Melamine Paint: How durable is the finish?

Hi there,

I would like to paint the monstrosities in my kitchen that pass for cupboards. I've read about melamine primer + paint, and it sounds too good to be true.

Has anyone done this? How durable is the surface that you get, given that kitchens tend to be fairly messy places? I have to wash down my cupboards every couple of weeks.

I have had very bad experiences with tile paint in a bathroom, used by the people who owned the house before me, so I'm cautious about melamine paint. I'd be interested in hearing experiences of people here who have tried it!

Thanks
dizzy

It isn't quite as good as it makes itself out to be!

If we spill anything we have to clean it immediately otherwise it stains/marks the paint

One option I would try if I were to do it again would be to spray a coat or two of clear laquer onto the cupboards, or even apply a clear film used to protect car bumpers from stone chips although I'm not sure what sort of a finish this would leave.

Damn, that sounds annoying.

Do you think a layer of varnish at the end would help? And if you don't mind me asking, what brand of melamine paint did you use?

Yup it certainly was annoying, especially after we'd initially been so happy at the finished result!

If I remember correctly it was just B&Q's primer for melamine that we used.

We then used Dulux bathroom paint (which claimed to resist water) for the top coat.