How To Paint IKEA Furniture – A Complete Guide
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Not to toot my own horn, but… this is by far the best, most comprehensive guide on the internet about painting Ikea laminate furniture. This guide is very extensive and it might be too much to take in all at once. I recommend you bookmark it or pin it, so that you can come back to it when you need to.
I really want you to succeed with your project!
Quick note from me, the author!
I’ve updated and edited this post continuously since first publishing it in 2019. I’ve tried to make it as information dense, yet as clear as possible for you. Fast forward to 2025, there are literally thousands of other posts out there about this topic – many of which have borrowed bits and pieces of information from this post. I’m glad you found this one, and I hope you find this article to be as useful as the tens of thousands of people before you have over the years!
This guide will cover:
▶️ how to paint ikea laminate furniture
▶️ whether or not you need to sand and prime
▶️ what type of paint to use and how to apply it
▶️ the absolute best kind of primer to use for laminate
▶️ what kind of final topcoat (sealer) to use
How To Paint Ikea Furniture Like a Pro!
Painting your IKEA furniture can be a relatively fast and very cost effective way to upgrade your space and inject new style into your home.
There are endless ways to personalize (or “hack”) your IKEA products and paint is just one of the many. And that’s what we’ll be covering today.
How to paint IKEA laminate furniture
Painting laminate pieces is the trickiest surface to get right, so we’ll start by talking about that one. You hear a lot of horror stories about how it all went wrong and the paint started peeling off after 2 days.
Your paint is not going to peel off if you follow these steps and use the primer I mention below!
This method doesn’t require sanding your piece before priming and painting. Some people swear by sanding every single layer in order to get a perfectly pristine and smooth finish. By all means, you can absolutely do this if you want to, it certainly won’t ruin any of your work! Decide if it’s worth the effort and go for it if you feel like it’s necessary 🙂
MATERIALS:
- Shellac-base primer – I recommend this one from Zinsser. It is what I use personally and I can’t guarantee your results if you use other primers.
- Sanding paper (optional)
- Brushes, rollers or spray gun
- Rag or paper towels
- Paint
- Topcoat
STEPS FOR PAINTING ON LAMINATE:
1. Disassemble furniture if you can. If you can’t disassemble, at least remove any hardware like knobs or pulls.
2. Wipe down your furniture with water and a damp (not sopping wet!) paper towel or cloth. You want to remove any dust, dirt or residue that can be removed so that it doesn’t get trapped underneath the paint. Allow to dry, it doesn’t take long.
3. Prime – usually only one coat is needed.
OPTIONAL: You can scuff the primer with sanding paper once it’s dry if you want but it’s not really necessary. If you really want to sand your primer, go ahead and do it! Allow time to dry according to instructions on the product.
4. Paint your piece. You may require multiple coats of paint – make sure you allow time to dry in between coats.
OPTIONAL: You can sand between coats of paint if you want to! I recommend doing this if you have visible drips, brush strokes or any small debris caught in your paint. Sanding will smooth all of that out.
5. Once your furniture is completely dry, you can add your topcoat (sealant). Allow time to dry according to instructions on the product.
6. Reassemble if needed, and put back all the hardware.
Example Laminate Paint project
Below is an example of laminate furniture that I painted one summer for my mom. I painted this back in 2018 and obviously trends have evolved since then ☺️ most people would probably keep the wood tone now. It’s actually not an IKEA piece, but it’s still a good example project for this article!
After removing the mirror, I primed it with one coat of Zinsser (did not sand!!) and gave it 4 coats of paint. The reason I needed to give it 4 coats was due to the low quality of the paint I was working with – it was just your regular, run-of-the-mill indoor water-based latex paint. It was just what my mom had on hand… If you have better quality paint, you won’t have to use so much. You’ll probably be able to get away with far fewer coats of paint.
MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT PAINTING IKEA FURNITURE:
What is laminate?
Something that is laminated is essentially something covered in plastic. Laminate furniture is basically a photo of wood texture, slapped onto a piece of particle board, and then covered with a clear plastic coating.
Here, let me illustrate what I mean:
Do I paint assembled or disassembled?
You are going to make your life a lot easier if you paint your IKEA furniture when it’s disassembled. If you already know you are going to paint your piece right off the bat when you buy it, then great. Just don’t assemble it!
On the other hand, maybe you don’t have time to disassemble. Or you’ve had your piece so long that you lost the tools (I actually have about 2 million different IKEA allen keys). It’s ok. You can still go ahead and paint.
You can cut corners by not disassembling, but be warned that certain steps later are going to take you a bit longer.
Time wise, in the end it kind of evens out.
If you choose to paint with your piece still assembled, you may need to mask off certain areas: you can do this with painter’s tape to get clean lines and minimize the risk of the paint bleeding where you don’t want it to. I linked some good tapes below.
Moral of the story: if your piece is already assembled, I would strongly suggest disassembling it. You will get a more professional looking finish if you take the time to do this.
Do I need to sand my Laminate piece first?
This is a widely debated topic so I will tell you what I know from my own personal experience. I’ve been painting different types of furniture for over 20 years. Yes, I am that old.
- If you’re painting over laminate, NO, sanding is not necessary. Contrary to what a lot of tutorials say out there, you don’t HAVE to sand your laminate furniture before painting … provided that you follow the correct steps, which I covered above. You CAN sand if you want to, but it’s not 100% necessary. Do whatever you think is best for you. If you prime properly, you have the option to skip sanding.
What’s a primer and do I need it?!?
Primer is basically a base coat of paint that prepares your surface for receiving the final finishing paint. It helps provide a smooth surface to paint your final color on and helps with paint adhesion.
Some people live life on the edge and skip the primer, and it doesn’t even haunt them late at night.
However, I would suggest NOT skipping the primer.
The best primer in the world for painting laminate (trust me)
This shellac based primer is the one all the professional painters rave about. This is why it’s awesome and you should use it:
- it sticks to ALL surfaces *** WITHOUT SANDING ***, so it will work for laminate, solid wood and metal.
- dries really quickly.
- covers all odors, even nasty ones like cat urine and stale smoke.
- seals stains and knots and provides a perfect base for your finish paint.
- works with ANY top coat.
So you really cannot go wrong. I highly recommend you choose to use this primer; if you do, then you can skip the rest of the following information on primers.
NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU GET *SHELLAC BASE PRIMER* !!!!
Did I just burn your retinas with that yellow background? Good. You get my point. It’s important!
WARNING: I am going to sound like a jerk now. If the inexperienced employee at the big box store paint desk, advises you against using the Zinsser shellac primer, or suggests you buy something else, please IGNORE THEM! I have heard so many people over the years say “I talked to the person at the paint desk and they said not to use the Zinsser shellac, and said to use *insert whatever else product* instead, and now my project is ruined”. Unfortunately, 90% of the time, big box store employees don’t know what they’re talking about. If you follow their advice, you are doing so at your own risk.
If you don’t plan on using the primer mentioned above, then you will need to keep the following things in mind:
- If you’re going to be painting with a water based latex paint, then you must use a water based primer. Technically you can use an oil based primer and then paint on top with latex paint, but just keep your life simple and make sure they match.
- If you are painting with an oil based finish paint, you must use an oil based primer. No exceptions.
I’ve gotten a lot of questions over the years with people asking me why something went wrong with their project and the first question I always ask is “which primer did you use”? The next reason for problems is usually user error. Many of which can be avoided by reading this guide! 😊
Anyyyyways, no matter what, you really need to use a primer. Don’t skip this.
↓ QUICK TIP ↓
If your final paint color is going to be dark, ask the paint mixer to tint your primer. The tint can be a greyish blue color, or you can have it tinted to a similar color to your finish paint. This will help coverage, won’t be as difficult to conceal versus having a pure white primed base, and thus will require fewer coats of your final color. Which ultimately saves you time and money.
What kind of paint should I use For Painting Laminate Furniture? Pros and Cons!
So by now you have learned that if you go with the Zinsser Primer I mentioned above, then you can choose any kind of paint you like.
If you have another kind of primer, check to see what kind it is and make sure to get the appropriate type of paint. You can always ask the people at the paint store – they should know basic stuff at least. Hopefully.
WATER BASED PAINT
Pros:
- Water based paints (latex, aka plastic) are popular because they emit fewer toxic fumes than oil based paints
- They are easy clean up as you only need water
- They dry quickly and are flexible
- Will not yellow over time
Cons:
- The disadvantage to painting furniture with water based latex paints is that you run the risk that sometimes the paint won’t behave as planned, which can result in stains and wood knot bleeding, which is disastrous (this has happened to me – I didn’t prime first). If you use primer, you should be able to avoid this happening, however water based primers are known to have the same issue (staining/bleeding).
- Less durable than oil based paints
OIL BASED PAINT
Pros:
- Oil based paints provide excellent durability
- They cover any odors that may be stuck in your furniture much better than water based paints
Cons:
- The clean up is tedious as you need mineral spirits or turpentine to clean your paint brushes as opposed to just water. If you don’t clean your brushes with mineral spirits after painting with oil based paints, you can kiss your brushes goodbye once they dry
- Oil based paint can yellow over time
- Less flexible than latex water based paints, meaning it can crack
- Very strong odor during application
- Longer drying times
CHALK PAINT
Pros:
- Lends itself well to distressing for a “shabby” or vintage look
- Some stunning effects can be achieved by layering chalk paints
Cons:
- Visible brush strokes
- Often requires multiple coats to get an even finish
- Less durable than latex paint
If you are painting laminate furniture with chalk paint, you will still need to prime first. You must seal furniture painted with chalk paint with wax. All chalk paint is is latex paint with powder mixed in – usually plaster of Paris.
It is incredibly easy to DIY your own chalk paint if you don’t want to buy the ready-made stuff.
Learn more about how to chalk paint IKEA furniture here.
SPRAY PAINT
Pros:
- Easy to apply
- Even coverage, provided that it’s applied properly
- Dries quickly
Cons:
- Can require multiple cans for a large project, which gets pricey
- Difficult to get even coverage on large pieces
- Can drip if not sprayed properly
- Strong odor during application
What are the best tools to apply my paint?
To paint your IKEA furniture you can use any of the following:
- spray gun
- roller
- synthetic or natural bristle brushes
- foam brushes
Spray Guns
Spray guns can be tricky to use because you can’t just dump the paint in the canister and spray – you need to thin your paint first. If you don’t get the paint consistency right, you will have a lot of problems getting your paint to spray properly – it won’t come out at all if it’s too thick, or will come out in fat droplets if it’s too thick or thin. Cleaning your paint spray gun is also a massive pain. But once you get the hang of them they speed up the process significantly.
Rollers
Rollers are handy and allow for lighting-fast paint application. If you use a roller that is wider than the opening of your paint can, you’ll need to remember to get a tray or something to put your paint in.
↓ QUICK TIP ↓
If you use a paint tray, you can line it with plastic for super quick clean up! Or, what if you need to stop painting for the day, but you’re not done with your project and you have a bunch of good paint in the tray? No need for that to go to waste, paint costs good money! Just throw a plastic bag over your tray and pop it in the fridge! It’ll stay fresh until you are able to pick up the project in the next day or two.
Brushes
Foam brushes are good and generally ensure smooth application in terms of brush strokes. They are cheap and pretty much only good for one time use so you’ll have to throw them away once you’re done. You could try to clean them with water if you’re using water based products but it may not be worth the effort.
Bristle brushes are my favorite method of application for painting furniture, but they sometimes can lose a hair or two along the way. Be sure to remove any stray bristles immediately if you see any. Tweezers help, or just pinch with your fingernails then touch up with another stroke of paint. I prefer angled brushes to flat brushes as it allows for a more comfortable wrist position while I’m painting.
Brushes can come in natural bristles or synthetic bristles. Choose whichever you like. Natural bristles can leave more obvious brush strokes whereas synthetic bristles generally provide a smoother application.
↓ QUICK TIP ↓
Don’t make your life difficult and buy brushes that are too small. It will take you forever and will be incredibly frustrating. I recommend using a combination of tools when tackling furniture painting projects: a roller for large surfaces and a couple of different sizes brushes for harder to reach areas or for areas like grooves.
When you’re done, you must make sure to clean your brushes appropriately based on the type of paint you used. Water for water based paint, and turpentine/mineral spirits/paint thinner for oil based and shellac paints.
What should I use to seal my piece? Everything you need to know about topcoats
Sealants, varnishes and top coats can be really confusing. They’re also especially intimidating because they are the very last step after all the work you’ve put in to paint your piece. If you get it wrong, you risk messing everything up. I have done this and it sucks.
If you’re not sure what kind of topcoat to use, read on. It’s best to not have any doubts when choosing a topcoat.
One thing is for sure, and that is that you probably definitely maybe want to use one. It will ensure that your piece and the paint job underneath is protected from wear and tear. I say that and I never seal my pieces because I just can’t be bothered so… you do you.
POLYURETHANE
I recommend using water based polyurethane topcoats.
Oil based top coats will yellow over time (similar to oil based paints!). You really don’t want this happening, especially if you’re sealing a very light or white piece.
↓ QUICK TIP ↓
You CAN use a water based top coat over an oil based paint, you just need to make sure the paint has dried completely before sealing.
My top recommendation for a water based sealant is Minwax Polycrylic (check links below to purchase).
You can choose either a matte finish, semi gloss finish, a gloss finish or a satin finish.
You can use Minwax Polycrylic over both oil based and water based paints.
To be safe, you can always test a small patch in an inconspicuous area before finishing the whole piece.
WAX
If you painted your IKEA furniture with chalk paint, some say that the best way to go is by sealing with wax.
I would tend to disagree.
Wax sealed pieces give a nice velvety finish but are not as durable as pieces sealed with acrylic varnishes.
Wax is not a permanent finish, meaning that it will need to be reapplied every so often. The other tedious thing about sealing with wax is that if you ever want to repaint your furniture, the wax MUST be removed otherwise your new paint will not adhere to the surface.
Removing the wax topcoat involves wiping everything down with mineral spirits and ain’t nobody got time for that.
If you do want to seal with wax, I recommend Minwax Paste Finishing Wax in Natural.
But I would recommend using the Minwax Polycrylic Matte Poly finish instead.
I hope this article gave you the confidence to tackle your laminate IKEA furniture painting project! And that you feel a bit more confident about how to paint Ikea furniture! I’d love to hear what you get up to, and I’m always available to answer any questions! Do not hesitate to drop me a comment below! Now get painting! 😁
Watch my videos on how to paint Ikea furniture 🙂
You can also watch me paint and transform this boring Kallax unit:
NEED SOME IKEA PAINTING INSPO? THEN YOU MIGHT LOVE THESE ARTICLES:
10 *STUNNING* WAYS TO HACK THE IKEA IVAR
18 HACKS TO COMPLETELY TRANSFORM YOUR KALLAX
12 WAYS TO TAKE YOUR BILLY BOOKCASE FROM DRAB TO FAB
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Hi!! I’m interested in painting the LÅDMAKARE, it is particleboard and fiberboard with paper foil. Would I use the Zinsser primer for this? The amazon link listed on your site is sold out, and I tried looking up where else to find it, but I’m not sure if the name is slightly different! Can you find another amazon link, or somewhere else I can buy it?
I’m also seeing this one: Zinsser B-I-N Advanced White Shellac-Based Acrylic Primer and Sealer 1 gal
Thank you so much!
Yes you would use the Zinsser Bin shellac base primer for the Ladmakare. Yes the one you mention sounds like it would work fine.
Hi Vivien,
Thank you for the guide it’s very helpful. I will be working on a pax closet in your experience will a quart be sufficient to cover this project?
i’m not sure. that said, i’d always rather have a bit more paint than i need, rather than not enough!
I wish I saw this post before we painted our BAGGEBO bookshelf. We bought the POPPARE black paint for the bookshelves. After painting the shelf and letting it dry for a day we retouched it and left it outside to dry. Once we bought it inside we noticed that my daughter’s books were sticking to the paint. It sure if I should just sand the paint off or use a primer over the paint on it now. Any advise?
Poppare paint isn’t suitable for using directly on laminate furniture. It sounds like your paint isn’t drying/curing properly. Yes, it would be best to try and remove the sticky paint and start over and follow the correct steps (prime the bookcase first so that the final paint can adhere properly). Lightly sand the surface with fine-grit sandpaper to remove the tackiness and create a smoother finish. Clean off the dust and then apply a primer before repainting. A primer will help with adhesion and improve the final finish.
If I would change anything about your awesome article here it would be don’t ever tell people they don’t need to sand Ikea Billy Bookcase laminate. Our horrible failure (we have to scrap our Billy bookcase) was our fault, and we take full responsibility. Actually, the lady in the paint counter at Lowes should take some responsibility too, because she talked us out of B I N Shellac (we thought she knew what she was talking about–since we know nothing–and we took her advice, while at the same time NOT SANDING). D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R!
Now we know. Always sand laminate. It will take longer but it’s so worth it.
I’m sorry to hear your project didn’t turn out. If you had used the bin shellac, no sanding would have been needed. That’s the key point that I repeat over and over throughout the article. Store employees usually don’t know anything other than the very bare minimum basics – often not even that.
Your information was very thorough, excellent even. And you emphasized in YELLOW the Zinsser Shellac primer. Being complete novices we didn’t realize the disaster ahead of us by going with the recommendation from paint girl at Lowes. Good news is today, three days after painting non-shellac primer and latex top coat, we were able to scrap off every inch of our mistake. It came off like butter left out of the frig for a few hours. Now back to square one and to the store to get Zinsser BIN shellac.
Hello! Thanks so much for this guide – easily the most comprehensive one I’ve seen while researching. I’ve got a couple of powder coated steel pieces to repaint, and I’m very clear on the sanding and priming end of things, but less so on the paint end (latex? oil-based? spray paint? enamel?). Can I just use any paint over the Zinsser BIN primer, or is there a recommended type of paint I should use on the primed metal if I want to make sure it really holds up? Should I throw a poly top coat on it too? I’ve got a Gladom side table first up on my DIY list, and it’s likely to get used quite a lot, so durability is important to me. If it goes well, I’ve got some desk legs and a clothes rail that will follow suit.
I’ve seen wildly different advice online from different DIYers, so really keen to get your opinion on the best type of paint for the job!
Yes, you can use any type paint on top of the Zinsser. Personally, I just use regular latex house paint on pretty much anything that I put outside, it has always help up wonderfully. Latex paint is used on house exteriors all the time and does just fine, after all! I almost never top coat because I simply cannot be bothered – that’s not to say you shouldn’t, you can if you want to, it will add an additional layer of durability. If you’re really concerned about durability you can look into using oil-based paint but I honestly don’t think it has that much of an advantage over latex, it’s just more annoying to clean up. You can also ask at your local hardware store what specific metal paint they might suggest using – there are tons of different paints options on the market these days. There is no single correct answer for your case, just different ways of doing it. UNLESS you apply the paint incorrectly, whichever type of paint you choose will hold up just fine!
hello. we followed your guide. and used a dark satin colored paint.
[note we are very amateur DIY-ers]
we’re stuck at the paint step though. it’s frustratingly easy to create haze on the finish. a light rub with a finger or cloth – effectively ruins the work we just did [in spite of the fact we have 3 or 4 coats on the pieces at this point].
a light scratch across the surface with a nail also creates a haze/scratch.
is this par for the course with dark paints? should we have been more careful about not touching the surface before applying the polycrylic top coat? please advise [trying to salvage project. would hate to throw out what we’ve done]
Hi Mark, dark paints are beautiful, but as you guessed, notorious for showing everything unfortunately! Including dust! If you waited the recommended drying time between your coats of paint, and you waited enough time for everything to dry properly before applying the top coat, any marks should wipe right off when you clean. You will just maybe need to clean and dust a bit more frequently 😉
hello
help!!
I used the shellac primer on the laminated ikea kellax and then used a water based paint and primer on top.
I moved the piece into position and popped some items on top. the paint has chipped down to the laminate.
should I try another layer of the zinsser on top? followed by the top coat again?
Sounds like one of the products was applied incorrectly at some point in the process – it’s impossible for me to say where it went wrong, but either the primer, the paint or the top coat was applied incorrectly or didn’t have time to dry. If this process is done correctly the paint won’t chip. After priming, I recommend doing multiple coats of paint – how many coats of latex paint did you apply? Did you make sure the paint was 100% dry between each coat? Lots of variables at play.
Hello Vivien,
Thankyou so much for sharing your tips/experience with melamine!
I was wondering what I would use to paint something that will be outside (undercover) permanently? Would I just follow the steps up to the primer and then apply an exterior paint instead or could I get away with just a topcoat designed for outdoor furniture?
Thanks again,
Chloe
Do you know what white is used on the ikea ingolf chairs?
I’m at a loss. I primed my Billy bookcase with the shellac primer (rolled on 1/4 nap). Next day I painted 2 coats of behr matte paint (rolled on 1/4 nap). Day three I brushed on a coat of clear matte top coat. Waited 24 hours. I can easily chip the paint down to the primer by barely scratching with my nail.
Hi, I’m sorry I have no idea. It sounds like you did everything right but without actually seeing what’s going on I really can’t say what went wrong. There are a lot of variables.
Very informative article, but I’m still not sure what to do. I have a Froset chair,
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/froeset-chair-red-stained-oak-veneer-20429604/
which says it’s “Molded layer-glued wood veneer with surface of, Oak veneer, Tinted clear acrylic lacquer”. I really want the true red I see in the photos but the piece I got is more of a dull salmon red, so am thinking of working on it. I do like the “stained” effect, with wood grain showing through. What would you recommend? Thanks in advance–
You’d have to remove the acrylic lacquer on top likely by sanding it off, before attempting to change the color of the oak veneer.
Hi! We have a laminate project that we’re trying to paint, and we’d really like to seal it with something once we get it fully painted. Do you recommend the polycrylic sealant for laminate projects? We’ve messed up projects in the past by either not priming or sealing or using the wrong sealant, and we don’t want to make the same mistake! Thank you for your help!
Great article. I want to paint my old rectangle Bjursta dining table but I don’t want to see a solid color, is there a way to make it look like it has some wood te texture? Thanks
Outstanding blog! Great information and ideas! Brilliant! I found your page while researching how to remove gloss finish. I have the vision to redo my kitchen set. It has a gloss finish but it’s wood.
I used to love the look of darker furniture but now i walk into my bedroom and it’s so depressing. I know it needs an overhaul but i don’t want to go out and buy a whole new set of everything when what i have works just fine. I loved your article that was so well explained from start to finish. I purchased everything you suggested!! Fingers crossed it works hahahha
thank you, good luck, it will be worth the effort 🙂 <3
Just found your site and I love it! Quick question. I’m buying an Ikea bookcase to paint navy blue. Should I buy the black one – I was thinking it would be easier to cover the black with navy blue than the white? Many thanks.
100% yes buy the black! It will be way less work to paint it 🙂
Hi, really find your blog useful! What kind of paint should i use for a Docksta table top? Do you have a blog on this?
Great post! How long did you wait between painting with a latex paint and sealing with poly for the piece? The cure time for the paint I have is 4 weeks, should I want to seal until the 4 weeks? Thanks!
i didnt seal mine but i’d wait and stick to the curing times suggested by the paint you used
Hi Vivien! Thank you for this informative post – makes me feel a lot more confident in trying my hand at repainting our new console table. I’m a little uncertain still on what paint or material i should use when trying to transform this dark brown LACK table (https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/lack-console-table-black-brown-50228034/) into a shade/texture similar to this (https://www.westelm.com/products/bridge-console-62-h6810/?pkey=cconsole-tables&sku=cm_src=console-tables||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_–_-&cm_src=reducedClick&isx=0.0). We don’t want it to be completely white or just beige, we’d love to preserve some of the wooden streaks in the LACK table but don’t want it to be chalky. Any recommendations?
that’s a tricky one because the correct way to paint ikea furniture is to apply the shellac primer completely over your base laminate piece – the primer acts as a “adhesive” for your paint so you can’t skip that step. .. .the only thing that comes to mind is to dilute the bin primer with paint thinner, and then paint the diluted primer on, so that the brown base with the grain still shows through. this suggestion is entirely experimental as I’ve never tried this method before so try at your own risk!! i’m not sure if it would work or how the end result would look. but it may be worth a shot if you’re planning on scrapping the piece anyways. worst case scenario you can always just follow my method above and just paint the whole thing if it doesn’t look the way you want.
The IKEA piece I would like to stain says it’s “Light white stained pine”. Will sanding it remove that finish and allow me to stain it the color I prefer, or are other steps necessary?
Yes sounds like it! Once you’ve been sanding for awhile and hit raw wood you will know you’re good to go with restaining.
Great article! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I’m planning on building a library wall using Havsta (Billy isn’t deep enough for my various books) in my home office. I want to paint the shelves black, so plan to purchase the dark brown. The description on the web site indicates Havsta is made of – Solid pine, Stain, Clear acrylic lacquer – Would this fall under the laminate category, because of the clear lacquer or under solid wood?
Hi, thank you! Laminate is plastic, and acrylic is also another word for plastic. So yes you’d need to treat it was if it was laminate otherwise you’ll have major issues with the paint sticking properly. The only way around it is to sand off the layer of acrylic laquer to get to the solid wood.
Hi. For the LACK series the description in my country reads as follows
Particleboard, Honeycomb structure paper filling (100% recycled), Fibreboard, Plastic edging, Acrylic paint
Do you recommend the same process as laminate ?
Thanks
SR
Hi, yes.
Hi! This is a great read, I can’t wait to start my project. I haven’t decided yet, but how can I get the distressed look while still priming and painting correctly? I have dark brown Hemnes dresser and want to paint it white with slight distressing.
Hi, thanks! You’d proceed in the same way, then distress at the end.
Hi Vivien! How would one distress it at the end? Complete newbie here.
Thanks!
Distress with sanding paper!
I also have a paper foil ikea cupboard. Unfortunately I could not get the B-I-N primer to stick to this, it would just scratch off. The primer stuck to any laminate edges just not the main area of the cupboard. Just wondering if you had any luck in the end?
Hi,
I have run into and issue and was wondering whether you could help. Having read around about being able to paint ikea furniture i went and bought some wall units that i wanted to be the same colour as the wall. I used the suggested B-I-N primer, however it hasn’t adhered to the surface. I am painting Ikea Eket cabinets.
On further inspection, the paint has adhered to the sides but not the top, after further inspection it seems that the thickness of the wood has plastic edging but the main area is covered in paper foil, which this primer doesn’t adhere to. I have painted a section with my paint and was able to peel the primer and paint off in one go.
Is this something you have come across? Do you know of any primers that would adhere to this surface?
How many coats of the top coat do you recommend doing over the laminate type furniture? I purchased the brand/type you recommended and was just wondering how many coats you would do – the can says to use 3 coats, but is that necessary for this type of project?
Thanks!
I’d do what the product recommends 🙂
Thanks for sharing! 10 years back I did a similar project on the kitchen using oil based paints on formica laminate. Still going strong, slight yellowing as I didnt seal it.
Now I have formica laminate wardrobes to reface in bedroom but I cannot get a shellac primer here in Singapore. What is my next best option for primer? I’m not keen to use solvents in the bedroom due to the time needed for the smell to go. I can get the zinsser bulls eye 123 primer but it is water based. Zinsser suggests using it for the same purpose. https://www.rustoleum.com/product-catalog/consumer-brands/zinsser/primer-sealers/bulls-eye-1-2-3-water-base-primer
Would I be making a mistake if I go with zinsser bulls eye 123 water based primer? Anything I can do to harden the surface and make it more durable like choice of top coat paint?
Thanks! Ed.
Yes I think using the water based bulls eye is a mistake! I’d bite the bullet and use oil-based if you want a good finish.
Really useful information on painting over Ikea laminate furniture. I am about to attempt to paint my Ikea laminate kitchen cabinets. They’re 10 years old but still going strong and I cannot afford to replace my whole kitchen right now. So we have decided to give the kitchen a facelift by painting the cupboards dark blue. I will follow your advice about priming first. Any other tips you have for painting kitchen cabinets or shall I just treat it like any other Ikea laminate piece? Would you recommend topcoat on kitchen cabinets? Thanks, Anna
I highly recommend checking out this Emily Henderson article before embarking on painting your kitchen cabinets! It can absolutely be done, but if you want a professional-looking finish there is quite a bit of work involved, so it’s good to be aware! here is the link: https://stylebyemilyhenderson.com/blog/diy-painting-kitchen-cabinets 🙂
Thank you so much for this detailed tutorial! I’m starting my first DIY/IKEA hack so this may be silly, but would I follow the laminate steps or solid wood based off the materials listed for the molger bench. It says: Solid birch, Clear polyurethane/acrylic lacquer. I assumed the clear part was a clear sealer coat on top, but after reading your post I’m beginning to think maybe it’s laminate after all? I planned to use outdoors for my daughter and wanted to seal it with a spar varnish after re-painting or staining. I’m not worried about tossing if it doesn’t hold up after the first year, just wanted to experiment with an idea I had. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Thank you so much! If I’m trying to match their white stain, would you recommend the matte finish? Here’s their link – https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/hemnes-8-drawer-dresser-white-stain-00318598/
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen the white stained hemnes in person so I can’t 100% remember what the finish looks like! I would say if you are looking at the original and don’t see any sheen whatsoever, then go with the matte, yes!
This is very helpful! Thank you so much! Quick question… I’m trying to match this IKEA dresser’s finish – https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/hemnes-8-drawer-dresser-white-80374284/. What type of Minwax Polycrylic top coat/finish would you recommend; Matte, Satin, Semi-Gloss, Gloss?
I’ll be using Behr Marquee interior white paint in eggshell, unless you recommend differently?
Thanks again for all your help!
To match hemnes I think satin is the best finish !
Hi! thank you so much for this article, it was such a good read. I have the BESTÅ BURS desk ( Particleboard, Melamine foil, Plastic foil, Plastic foil) that I have been using as a vanity. Because of the heat from my hair straightener is has started to crack in some places. what would you suggest for this? I was going to sand it and use the Zinsser Cover stain but then discovered the Mohawk repair stick..I don’t need it to look perfect but just wanted to repair the cracked look. what would you recommend Thanks so much!!
Hi Lara, it definitely can be tricky to paint over damaged laminate since there is always a risk that the paint won’t bond properly. That being said, from what you’re describing it does sound like you could try applying a spackling or a putty on the cracks, sanding it down and then priming and painting overtop of all that, and it would very likely fix your situation 🙂 good luck!
Hi Vivien!
I feel dumb for asking this question, but I’m wondering if you know what the Hemnes dresser in white (not white stained) would be considered? It has a glossy finish to it but it is solid wood underneath….I’m wondering what process I should follow. Every DIY I’ve seen is for the white stained one and I don’t want to mess up! I am planning to sand it anyhow, but not sure if I need to do the primer and top coat if I’m planning on using chalk paint. Thank you 🙂
Devin
Hi Devin, you’ll need to treat that as laminate. The non-stained white Hemnes is basically a combo solid wood/particleboard piece of furniture. The structure is solid pine, but it is covered in particleboard and acrylic paint (laminate). So any part of it that is white, is laminate, and should be treated in the way that is described in my post 🙂 TLDR: yes, you need to use the shellac primer. Hope that helps and good luck with your project!!
Hi there- I was wondering do you think you could sand down Havsta and then re-stain it? Like you can with other vintage wood furniture?
Hi, yes the havsta furniture is solid pine so you could sand it down and restain.
Hi Vivien, thank you for this post. Do you know anything about staining an IKEA shelf a darker color?
https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/lack-wall-shelf-white-stained-oak-effect-60383519/
I would like to stain the shelf to match my existing cabinets in my kitchen. I think it would be hard to do because of the acrylic finish that is on the shelf (and it is a “stained oak effect” that is currently on the shelf), but wanted to see if there is a way to do it.
Hi there, unfortunately you can’t stain laminate. You can only stain solid wood. Wood stain is very thin, with a consistency just like water, and seeps into the grain of solid wood and “stains” it. Laminate furniture is basically plastic so you cannot treat it the same way as wood.
Hi Vivian, This is such a clear description of how to paint IKEA furniture, so thank you! I just had a quick question. The piece I am hoping to paint is laminate, but is starting to peel and warp just a little around some of the corners. I was wondering if there was a way to patch/fix those areas before I start with a primer. Thanks!
Hi Eris, it can be tricky to paint over damaged laminate! The damage can interfere with the way the paints bonds to the laminate surface ie, the paint might not stick properly and you’ll get lifting/peeling paint. You *could* try mending with some spackling or putty (I recommend this kind https://amzn.to/3p6UWKM) and then sand it down and then prime/paint over top of that. But as always it depends on the extent of the damage of your piece/many variables so I’m not sure if this method would work for you! Good luck, & let me know how it goes!
Hi Vivien. Very informative post for sure. I want to paint my monstad mirror and not transform it as so many other posts instruct. Any opinions past the primer suggestion? I would appreciate your thoughts as clearly u r an expert!
Is it black? If so, my preference would be to lighten it so that it doesn’t look so heavy. I would paint it white, off white or a light warm creamy, beige! Depending on your surrounding decor of course 🙂
Hi! I have painted a malm dresser a blue grey color using your steps. The dresser was originally white. I want to do another one but my ikea is out of the white dresser and I’m getting anxious to complete my project. If I get the malm in the black brown color and follow the same steps, will the finished product look different since the base colors were different?
Technically it shouldn’t matter what the base color of the furniture is. If you are priming and getting good coverage with all your paint, i think the difference would be negligible. You may just need to give it more coats of paint to get even coverage. 🙂
Hi there! Thank you for your detailed guide. I am excited for my Winter project but need one more clarification.
As for the interior paint, those come in different finishes:
1. Flat
2. Matte
3. Eggshell
4. Satin
5. Semi-Gloss
6. High-Gloss
I would assume since we are using a Top Coat, #4, 5 and 6 will not be required. Eggshell is typical on walls. That leaves me with Flat or Matt. Which do you recommend?
many thanks!!
It’s completely up to you – personally, I prefer a matte finish for my paint and top coats.
I am getting ready to start my painting project over laminate. I’m wondering what the clean up process is with the Zinser BIN primer you have listed. Thanks!
Hi Abbe, you will need to use paint thinner to clean your brush if you use shellac primer.
Hi! I purchased the Vittsjo shelf in Black and want to spray paint it shiny Gold. Do you still recommend sanding/priming before spray painting it? Or since it is new, can I just spray paint over it? Thank you!!
I love that shelf, it looks so nice! But yes, it doesn’t matter if it’s new or not, the prep is still required 🙂
My Ikea wardrobe has paper foil covering the particleboard. Will this behave the same as laminate? Thanks, this is such an informative post!
I would like information on this as well. Some IKEA bookcases almost have a paper on the backs that doesn’t look like a laminate – is paint or poly too “wet” to apply to this effectively??
I believe it should work with the method I describe but you could test a small inconspicuous area first to be safe!
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond – I will try that.
I believe it should work with the method I describe but you could test a small inconspicuous area first to be safe!
On the dresser you painted for your mom, did you use a topcoat or just the 4 coats of latex paint? Can you recommend a good latex paint and topcoat if you used that? Thank you
Hi Jess, no I didn’t use a topcoat but it’s holding up fine for her 🙂 I would recommend any house latex paint you can buy and tint at the home hardware store – you can go with any brand you like! Or if you have a favorite brand like Dulux etc, you can just go with a brand you are familiar with. For topcoats I would recommend the ones I listed in the article!
Hi! I’m planning on painting my grey Alex desk (the one with two drawers) from IKEA to a white color.
Based on the materials & care of this item, do you recommend that I sand this desk down then use the shellac based primer? I am trying to not have a textured finish, but rather smooth just how it originally was. Or do you have a recommended set instruction list on how to change this specific desk from gray to white? Thank you so much!
Hi there, for the Alex desk I would just use the exact same process i used in my Youtube video where I painted a laminate shelf (the video is embedded in this article if you want to see it!)
Hi I want to paint my malm dresser but I was looking into using milk paint what top coat and primer would you recommend for a satin finish ?
Hi Wesley, you can use the products I recommended in the article. The Zinsser primer will work fine and then you can use a water based poly satin top coat. Everything is mentioned in the article 🙂
Hi,
We were at Ikea and tried to get one of the steel bed frames in white, but it’s only in stock in black. We are time pressed for an apt move in and I thought to get the black and paint it white. It is described as Epoxy/Polyester Powder Coat on Steel. The searches I did before I found you made painting over the powder coat seem very involved, but they were a lot of auto pages. What is your experience/suggestion with painting over the powder coat? It’s new in box so no peeling or aging issues obviously. Thanks so much! How happy I am to come across your page!
Hi Sheridan! I would recommend using the shellac primer I mention in the article – it sticks to metal and will ensure that your topcoat paint sticks!
I have a question I bought the Behr one coat paint that is advanced stain-blocking paint & primer. Do I need primer and finisher on my laminated ikea piece?
Even though your paint has primer mixed in, it might not stick properly – you need a shellac-based primer.
Hey there,
What grit of sandpaper do you recommend for sanding the solid wood furniture?
Hi Jillian! I usually use medium grit like 120 or 150!
Hi there – Thanks for this very helpful article! Do you think I can paint the Glenn Bar Stool? It’s polycarbonate plastic. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Absolutely! Here is a list of all the best paints used on polycarbonate plastic: https://www.ehow.com/info_8611153_types-paint-used-polycarbonate.html
Failing using any of those, I believe the shellac primer I recommend in the article would do great as a base for any paint you chose to use!
Thank you!
Hello, thanks for this – super informative! Would you by chance know how to weather/waterproof a melamine table for exterior use? I’m interested in transforming the Melltorp table into an outdoor patio table. Maybe melamine isn’t that different from laminate, but without changing the color, do you think a coat of primer and polyurethane would be enough? Don’t know if the legs would need any protective coat, they’re powder-coated steel. But if I wanted to paint it…latex exterior paint after primer? Any other recommendations? Thank you!
Hi Kira! I probably wouldn’t place the Melltorp outside unless you either live in a climate where it doesn’t rain or the table is protected from the elements! The problem is not really the melamine, but the fibreboard underneath the melamine coating. Once the fibreboard gets exposed to water, over time it will absorb the water like a sponge, and will quickly start to swell and warp. I don’t know if it would be enough to seal the melamine – maybe? If you’re really set on it and are up for an experiment (aka OK with throwing it out if it doesn’t work out!), you could try sealing it with shellac first, then coating it with polyurethane … The legs are fine as they are since they are steel, they wouldn’t need any further treatment. Hope this helps somewhat!
Thank you, that does help! I was thinking about spray painting it with a 2 in 1 primer exterior paint, but you’re probably right about the warping and I don’t want to destroy the table if I don’t have to. I think I’ll do a different hack instead and replace the top with wood which I’ll stain and weatherproof, etc etc. Thanks so much for your input! 🙂
Oh yes replacing the tabletop altogether is a fantastic idea!! I hope your project turns out great 🙂
Hi! I’m interested in painting my white Ikea shelf to look like wood. What’s the best way to do that? Thanks!
Hi Alison! I would recommend using a wood finish contact paper. 🙂
What finish of top coat do you recommend to match the finish on the Ikea Hemmes furniture? I am painting a Malm bed to match a Hemmes nightstand and can’t decide between matte or satin…
Hi Izzy! From what I can remember from the Hemnes series, it’s not completely matte – so I would go for the satin finish! xo
Love information- thank you. What kind of paint did you use for your mum’s laminate piece what?
Hi Alicia! After priming with Zinsser, I just used regular water based latex indoor house paint. 🙂
you’re amazing thank you! This solves my problem of my older laminate black bookshelf problem. A great piece that won’t go in my new boho condo living room (thanks to your blog/video) on the boho ideas. Maybe this will be my pop of color…
ps. Your links make me leave your blog, so may be better to have the option of opening another tab
Thank you Jamie! I hope your project turns out awesome! Thanks for mentioning about the links – I’ll check them out!
Great informative post. On the piece you painted for your mum, which type of paint did you end up using? I see you listed the color and that you used the Zinnser primer, but which type of paint (latex, oil based, chalk, etc)? Thank you in advance?
Thanks Edda! Oops I should have mentioned that! After the primer I used a regular latex paint 🙂