MDF painting
strider
Posts: 2,568
Wondering if anyone has experience painting MDF.
The Paul Harvey: I'm in the process of building a rack with shelves made of two pieces of 3/4 inch MDF bonded together. I've sanded the edges flush and made repairs with wood putty. My concern is finishing the raw edges of the MDF panels. I've read that the raw edges need to be sealed before priming in a way that won't allow moisture into the sides of the panel, causing the MDF to swell. The options I've come across through my research are 1. applying joint compound to the edges, sanding when appropriate, then priming 2. applying sizing instead of joint compound 3. using an oil based spray primer for the sides, ie Kilz, and an acryllic primer for the horizontal surfaces.
The final finish is going to be a wood grain faux, applied by my wife. I'm hoping to have a glossy, smooth yet durable finish when it's all said and done. Any thoughts?
The Paul Harvey: I'm in the process of building a rack with shelves made of two pieces of 3/4 inch MDF bonded together. I've sanded the edges flush and made repairs with wood putty. My concern is finishing the raw edges of the MDF panels. I've read that the raw edges need to be sealed before priming in a way that won't allow moisture into the sides of the panel, causing the MDF to swell. The options I've come across through my research are 1. applying joint compound to the edges, sanding when appropriate, then priming 2. applying sizing instead of joint compound 3. using an oil based spray primer for the sides, ie Kilz, and an acryllic primer for the horizontal surfaces.
The final finish is going to be a wood grain faux, applied by my wife. I'm hoping to have a glossy, smooth yet durable finish when it's all said and done. Any thoughts?
Wristwatch--->Crisco
Post edited by strider on
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I've never tried it but sanding sealer is supposed to do the trick.Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
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Wood glue diluted a bit with water and applied with a mini roller will seal the ends.Two or three coats with drying time allowed in between should do it.Testing
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Wood glue diluted a bit with water and applied with a mini roller will seal the ends.Two or three coats with drying time allowed in between should do it.
The article I read that suggested sizing said it would be made 1 part wood glue to 2 parts water. In my mind, it seems like a lot of water to introduce to the raw edge. What consistency would you look for when adding water?Wristwatch--->Crisco -
2 parts water seems a bit much a 1-1 mixture should be fine.You just want it diluted enough so that nice thin coats can be easily applied.There is not enough water involved to cause swelling and it dries quickly.Testing
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Well, painting was begun while I was at work today. She sprayed the sides with an oil primer. My wife's a faux finisher/muralist by profession. While MDF isn't her normal medium, she's got people whom she trusts for advice and went with them. I'm certain it will look fine when it's done. Thanks for the advice!Wristwatch--->Crisco
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good coat of elmers wood glue once or twice and then sand always works here. Sealer is what I go for after the first sand down. Then paint with a flat black kinda like using a light filler then sand and clean for the final coats .... good luck.Take it down and have formica put on it , any color you want helps with the WAF.:cool: " He who dies with the most equipment wins Right ? "
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Very light coats of sprayed oil primer worked ok, nothing swelled that I could see, but the "grain" did raise through on the raw edges. I ended up applying a couple thin layers of joint compound to the edges, sanding between them, 'til they were smooth. I'm satisfied with the results. The joint compound also helped even out some sanding errors I introduced using a beltsander, as well as gave some shape to a slightly dented corner. The next time I use mdf, I'll give the glue sizing a whirl.
Right now the shelves are drying, waiting for their 4th layer of paint. I'll post some pictures when they are done.Wristwatch--->Crisco
