Best way to paint mdf

[thomp1983]

Hi all,

Need to paint the above wardrobe, she wants it painting in the same dulux buttermilk matt as the walls.

I know the finished shade won't be exact, what's the best way to do it? What primer is best and I assume I apply both primer and paint with a small roller?

Do I need to do any prep or sealing to the MDF before priming?

Thanks
Chris

 

[opps]

I spent many years painting MDF units.

I use the cheap Leyland Trade acrylic primer. It is one of the few waterbased primers that is easy to sand back. I then used to sand it using 180 grit silicon carbide paper. You may want to apply a second coat to the end grain.

I use the 170mm Anza paint pads, but they are difficult to get these days.

 

[sparkwright]

Whatever happened to plywood?

 

[opps]

Whatever happened to plywood?

I am old enough to remember block wood. After 10(?) years the veneered coating would crack.

A problem with ply is the end grain. there are often gaps between the layers of veneer. Not a major issue though.

 

[opps]

BTW, the visible screws at the top... if you use 2 pack filler, in time, when the MDF contracts, it will "push" the 2 pack filler out (very) slightly. a soft filler such as Red Devil Onetime will be slightly more forgiving, but you will need a sanding block and 150+ grit sandpaper to sand the filler.

Weirdly, when 2 pack filler does push out, after it has been sanded back, it is pretty well behaved.

In an ideal world, MDF units should not have screws in the visible face of the unit for the reason listed above.