Painting wardrobes - melamine??

[rarara]

Hi - I need to spruce-up some fitted wardrobes which are burgandy and so ugly beyond belief. I think they are melamine - must be 25 years old and pretty durable surface with slightly woodgrain texture.

Was initially going to give them a light sand, wash with sugarsoap and then slap on a couple of coats of oil based undercoat followed by oil based satinwood (same as woodwork in rest of bedroom).

I also have a tin of brilliant white ronseal cupboard/melamine paint which was originally being bought for something else.

Would I be best sticking to my original plan, or would the ronseal provide a better base, even for a topcoat of satinwood eventually?

 

[curlyzoo2002]

Don't do it lol

if u have to, bin 123 is good to prime it wash and sand it first tho

then your ronseal

 

[rarara]

OK, will check this product out as have seen it recommended before. couple of questions tho.....

i thought primer was more for untreated wood rather than this stuff?

why the ronseal afters, rather than either oil based satinwood or undercoat?

 

[curlyzoo2002]

the wood is untreated you want to go over a finished surface this stuff will help the paint stick.

use the ronseal because it was designed for it and will last longer/ wont chip as much

 

[dcdec]

Personally i wouldn't sand it as it may scratch/damage the melamine. The ronseal is an adhesion promoting primer rather than a traditional primer that satisfies timber porousity as well as help with adhesion.
Wash the surface, prime and two topcoats, with a light rub down between coats to de-nib