How to Powder Coat an MDF

Powder coating is a durable, hard wearing and environmentally friendly shiny color finish that is perfect for the sturdy and stable substrate that MDF provides. Powder coating requires special tools n the form of electrostatic paint gun and a curing oven that produces heat and or UV light waves. With these requirements, powder coating is a task best left to professional shops that can turn out high quality custom work. However with access to some specialized equipment you can learn to do the powder coating technique.

Things You'll Need

• Powder coating electrostatic spray gun
• Pigment powder
• UV and heat oven for curing object
• Self leveling primer

Instructions

Apply Self Leveling Primer

1. Spray or roll on a coat of self leveling primer to fill in the small crevices in the MDF surface and provide a smooth foundation for the powder coat finish. If not completely smooth and level with one coat, allow the first coat to dry and apply a second coat.

2. Load electrostatic spray gun with powder pigment of choice and spray out onto the MDF surface in smooth even strokes allowing the particles to be drawn to the MDF surface.

3. Place the MDF slab or object into a commercial heat oven for between two and ten minutes to melt and level the powder coat finish. The MDF is then bathed in UV light for less than a minute to harden and cure the powder coat finish.

4. After curing by UV light the MDF is cooled down back to room temperature before it is packaged or assembled.

Resources

• A great source of information and inspiration in powder coat finishes on MDF