masking tape.

Markers make marks of correspondence between the parts, so as not to confuse them in the future and put everything in its place. Dust and any dirt is removed from the painted parts of the furniture. Places for fastenings and new fittings are determined. To install them, holes are drilled with a drill.

Stage two

The whole result of painting the furniture facade depends on the quality of surface preparation.

This stage is carried out in several steps until a completely smooth surface is obtained:

• if there is an old coating, it is removed with a paint dryer;
• when chips, cracks are found, everything is puttied and sealed;
• polishing is carried out with a material with a grain size of 180;
• the surface is primed with an insulating mixture - a primer;
• after drying, it is polished with a brush with grain 240;
• applying the main soil, which should fill all the pores and completely cover the surface;
• after drying, sanding with 400 grit material.

Stage three

The video shows how the furniture facade is decorated:

The very painting of furniture facades with your own hands is carried out with the selected paint is very simple.

If the coating is applied with a spray gun or from a spray can, care must be taken to protect the respiratory tract. All work is carried out in one direction. After drying the first layer, you can cover the second, then the color will be more saturated.

Both painting and priming can be done with an airbrush, spraying the substance from a distance of 15-20 cm.

If it is supposed to be painted in several colors, then the already painted parts are covered with masking tape. And new ones are painted in a different tone.

The stages of painting the MDF furniture facade are complemented by decoration.

This can be varnishing, glazing (application of glazing), polishing.

Advice! It is better to apply varnish in several layers on the paint and one on the glisal. Each new layer is applied after the previous one has completely dried.

Stage four

It is started no earlier than the last coating is completely dry.

For example, glisal dries for about a week. All adhesive tape is removed, hinges, handles, fasteners are installed and the facade is mounted in accordance with the marker marks.

After all the work carried out, you will get unique furniture that perfectly suits the interior and design of the room.

It's no secret that the kitchen is the center of every home. And our task with you is not only to plan it competently - in order to spend a minimum of effort and time when cooking - but also to operate it so that its presentation will please us and household members for many years. Most often, the consumer opts for furniture made of chipboard with MDF facades covered with PVC film.

This choice is explained, first of all, by a relatively inexpensive price, as well as a wide choice of configurations and colors. That is, there is an opportunity to satisfy almost any, even very demanding, taste.

Care rules

So, here your beloved and long-awaited kitchen was brought and installed, or you, after poring over the project for a long time, assembled it yourself.

What should be done or what should not be done so that in a couple of months you will not be disappointed with the purchase.

MDF painting technology: materials and nuances

After all, the production technology of such facades, unfortunately, does not have the best effect on their wear resistance: the film may begin to peel off over time, especially along the perimeter. We will announce a few simple operating rules relating specifically to MDF facades covered with PVC film.

1. You can wash the kitchen only with “soft” detergents.

   Never use scouring powders containing abrasives. Well suited for this are various sprays for surfaces (possible for glasses) and a soft sponge, napkin.

2. Avoid extreme temperature fluctuations.

   Try to maintain from +10 to +35 degrees. Lower or higher temperatures may cause peeling of the film. Sooner or later, an open oven, a closely located heated stove, too intense ventilation (especially in winter), and heaters will lead to the same result.

Operation features

Think about it, PVC film is glued at a temperature of 120 - 180 degrees, and if your oven gives out at least 60 -100 degrees, this already poses a threat to cabinets located nearby.

Install the heat shield.

It protects the ends of the cabinet from heating by the stove and avoids delamination of the edges. Its installation is made to the ends of the cabinet. In care, it is very unpretentious: to remove dirt, it is recommended to wipe with a damp cloth, but it is not recommended to use any cleaning products.

1. Avoid high humidity. If you are still in doubt whether to install a hood or not, then I think now your choice is obvious. Steam from pots, grease from pans will also not have the best effect on your furniture.
2. Water is the enemy of any furniture.

   Make sure that it does not fall on the facades.

3. Close doors and slide drawers carefully, avoiding sudden movements. Do not expose them to mechanical stress (contact with sharp objects, friction, impacts).
4. The close location of lighting devices can lead to excessive heating of the facade and, as a result, deformation of the film, as well as a change in the color of the cladding. The luminaire and the facade should not be closer to each other than 15 cm.

Do-it-yourself MDF facade repair

What to do if you notice that the PVC film is peeling off.

First of all, if the kitchen is still under warranty, report this unpleasant incident to the seller. He is simply obliged to replace defective kitchen facades with new ones. Perhaps the marriage is related to the quality of the glue with which the film is glued, or its insufficient quantity. Simply put, the manufacturer saved on you. However, the seller may also ask how correctly you used the furniture.

If the warranty has already ended, then you can try to fix the defect yourself. Type PVA glue or Moment-type superglue into a medical syringe, you can also use “liquid nails” and carefully glue it under the film.

However, this method can be used if the film has simply peeled off. If it “shrinks”, which most often happens as a result of overheating, then there is little that can be done.

Try to mask it with putty that matches the color. But, despite all your efforts to restore furniture in this case, I cannot guarantee you a good result. The best way out is to order new facades, but keep in mind that they must either be ordered for the entire kitchen at once, since film facade manufacturers do not guarantee an exact match in the color of films from different batches; or discover the designer in you and "play" with the colors of the facades.

For example, if your kitchen is light green, then you can order facades for cabinets on which they need to be replaced in yellow.

As the technology of manufacturing MDF furniture facades in PVC film is mastered, one should not forget about alternative directions for the development of the enterprise, for example, such as painting MDF facades.

The situation in the furniture market is constantly changing and the demands of consumers do not remain unchanged. Therefore, sooner or later, manufacturers of MDF furniture may face the question of how to paint the MDF facade, what equipment and materials will be required, and what technology for painting MDF facades is best suited for this particular enterprise.

Equipment for painting MDF facades

To paint MDF facades, you will need a room with an area of ​​​​at least about 40 square meters.

m with a separate chamber for painting, a place for grinding parts, for drying and for storing blanks and aging finished products. The room must be heated with a temperature of at least 20 degrees. The painting booth should be suitably equipped with an exhaust hood and preferably a rotating table, a drying room with racks, and a sanding area with powerful vacuum cleaners.

To apply coatings and primers, you will need a pneumatic spray gun with a nozzle from 1.5 to 2 mm and a compressor with a receiver of 80-100 liters to it.

For grinding parts, you will need an eccentric vibration grinder, and for polishing, an angle grinder (grinder) with the appropriate nozzles.

Preparing MDF for painting

When choosing MDF for painting, special attention should be paid to the quality of the board, first of all, the raising of the pile during processing and the presence of embossing from the molds used in its manufacture.

Milling of MDF facades should be carried out at the highest possible speed of the tool in order to reduce the likelihood of raising the pile.

Since the paint layer of the finished MDF facade remains very fragile, sharp corners should be avoided on the parts, which can be knocked down by careless handling. To do this, they are processed with an edge cutter with a radius of 2-3 mm.

Grinding the details of the MDF facades must be done over the entire plane in order to remove the top protective layer of wax.

For this, an eccentric sander with P 180-240 sandpaper is used. The complex curves of milling MDF facades are easiest to handle with an emery sponge.

If it is planned to paint MDF facades consisting of several components, the gaps formed in the joints must first be puttied with a pore-filling primer.

After complete drying, its residues should be carefully removed with a rag or spatula, and then cleaned with P240-320 emery cloth.

Priming of MDF facades for painting

First of all, complex reliefs of milling or overlaid elements of the surface of the MDF facade are primed.

Then the edge of the part is primed. Further, the entire plane of the MDF facade is covered with soil.

Paint for MDF - a quick way to transform the interior

The movement of the gun is carried out first along and then across the part. Each subsequent layer should overlap the previous one by 50%. All subsequent stages of applying primers, paints and varnishes are carried out in a similar way.

If it is required to paint the MDF furniture facade on both sides, then LKM is first applied to the inside of the facade. After it dries, you can cover the front side.

As a rule, the primer of MDF facades for painting is carried out in 2 stages.

At the first stage, with the help of an airbrush, a layer of insulating primer (80-100 g/sq.m.) is laid down, which should provide protection against the absorption of subsequent layers of paintwork materials and raising the pile. After complete drying, grinding is performed with an emery sponge or P320-400 sandpaper.

It is important that during active grinding do not wipe the soil layer to the MDF.

At the second stage, before painting the MDF facade, a layer of white polyurethane primer is applied 150-200 g/sq.

m. The drying time of this layer can last from 8-10 to 24 hours, depending on the composition of the paintwork used. After drying, sanding with P320-400 sandpaper is performed.

Milling bends and hard-to-reach areas of the MDF facade are polished using Scotch-brite abrasive material.

Painting MDF facades

Painting of MDF facades is carried out with the help of an airbrush with a consumption of paint (enamel) from 60 to 200 g/sq.

m. Setting the nozzle diameter, air pressure, method of spraying, the number of layers and the interval of their application, as a rule, depends on the type of paint used. Therefore, before painting the MDF facade with one or another paint (enamel), you should carefully study the instructions for its use.

Complex ready-made compositions of paintwork materials with various special effects should be thoroughly mixed beforehand, since the decorative component of the paint can settle in a solid suspension at the bottom of the can.

You also need to make sure that the decorative additives will pass freely through the nozzle of the gun.

During painting and varnishing, it is important to exclude all possibilities of dust, debris or insects getting on the surface of the MDF facades. If this still happened, you must have tweezers or a needle on hand.

Significant and highly visible smudges of paint (primer) are removed after drying by cutting with a clerical knife, and then carefully cleaned with sandpaper.

Patination of painted MDF facades

As a rule, patina is used on matte colors of MDF facades with complex elements of surface and edge milling.

The patinating composition is applied without prior priming over the paint layer using an airbrush, roller, brush, foam rubber, swab or other tool. After drying, excess patina is removed by sanding with P320-400 abrasive materials or Scotch-brite sandpaper.

After a thorough cleaning of the MDF facade from dust, the paint layer and patina are covered with acrylic matte varnish (130-150 g / sq. M) and sent for drying. After 12-24 hours, the matte MDF facade can be packed and sent for storage.

Covering the facade of MDF after painting with varnish and polishing.

In order to give the surface of the MDF facade high resistance to mechanical damage, and freshness and depth to the paints, it should be covered with acrylic transparent glossy varnish.

Lacquer is applied in two layers 120-150 g/sq. m, in two doses with an interval that ensures the drying of the first layer (according to the instructions).

Varnished MDF facades are sent to dry. After 1-2 days, you can start grinding, and after 5-7 days, polishing and finishing the product.

Sanding the dried layer of varnish using an eccentric sander begins with the processing of the facade with P1200-1500 sandpaper and ends with P3000-4000.

At the same time, the surface of the facade must be periodically sprayed with water to prevent overheating and rolling of varnish particles. At the end of grinding, a uniform, uniform matte surface should be obtained.

For polishing MDF facades, an angle grinder with a hard (Novol white) foam rubber wheel and Bril-852 abrasive paste are used.

After applying the paste to the surface of the facade, it is necessary to rub it over the area with a machine at low speed. Then, increasing the speed of the machine to 1500-2000, proceed directly to polishing. It is important to smoothly move the circle from one edge to the other, first horizontally and then vertically.

The polishing wheel should be slightly moistened. In addition, for a greater effect, experts recommend applying a little furniture wax to the circle.

To finish the gloss, you will need SiashineFINISH non-abrasive paste and a soft (Black Novol) foam pad for polishing. The result should be a facade with a mirror surface.

Packaging and storage of painted MDF facades

The best option for packaging painted MDF facades will be polyethylene foam plus corrugated cardboard.

On the one hand, they will well protect products from mechanical damage. On the other hand, some paintwork materials continue to emit vapors of chemical compounds for some time, which condense on the surface of the facade when packaged in ordinary polyethylene and leave stains on the gloss.

This combination of packaging material makes it possible to dissipate the vapors accompanying the drying process even after storage.

The effectiveness of painting MDF facades

It is quite difficult to determine the benefits from the manufacture of painted MDF facades if the manufacturer is not exclusively engaged in their production and sale.

According to various sources, the average cost of 1 square. m glossy facade is 60-80 dollars. The main share of the costs falls on the wages of skilled workers, since the technology for painting MDF facades is based on manual labor (priming, grinding, painting, polishing), and the entire production cycle sometimes reaches 10 or more days.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the technology for painting MDF facades may differ at different enterprises, since a huge number of primers, paints, enamels, varnishes and other materials are presented on the modern market, which are strikingly different from each other in their technological properties.

For example, recently it has become fashionable to use automotive primers and enamels when painting MDF facades. But before you paint the facade of the kitchen, it is worth remembering that the car and the kitchen have completely different functions, and it’s not a fact that car enamel is so harmless that it can be “consumed” with food.

Therefore, before painting the MDF facade with an unknown paint, it is still worth exploring the paintwork market.

Fortunately, there are plenty of companies producing primers, paints, enamels and varnishes for working specifically on MDF. Here is a list of some well-established brands:

• Paintwork: Sayerlack, Votteler, Sivam, Tikkurila, Teknos, Sirca, PaliWood UM;
• Patina: Sayerlack, Borma, HesseLignal
• Polishing pastes: 3M Perfect, Bril-852, Menzerna, Siashine FINISH.

Annoying appearance of the existing panels on the walls. Maybe go with a primer, and on top with acrylic paint? Is that possible?

Yes, MDF panels can be painted with paint, but not everything is so simple, MDF panels must be prepared before painting.

If you hire people to paint the panels, then you need to carefully calculate and weigh everything, very often high-quality painting and the paint itself, plus the work of the craftsmen are more expensive than buying new MDF panels.

In principle, this is possible, but I would advise painting MDF panels with alkyd enamel, the choice of color is huge,

the appearance changes beyond recognition, the enamel can be applied without special equipment, that is, with a roller, or even with a brush.

"Walking" with a primer is not enough. Before priming, the surface of the panels must be sanded, the work is done with sandpaper.

The surface is carefully polished, but in the second stage a primer is used.

But that's not all, so that the paint lays flat on the panel, it is necessary to sand and prime at least twice.

If there are deep scratches on the panels, then before finishing painting, the scratches are puttied.

The surface of MDF is porous and the task of the primer is to fill in all these pores and make the surface smooth.

At the last stage, the surface is varnished, but this is optional.

The work of painting MDF panels is quite painstaking and complicated, it is extremely difficult to paint the panels on your own and with high quality, yet I would advise you to consider buying new panels, especially if the old ones have a very deplorable appearance.

MDF panels can be painted with environmentally friendly water-dispersion acrylic, acrylic-latex or latex facade or interior paints. The composition of the paints contains water, there are no organic solvents, so they have no smell. They have good adhesion to many surfaces.

Coatings with structural paints giving relief coatings will look original and modern. In this case, textured facade paints or structural wall paints can be used. The resulting coatings have light resistance, increased resistance to abrasion and washing, have increased resistance to dirt, increased resistance to fungus and mold. They wash well and have excellent decorative properties.

MDF or fibreboard in a different way began to be produced in the United States in 1966 and is a relatively "young" material. However, it has been an excellent alternative to wood in the furniture industry for many years. MDF facades have become commonplace in kitchens, offices and other premises. How to properly prepare an MDF surface for painting, what tools and materials you will need, and how to do everything yourself - read right now.

MDF is a unique modern material, which is made by pressing wood waste under high pressure and at elevated temperatures. The material for the binding of the components is lignin, which is of natural origin - it is extracted from wood.

The obvious advantages of MDF, which are used for the manufacture of facades, experts include:

• excellent moisture resistant qualities;
• heat resistance;
• surface strength;
• versatility and ease of use;
• resistance to harmful microorganisms and fungi;
• budget cost.

Since MDF facades lose their original luster over time, they need to be replaced or painted. Even a beginner can paint a facade from such material with certain skills and suitable equipment. Since the material is homogeneous, it does not need any preliminary preparation. The only exception is the removal of a layer of old finish, if any. The surface of MDF facades is resistant to mechanical stress. You can not only cover it with paint, choosing a color to your taste, but also change the texture a little.

If we talk about the technology of painting MDF facades, then it includes several simple steps:

• minor surface preparation
• soil application;
• choice of type and color of coating material;
• its application to the prepared surface.

When painting MDF facades at home, you need to prepare:

• paint brush or roller;
• masking tape;
• building hair dryer;
• primer for wood;
• fine-grained sandpaper;
• rubber gloves to protect hands.

To carry out professional painting of MDF facades, you will need a room with an area of ​​​​about 40 square meters. meters with a separate chamber for painting, a place where you can grind parts, dry and store blanks, and then finished products. The temperature in it should be at least 20 degrees. The painting chamber must be equipped with an exhaust hood and a rotating table. There should be shelving in the drying room, and a powerful vacuum cleaner in the grinding sector.

Facades are carried out using a spray gun. Keep in mind that the material consumption is 60 - 200 grams per square meter. meter.

The type of paint will depend on the diameter of the nozzle, air pressure, the chosen method of spraying, the number of layers applied and the frequency of coating.

Surface preparation

The paint application procedure includes the preparation and application of the selected finishing material.

If the paint will be applied to the furniture, the headset should first be disassembled. It is not required to unwind it completely, it is enough to remove only the parts that are planned to be covered with paint. It is recommended to remove handles, inserts and other fittings. If this is not possible, a special masking tape will help protect them.

If the surfaces to be treated are constantly located near gas stoves and electric furnaces, then it is advised to choose paints with fire retardant properties for painting, such as Polystil metal products. In order to protect the hood and air outlets from corrosion in the future, an electrically conductive paint such as Zinga should be purchased.

To prepare the surface yourself, you need to completely remove the existing paintwork from it. When the cleaning is completed, the MDF facade is also cleaned of dust. It is difficult to manually clean the surface, it is recommended to use a building hair dryer. The next step is sanding with fine-grained sandpaper.

Next is priming. Before starting work with the composition, it must be shaken. To prepare the surface, it is advised to take a primer intended for wood. But if there are plastic components, it is better to use a primer designed for plastic. The primer should be allowed to dry well, up to 2 days. Only when it is completely absorbed by the surface, it is permissible to proceed with staining.

Coloring and coating

Staining can be done in two ways:

• Usual. It involves traditional paint application, resulting in a beautiful matte or glossy finish. It all depends on the type of paintwork material that you choose.
• Textured. Here, glisal is used for coating in order to get an unusual surface at home.

When painting with regular paint, you should stick adhesive tape on those parts that you will then cover with other colors if you plan to have a two-color or multi-color finish. It is necessary to apply paint in the selected direction in the direction of movement of the tool. Before applying the next layer, the previous one should dry well. After finishing painting, all parts are screwed into place.

When covering the facade of MDF with glisal, you should first choose a color. To achieve an unusual shade, it is permissible to add a little paint of the color that you like to the glisal. Plain water will help bring the solution to the desired consistency. Before applying the composition to the MDF board, it is advised to first try it on paper.

Staining with glisal is easy to carry out. You should stir the composition, put your hands in protective gloves, stock up on a sponge, a brush with soft bristles and a bag. Glizal is applied with a brush to the surface with a layer, which is advised to do medium thickness. After applying the composition, a sponge is applied to the still wet surface, achieving the formation of interesting bubbles. Their size depends on how large the pores of the sponge are. If you use not a sponge, but a crumpled plastic bag, you can get a beautiful texture on the surface, reminiscent of the bizarre patterns that frost leaves on windows in winter. A textured pattern should be made on the surface without waiting for the glazing to dry.

When the material dries after a week, it is required to varnish the surface. It is better to choose a transparent varnish in order to emphasize all the advantages of the glazed coating, and apply it in 1 layer. In conclusion, you need to return all the pieces of furniture to their place.