How do you paint MDf

[Black Truck 10 10+ year member]

I planned on using a Kilz 2 Latex Interior/Exterior water base paint

http://www.kilz.com/pages/default.aspx?NavID=28

My actual paint is a latex paint

Glidden Evermore™ Premium Interior Flat

https://www.glidden.com/products/getProducts.do?brandid=1

Is this the combination I want or will MDF soak up this primer?

Click to read more...

 

[wasted ink 10+ year member]

Courtesy of Jon @ EpicenterDesigns:

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This is how I do it. Not to be meant as the only way. Got something to add to it? Post it up.

MDF is not flat. It appears to be, but once you do any guide coating and sanding, you will see just how uneven it really is. I mention this before hand so you have an idea why I take the steps I do.

I use Elmers Wood Glue and brad nails to assemble my boxes. If you use screws, you need to countersink them so they can be filled in. Also make sure the screws are not to close to the edges if you plan on using a roundover bit on the box.

I use Duraglass to fill in screw holes or nail holes and on all the edges where the box pieces come together. Then use a sander to level that filler with the box using some 80 grit. At this time you can go over the entire box just to get everything pretty close to level.

Then I go over all the edges of the box with a 1/2" roundover bit.

Make sure all the dust is blown off the box and lay on some good quality filler primer. I use Slick Sand and a 2.0 tip spray gun. (it may be possible to do it with rattle can primers, but you will need alot of it).

I do a good medium coat and let it sit for a couple hours. This will allow the MDF to soak in whatever paint it will. MDF is alot more dense than your average wood so it doesn't soak in alot, if any, primers.

Clean the box again of any dust and spray on a good heavy coat of filler primer now. Let that dry and then guide coat it with some flat black paint.

You can block it out with some 150 -180 grit and see if you have any low spots. If you sand down to the MDF before all the low spots are gone, spray on some more filler primers to fill it in and cover the bare MDF. Repeat till you have a smooth primer finish.

Then top coat with whatever paint you want.

Edit: This process works very well.

 

[HypnoticCure 10+ year member]

to learn painting and how to kick butt watch the karate kid..... but in reality you should be fine just use a few coats of primer and stop painting when you are happy.... the mdf will soak up quite a bit.

 

[Pioneer~Saturn 5,000+ posts]

A simple coat of rattle-can primer and some spray paint with a steady hand comes out pretty well IMO

 

[bhsdriller 10+ year member]

the mdf will soak up the primer so you might have to use more that one coat

 

[Black Truck 10 10+ year member]

I was more curious as to is water based primer what I want or is oil based primer?

and on my water based primer it says to follow up with a latex or oil based paint?

Am I good to go?

 

[HypnoticCure 10+ year member]

when i painted my fish tank hoods it took like 2-3 coats of primer before it stopped soaking it up. I then finished with like 2 coats of paint. thats the only time i have used household paint on mdf. When i used rattle can it seemed to use less....

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

Just some rattle can will work.But I suggest a lite sanding with 220 before the primer and then again after the primer has sat just to smooth it out.This is the best method for a smooth finish.

 

[HypnoticCure 10+ year member]

yeah sand it.... also i forgot to mention sanding i sanded between each coat cause it does raise quite a bit...

 

[audioarsonal 10+ year member]

Primer is actually rough if you run your hand over it.Just a lite sandin will knock down the peaks and valleys so your paint will flow evenly.The way discribed in the post is for more of a flawless finish,if that's what you want,but the way I described will give you good results with minimal effort.

 

[Black Truck 10 10+ year member]

I used Kilz 2 latex (2 layers) and I just put my first coat of glidden on a few hours ago. Im about to go to sleep but when I wake up ill put layer 2 on, and I might do layer 3 if I can find my camera ill throw up some pictures before I put my window on and then im gonna try to figure out how to carpet my box. . .

 

[audiobahnuser18 5,000+ posts]

I actually just got done couple day's ago painting my box. Here's also what you can do man.

1.) Primer the box i did about 4 coats

2.) go to lowe's get the cheapest 98cents cans of white paint i got like 6

3.) spray the white then use w/e color you want over it won't soak it up as bad i used flat black over mine came out great.

 

[tyler_fitz 10+ year member]

DON'T USE WATER BASED PRIMER! it could cause the mdf to swell...

 

[ramos 5,000+ posts]

I was more curious as to is water based primer what I want or is oil based primer?
and on my water based primer it says to follow up with a latex or oil based paint?

Am I good to go?

I hate using the latex killz. It sucks arse sanding it smooth. It clogs paper so easily it's pitiful. If your painting mdf I still say the first step is a couple coats of sanding sealer after you get the surface ready. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Bobby12many 10+ year member]

Came across this thread and wanted to stress that interior grade latex primers will not hold up very well and will require many more coats than some other options.

To get the best seal and proper primer coating on MDF, using an Alkyd based Primer is always best. Original Kilz, Zinsser BIN , and Sherwin Williams LOXON and als their interior Preprite ProBlock are great examples of these types of primer.

I have painted plenty of MDF pieces in my day, and I have found that Sherwin WIlliams Problock works incredibly well for the price and can be thinned very nicely for the airless sprayers, or just to roll on. One coat is all Ive ever needed to seal and prime for topcoat with sprayed textures, and 2 coats for a gloss.