How to Paint Veneer on Cupboards

Veneer gives a cabinet the appearance of solid wood.

Veneer is a thin piece of wood placed over particle board to give it the appearance of solid wood. Once painted, it makes the particle board look solid. Painting veneer is much like painting regular wood, but the smooth surface of the veneer means you need the right kind of preparation, or the paint will just flake off. Veneer is common in cheaper cabinets, especially those found in apartment buildings.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Detergent
• Water
• Bucket
• Sponge
• Face mask
• 120-grit sandpaper
• Vacuum
• Primer
• Primer brush
• Paint
• Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Remove the doors from the cabinets, using a screwdriver to take off the hinges. Pull all the drawers out of the cabinets, and remove the hardware, such as handles.

2. Mix water and a grease cleaner, such as trisodium phosphate, in a bucket and scrub the cabinets with a sponge. Rinse the cabinets with water and let them dry.

3. Go over the cabinets lightly with 120-grit sandpaper. Wear a mask while you sand.

4. Vacuum the cabinets to remove the dust.

5. Apply primer to the laminate, using a primer brush. Use an acrylic primer with a water base or a shellac formula with a water base. Consult with staff members at a hardware or home-improvement store to find the right formula. Let the primer dry. This may take a week with water-based primers, but water-based primers have strong adherence.

6. Paint the cabinets, using oil or latex paint. Use an oil brush or a latex brush, according to the paint you've chosen.

References

• The Family Handyman: How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets
• Washington Post: If You Can't Love Your Laminates, Paint 'em
• Don Vandervort's Home Tips: How to Paint Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets