How to Paint Laminate Furniture – Regan’s Room Progress
A simple step-by-step tutorial for how to paint laminate furniture and the best inexpensive kids’ room decor.
We thought we were just about finished with Regan’s bedroom refresh, but what would any bedroom spruce be without a quick dresser makeover? 😉 In the process, I realized there’s one tricky thing about furniture makeovers I haven’t shared much about before: how to paint laminate furniture.
It’s a tricky beast. If you’ve ever attempted to brush paint onto a laminate surface, it’s not a fun lesson to see all of your hard work melt away right before your eyes.
It chips and scuffs easily and paint peels right up, if you don’t know how to paint laminate furniture properly.
Since we rearranged Regan’s room, it needed a tall dresser rather than the long dresser we had before to fit the new layout.
So I snagged this inexpensive laminate dresser from Walmart as a cute, inexpensive replacement.
I liked this 5-drawer dresser because of the faux cane webbing detail on the drawer fronts to coordinate with the cane webbing on Regan’s nightstand chest we hauled in here the other week.
When I need cute, inexpensive furniture in a pinch, Walmart is generally my go-to.
But the black wasn’t going to work in this space, so a quick paint job would make it right at home in her sweet room.
I have to be honest, I think something happened to this dresser in shipping because putting it together had a couple of alignment issues. But I think it was an isolated fluke incident because I’ve seen this other bloggers use this dresser before without a problem. And in the end, it still turned out cute.
How to Paint Laminate Furniture
Supplies
- Kilz Original Primer (or any shellac based primer)
- Respirator mask
- 1.5″ angled brush (I love this paint brush)
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Acrylic based paint or waterborne alkyd based paint
Paint Tip
The key to painting laminate furniture is to ALWAYS use an oil based primer for the best paint adhesion, paint in low humidity, and always let the paint thoroughly cure before heavy use.
Steps
This can of primer has obviously seen a lot of action at our house. 😉
- Apply a coat of Kilz Original primer. After we put together the dresser, we left off the hardware and I brushed an even coat of the primer all over. I don’t usually sand laminate furniture prior to primer because the oil base does its job to help paint stick to the slick surface.
Make sure to wear a respirator mask and work in a well ventilated space because the fumes are pretty strong. I opened all of the windows in the room during this step.
2. Lightly sand the primed surface once dry. This helps create a smooth surface so no paint drips or brush strokes show.
3. Apply 1-2 even coats of acrylic based or waterborne alkyd enamel paint. I used some Fusion Mineral Paint I already had in the color Bellwood.
And of course, for every kids’ room, anchor the dresser to the wall to prevent tip-over accidents.
This was such a quick laminate furniture paint job that I had knocked out within a couple hours. Look how cute it turned out!
I decorated the top of the dresser with a few sweet finds from Walmart like this floral lamp that works perfectly with Regan’s chinoiserie wallpaper!
This sunburst mirror is my favorite for kids’ rooms because it feels so cheerful.
I incorporated a plant in this fluted planter for a little extra life and used this basket tray for placing storybooks, random toys, or any other odds n ends that are flung on dresser tops.
It’s such a precious corner of her room that now gives us the space we need for Regan’s clothes to organize all she needs for school now that we’re back in full swing.
I rounded up a few more vintage inspired kids’ room decor items and furniture from Walmart Home that I love too. The Little Seeds line they carry is one of my favorites.
Vintage Inspired Kids’ Room Decor & Furniture
So now it’s official. Regan’s big girl bedroom is complete! She’s already decided she’s too big for snuggles in the rocking chair with me, and I’m slightly emotional over that.
Here’s to a big girl room with big kid adventures ahead.
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Love the chest of drawers makeover. And I love the ease of painting laminate. At least, you certainly make it look easy. Prime, light sand, and paint. Sealer? BTW, I had better coverage with Zinsser than Kilz painting my daughter’s 1968 wood cabinets several years ago – seemed like there was more pigment in it. I would like to paint the kitchen cabinets in my smallish kitchen. Cabinets have a heavy plasticky paper veneer over pressed wood. Doors and drawer fronts are solid cherry and over time the doors have changed color but the cabinets haven’t. Talked to painters who say the doors should be lacquered, but what about the cabinets? Think it will last? Going for a Pale Oak (possibly very lightly glazed with a Mocha Glaze to match the unglazed Plain Tuscan tile backsplash) and the wide range of subdued blues (French to heathered ) in my home. But worried that it might not hold up in a kitchen, and appliances were black ☹ and fairly new and (countertop a neutral light Corian granite with pinky undertones) when I purchased home almost two years ago. Just looks dated and not pulled together. Needs a fresh new face.
Hi! We did not have to seal the cabinets or the laminate furniture. The paint we used had great coverage.
As far as advice on what direction to go. I wish I could dive into this but I get too many decorating questions to answer them all and have to step away to spend time with family. But I have a Bless’er House Decorating Group you’re welcome to join to submit questions and get input from lots of helpful people in this community. ? I try to pop in there too when I can. I do these Decorating SOS submissions about once a month and will announce it here for the next one.
Here is the link for the decorating group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/blesserhousedecoratingcommunity/?ref=share&mibextid=S66gvF
I noticed you recommended shellac based primer and then said oil based later. I know the two are different and other articles I have read suggested shellac. Which do you prefer?
Shellac
Hello. Can you please tell me about painting your house? What technique was used?
Hi Jayne! Are you referring to our limewashed brick? You can see more answers to FAQs about that here: https://www.blesserhouse.com/faqs-limewashed-brick-country-living-magazine/
I was just wondering how to handle changing up laminate furniture. I have been meaning to thank you for awhile. Since I ended up with cancer at a young age, I have not been able to work for long time. Without two incomes and medical bills, my husband and I are on a really strict budget. We wanted to make our home a nice place to heal, but I was struggling to find decor that I liked at a reasonable price until U found your blog. You make me feel like I can add some beautiful and relaxing touches to our home even on our budget. Thank you so much!
Julie, I am excited to have you here. Thank you for following along. I am happy you find my blog helpful and able to create your home a space to heal. I am sending you many virtual hugs.
I am so into this. Everything is absolutely fabulous. Thank you fir sharing this beautiful post