34438 0

Painting MDF facades

Technology MDF manufacturing came to our country from America thirty years after the beginning industrial production ocean material. For external works plates are not used for several reasons.

1. High cost. There are many varieties of lumber that offer better performance at a lower cost.
2. Insufficient physical strength. In terms of resistance to dynamic and static loads, the slab does not meet the requirements of developers. It's easy to damage, but hard to replace.
3. Susceptibility to precipitation and temperature climatic conditions. There are options for moisture resistant boards, but they are not suitable for sheathing the outer surfaces of walls.

MDF board is used for the manufacture of furniture and interior wall cladding. It is these cases that we will talk about. Painting of MDF facades will be considered only for enclosed spaces. Let us dwell separately on painting the facades of MDF furniture.

There is no need to list specific brands, and it is impossible to do so. We will only talk about the varieties and brief characteristics paints, taking into account the method of their manufacture. The specific type must be selected taking into account the operating conditions of the MDF board, design preferences and financial capabilities. The range in price and quality is quite large, there are plenty to choose from.

Before you buy paint, calculate the surface area and purchase materials with a margin. Consumption is specified by the manufacturer. If it is recommended to coat the surface with a primer before painting, do not simplify the work. Insufficient adhesion of the paint to the MDF board causes peeling. As a result - the need for expensive and time-consuming repairs.

Types of varnishes for MDF

The technology of varnishing surfaces is much more complicated than working with paints, but the effect justifies all efforts. When choosing a particular varnish, it is necessary to take into account not only its properties and price, but also the place of application and operating conditions. The following types of varnishes can be used to cover MDF boards.

This information will help when choosing a brand of varnish, consider maximum amount individual factors. Keep in mind that the appearance and service life of MDF facades largely depend on the quality of the composition.

Technology for painting furniture facades from MDF

Enough complex work require care, skill and patience. They are made in several stages, each of which significantly affects the final quality. Painting facades is much faster and better done with an airbrush, if it is not there, use high-quality brushes with a soft, durable bristle.

The room should be at least + 20 ° C, if there are a lot of individual elements of the MDF facade, then consider the places for their drying: racks, supports, etc. In most cases, after painting the plates, it is recommended to varnish them, it protects the surfaces from damage, hides small flaws, significantly improves the design look. Varnishing - difficult process requires special tools and equipment. How MDF boards are varnished, we will describe below, but for now we will focus on painting.

By what criteria to choose paint, we have already told. For furniture facades we can only add that the color of the paint should take into account the purpose of the furniture and the intensity of its operation.

Step 1. Surface preparation. For furniture facades, in addition to cleaning from dust and degreasing surfaces, sanding with emery No. 150-180 should be done.

Manual work is long and difficult, and to achieve the right quality almost unrealistic. We recommend using a professional electric reciprocating surface grinder or a cylindrical grinder.

The edges are ground with special four-sided sponges. It is desirable to work in a respirator. When grinding, do not stop the tool in one place, it must always be in motion. One track must be overlapped by the next by at least a third of the width. You do not need to press the sanding paper hard, if problem areas remain on the surface, then it is better to walk over the entire area again, and not make a recess in one place.

Practical advice. Any polishing is accompanied large quantity fine dust. Take all measures so that it does not fall into adjacent rooms.

Step 2 Thoroughly clean surfaces from dust. You can’t do with simple brushes, you definitely need a powerful vacuum cleaner or compressor. Check the condition of the parts, if there are sharp edges, remove them. The IMF does not have much strength, sharp corners will definitely crumble.

Step 3. Coat surfaces with primer. Experienced craftsmen It is recommended to use two types of primer, each twice. It is possible to prime with one primer without a break for drying, apply the first layer with horizontal movements of the spray gun, and the next immediately with vertical ones. Adjust the amount of primer, there should be no puddles on the surface. The first primer is used to prevent further absorption of materials, and the second to improve the adhesion coefficient between them. The second is applied only after the first primer has completely dried. Primer consumption per one square meter 80-100 grams.

Practical advice. It is very difficult for novice craftsmen to determine the flow rate by eye. To get the skill, we recommend taking a small piece of MDF, weighing it on an accurate scale. Coat with primer and immediately reweigh. Next, the area of ​​the sample is calculated and the increase in weight is determined. With the help of elementary mathematical calculations, the primer consumption is determined. Little - add more. Now remember what it looks like MDF surface, covered with an optimal layer, and subsequently primed with the same amount.

We strongly recommend that you work only with a pneumatic sprayer, you will never achieve "factory" quality with a brush. A professional will always notice traces of villi. Moreover, the sun's rays fall on the furniture at different angles, and such lighting enhances all the shortcomings of the facial coverings. Immediately treat the ends of the structures with a primer.

If you need to paint the reverse side of the plate, then proceed to work only after the front has dried. The drying time is indicated by the manufacturer, but adjustments must be made to take into account the actual indoor climate.

Step 4 Start grinding the soil, use special sponges. If they are not available, take washcloths for washing dishes, on the reverse side they have glued scotch brite. This is a special material used for fine sanding, which not only levels the coating, but also leaves micro-scratches on the surface, which improve the adhesion of the next coating. Movements are arbitrary in various directions. Circular movements of the sponge are not recommended, only reciprocating.

Step 5 Blow off or vacuum any dust that has formed on the surface. It is very convenient to work with an airbrush for another reason - it can cut off the paint supply and use it to clean surfaces from dust like a compressor.

Step 6. Proceed to applying the second type of primer. She predominantly white color, improves the performance of the following coatings. It also needs to be primed twice, followed by sanding. Blow dust off the MDF again. The algorithm of actions is no different from the technology described above.

Step 7 The second layer of primer must be carefully sanded with electric tools with fine sandpaper. Do not rush, large flaws will already become noticeable on finished product. If there is no experience with such machines, then we strongly advise you to practice on unnecessary pieces of MDF. You will learn how to press the sandpaper to the surface with what force, how to move it quickly, how much MDF is removed in one pass, etc.

Step 8 Prepare your paint. The cooking technology is indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging.

Follow all recommendations. We have already mentioned that in order to work with an airbrush, the consistency must be more liquid. Immediately paint twice in transverse directions. You should already have hands-on experience in determining coating quality and paint quantity. Paint consumption ranges from 60–180 g.

After the coating has dried, you can start varnishing the surfaces. For furniture interiors, this is a mandatory step. Lacquer not only serves as an additional and reliable protection, but also significantly improves the appearance of MDF products.

Lacquering MDF boards

We will describe how this is done below. But for quality, four main conditions must be observed:

• do not use cheap varnishes;
• strictly follow the technology;
• have the necessary tools and equipment;
• have experience in complex painting work.

You will gain experience in performing such work and the ability to use tools during the priming and painting of products, it will already be much easier to work with varnish. You can determine the amount of varnish on the surface by eye, and the spray gun will “automatically” move in the right directions and at the optimal speed.

Step 1. According to the instructions, prepare the varnish, consumption is approximately 100-150 g per square meter.

Start varnishing from the ends of the MDF, due to this technology it is possible to minimize the number of areas with uneven thickness. Varnish that gets a little on the front surface does not pose a threat to the final quality.

After the first layer has dried, treat it with the finest abrasive. Professionals recommend using abrasive fiber No. 1200 according to the international classification. It can be purchased in specialized stores.

Step 2 Remove dust from the surface. Inspect surfaces from different angles in the room with good lighting. Everything is fine - cover the surface with a second layer of varnish. By the way, some facades are recommended to be varnished with a thickness of up to 0.5 mm, and for this you will have to increase the number of layers to five or more. On the industrial enterprises another technology, where the varnish is immediately poured onto the surface required thickness, then the sheets on the conveyor are fed into drying chambers. At home, this technology cannot be applied.

Step 3. The quality is satisfactory - proceed to fine grinding and polishing of the finishing layer. For fine sanding use Velvet Nos. 1500, 2000 and 3000. Gently but carefully work the surface with each number, removing dust periodically.

Practical advice. The quality of grinding will improve significantly if the surfaces are slightly moistened with water. The varnish will not overheat, during operation, microcracks do not form on the surface from the action of abrasive materials. Microcracks refract light rays, the surface becomes matte.

With each number, walk over the entire surface at least three to four times. The pressing force is somewhat less than when grinding the primer. Sanding takes a lot of time. If you are tired, it is better to move the work to the next day, and not stop completely.

Step 4 Polishing. For polishing, you need a special polishing paste and a perfectly even hard wheel. There are a lot of pasta, it's not a problem to choose. Review the recommendations and compare them to your individual conditions. Do not rush, constantly monitor the condition of the surfaces to the light.

If you have a fairly large amount of work, then we advise you to purchase special electric polishing machines. They not only speed up and facilitate the work, but also significantly improve the quality. Apply the polishing paste on the disc with a layer of about 1-2 mm, do not level it, during operation, the excess paste will independently be removed from under the disc and remain on the surface of the MDF. Further, as necessary, the rotating disk itself captures right amount material.

As the last step, you can use rubbing surfaces with compounds that provide a mirror shine.

Painting facades of outbuildings from MDF

We mentioned that this material is not recommended for exterior cladding. But there are cases of its use for temporary decoration of the facade walls of small old summer cottages. That's what the owners do financial condition which does not allow the purchase of new materials, for cladding the facades of outbuildings they use various used Construction Materials, including MDF panels.

In order to increase the life of structures, we recommend painting external surfaces. Do not skip the primer, the price of the material is available to all developers, it takes a little time to carry out the work, and the effect is obvious. Choose the type of primer according to the type of paint. On the packaging, the manufacturer indicates which primer to use. The primer is done twice, the brush or roller must move in perpendicular directions. If for some reason this cannot be achieved, then prime each layer at least at an angle. In addition to increasing adhesion, the primer reduces the consumption of expensive paints and prevents stains that appear from the base. You can paint with brushes different size and rollers. But rollers alone are not enough, the joints must be carefully painted with brushes.

Step 1. Measure the surface area to be painted. Buy paint taking into account the area and consumption, do not buy paint "back to back", always have a supply of material. You will work more calmly, and the surplus will always be useful for the production of cosmetic repairs.

Step 2 Thoroughly clean the MDF surface from dust, it is advisable to use a vacuum cleaner. Dust particles can be noticeable on the surface of the paint, it is impossible to remove them later. You will have to completely repaint the plate.

Step 3 Get your paint and tools ready. If the material has been stored in a warehouse for a long time, then the composition should be thoroughly mixed before use. When painting the surface with a spray gun, the paint will have to be slightly diluted with a solvent. Which one to choose is written on the package. For a guarantee, you can first pour a small amount of paint into the solvent. If the paint has curled, the solvent is unsuitable.

Step 4 Dip a roller or brush into the paint and start painting the surfaces.

Can be applied with a brush or rollers

Practical advice. Move the brush from top to bottom, so you will see streaks of excess paint and eliminate them in a timely manner. If you paint the opposite, you will have to constantly return to the area previously covered with paint to eliminate streaks. You can not notice them or forget to return - a problem will arise. If the drips dry out, then the removal will take a long time. In some cases, they will have to be cut with a blade and correct the surface of the coating.

Step 5. Paint the junctions with a brush, make sure that there are no traces of villi. In the implementation, you can meet low-quality paint brushes, their pile is weak. To avoid leaving it on the surface, rub the brush vigorously against any clean surface before use. Insufficiently fixed hairs will come out and will not create problems during staining.

Step 6. Let the first coat dry, the time depends on the characteristics of the paint. Professional painters do not advise drying at open windows– dust enters the room and sticks to the paint surface.

Step 7 If the quality of one layer is unsatisfactory, apply a second one. The technology is the same.

While painting surfaces, you can draw various patterns and ornaments. To do this, first draw the contour lines with a pencil. Each color must be pre-pasted with masking tape.

How to remove old paintwork

Removing the paintwork is not so easy, a lot depends on its composition and your capabilities. Consider three ways to clean MDF surfaces.

1. Mechanical. Coatings are removed with a metal brush or spatula. The work is very difficult and not always effective. In this way, only very old peeled coatings can be removed, and even then not from the entire surface. It is much easier to use various electric grinders with coarse abrasive material. We warn that there will be a lot of dust, take measures so that it does not fall into adjacent rooms. For respiratory protection, you need to use respirators or masks. Sandpaper will clog quickly and will need to be changed frequently.

   

   

Hi all! In this short article, we'll talk about what is ground insulator. It will be about primer insulator for mdf .

Ground insulator Primer designed for use as an insulating primer in pigmented polyester and polyurethane coating systems for MDF products to prevent wicking and lint uplift.

In my practice, I have met companies that are either fundamentally, or out of ignorance, or because of savings. Money Avoid this primer when painting. Or fill them with mdf like ordinary soil... :).

Let's figure it out

Why is this soil needed?

is it possible to do without it? and

how to work with it?

Before I figure it out, I would like to explain why I started blogging less often... Have you run out of thoughts? no topics for writing articles? laziness? no, everything is in order with this, and thoughts and themes and laziness ... everything is there, it just so happened that I had to change my place of residence and work. It seems that I already mentioned in some article that I moved ... well, everything is clear with housing, but here's the work ... I had to pretty run around. By the way, I wrote an article on the topic "How to find a job"

The sea works, you just need to choose the normal one. You work in one company for a week, you understand that not everything is as good as it looks at first, you look for a new one ... and so on until you find something suitable ... Nerves, strength, money, and most importantly time are wasted ... Yes, and you need to draw inspiration from real orders, posting photos on the blog ... Now I have found a small company that seems to suit (pah pah pah how not to jinx it) I hope I will enter the usual rhythm of work and writing articles ... In order not to miss the latest articles, I recommend subscribing to my blog news

Well, okay, this is all great, of course, but let's talk about the ground ...

Why is this soil needed?

The primer insulator is designed to prevent soaking and rising pile. That is, before applying the main primer, according to the rules of the MDF finishing system, it is necessary to cover the product with an insulating layer. Otherwise, the pigment will fail and fail mainly in the ends and milling areas ...

On my own behalf, I can add that thanks to the insulator, you can save on layers of pigmented soil ...

Without applying an insulator, to achieve the desired result, you will have to cover at least one MORE layer of the base primer.

Is it possible to do without it?

Can! , but! As I write above, pile, absorption, extra layer of base soil and waste of time You are provided...

There was a time when the leaders insisted on using polyurethane primer instead of an insulator ... everything was fine in terms of the quality of the finish, but I'm sure it cost them a penny ...

How to work with him?

As with any other LCM. We look at the specification for it. You can read about what the technical specification for LCM is and how to use it by clicking on this link.

We find the mixing recipe, badyazhim, load it into the airbrush for stain, about which gun to use for stain here , we cover the product.

Here is the moment! You don’t need too much insulator, it just doesn’t make sense to fill it with a thick film, it should be absorbed into the ends, where it absorbs the most and raises the pile, that’s enough.

Once again, you do not need to fill in five layers before the appearance of the film!

I will try to explain: MDF is paper, like any paper absorbs moisture. Soil is moisture ... When applied, it wets the outer layer of MDF and, due to the high drying speed, it impregnates only a few millimeters from the outer edge, respectively, when it hardens, it changes the MDF structure to a denser one, at the point of penetration ... which does not allow further be impregnated with the main soil following the insulator.

I always say we are all different and everyone perceives information in their own way ... someone immediately, at a glance, and someone seems to understand everything, but something is missing for a holistic picture ... as a variant of such an explanation

Insulator grinding

In one firm, I saw a guy (by the way, a very good painter) polished the MDF facade with a grinder after coating with an insulator. My opinion - you can, but then again, what's the point? if only in order to pay tribute to painstaking and meticulous work ...

We take the encryption sponge and go ...

This concludes the article... as usual, I'm waiting for your comments... participate in the monthly and get prizes!

Greetings comrades. I won’t open America if I say that the furniture is made of MDF, Wall panels and other forms of application this material firmly entered our lives. But what if you don't like their color? Painting MDF panels can make a difference, but not all paints are suitable for this. And if so, then for sure you want to ask: which ones are suitable and what is the price of the solution? This is what we will find out now.

Material feature

Sawing, cutting, milling, drilling, perforating and, of course, painting. It is for this set of qualities that MDF made from wood waste is valued. All these operations are not special difficulties, with the exception of the staining process - if you do not know the characteristics of the material, paint for MDF furniture will take a lot, and the result will disappoint you.

Reason 2:

1. The material is highly hygroscopic, it absorbs coloring compositions like a sponge;
2. When stained, wood pile rises from the interaction of the coloring composition. The result is an unattractive and rough surface to the touch.

What suits

It is clear that these problems can be solved in production, because in construction stores all MDF products are qualitatively painted and smooth to the touch. Is it possible to achieve such an effect with your own hands?

Important!
Looking ahead, I will say - it will definitely work.
The secret lies in the preliminary application of an insulating primer that impregnates the MDF and creates a high-quality base, as well as in grinding the surface before applying the final coloring layer.

We will return to the process of surface preparation. The main thing is to first figure out how to paint MDF at home. We will need special compositions with high covering power.

These include:

• acrylic enamels and paints in the form of aerosols.
• enamels made on an alkyd-urethane, alkyd or oil base;
• polyurethane enamels.

Acrylic enamels

This group is considered environmentally friendly, since it is a water-dispersion composition based on acrylate or latex copolymers. Most manufacturers recommend their use in residential areas and even children's rooms.

Another plus - good protection surfaces from moisture and temperature changes, which is quite important for furniture and sliding MDF screens in bathrooms.

On sale most often you can find the following compositions:

Some of the compositions presented can also be used as an insulating primer. For such purposes, the manufacturer recommends diluting them with water in a ratio of 70% paint and 30% drinking water.

Before you paint a white MDF wood door, be sure to:

1. first apply base layer light paint, after which you can apply dark tones;
2. using a special rubber brush, without waiting for the second layer to dry, treat the surface to obtain a wood structure.

Captain Evidence informs: if you choose how to paint small MDF panels, then it is not advisable to purchase paint in a large volume package.
And since the smallest volume is 0.9 l, it is worth taking a closer look at acrylic paints in cans.
It is also important that when applying such compositions, wood fibers do not rise on the surface, which simplifies painting.

Important: before painting MDF with an alkyd spray, the surface should be primed.

Alkyd and alkyd-urethane enamels

One more is enough large group coloring compositions, allowing you to paint MDF surfaces. If you do not know how to repaint MDF furniture with your own hands, then for self use I can recommend products from the following manufacturers:

Important: Do not forget that all alkyd compounds have a pungent odor, which, moreover, is quite toxic in the drying process.
It is important to organize staining in a ventilated area using personal protective equipment.

Polyurethane enamels

Polyurethane compounds are primarily interesting for their wear resistance and durability. Agree that if you spend money on expensive paint, then its service life should be maximum. In the case of the type in question, manufacturers guarantee at least 20 years!

So, what can be purchased from this group in our country? Below we will take a closer look at some of these compositions:

Coloring process

We figured out the compositions, and now you know whether it is possible to paint MDF panels and with what exactly.

It's time to puzzle you with some of the nuances of the upcoming process, telling you how to paint MDF:

• Any surface must be pretreated with primer. It fills the pores of the material, preventing further absorption of the finish coating (paint);
• After applying the primer and drying, the surface must be sanded to remove the raised wood drag. It is best to use a grinder for these purposes;
• The surface should be cleaned of dust, and only then apply the first coat of paint;
• Repeat the sanding process again to remove the raised fibers from the surface again;
• Then apply a second coat of paint;
• To give a finished appearance, the surface should be polished.

Important: when applying paint to a previously painted surface, it should be degreased.
If the surface has been laminated, then it will need to be treated with an adhesive primer.

Conclusion

I hope that my review of painting compositions for MDF and products from it will be useful to the dear reader, as well as the painting technology itself. As usual, Additional materials Your attention will be provided by the video in this article. I would appreciate your comments and additions.

Good luck, comrades!

The abbreviation MDF in the last two decades has firmly entered our everyday life, since this type of fiberboard is used in the furniture industry, and for the manufacture of doors, and as a wall material. This is a great alternative to natural wood, the price of which remains high.

Your attention will be presented useful information about this material: how it is produced, where it is used, how MDF panels can be painted, and much more. A great addition to our story will be the video in this article on the topic: “Painted facades MDF».

Most of those who plan to build country house, make repairs or make built-in furniture on your own, the question is: “What is the difference between MDF and chipboard?”. In appearance, they are very similar, but the production technologies are different and, accordingly, the performance is also different.

For comparison, you are offered a small instruction:

Since MDF has a denser structure and is able to withstand more high level humidity, over time, it practically does not deform. That is why in the production of cabinet and upholstered furniture factories use only MDF today. The technology for painting MDF and chipboard facades is similar, and we will talk about it in a separate chapter.

Note! AT this case we are talking about furniture and built-in interior facades. Neither material is used to finish the exterior walls! The facades of houses are sheathed with OSB boards, which are completely impervious to moisture. They obtain such properties due to the presence of polymer resins in the composition.

Medium-density fiberboards, namely the so-called MDF, are in demand not only in the furniture industry, but also in the production of interior finishing materials. In addition to wall and ceiling panels, these are also molded products: slats, platbands, MDF plinth for painting.

And how great laminate floors look! But what can I say: look at the picture above, and it immediately becomes clear that without this material today, nowhere.

Sizes and face covering

Manufacturers of sheet MDF offer the material of the most different size and thickness. There are no uniform standards in the world, and each enterprise determines independently which standard sizes to produce. Ultimately, it all depends on the purpose of the sheets and consumer demand.

• If you decide to make a wardrobe, then for the back wall you can take all-pressed sheets with a thickness of only 3 mm, for the sidewalls and furniture facade, 10 mm is already required. To build interior partition, you need a material with a thickness of 12-16 mm, and, for example, to build a rack - 24 mm.
• Here is such a wide range. The dimensions of the sheets also differ, but not so much. On average, the width and length of the sheets is: 1220 * 2440 mm; 1830*2440mm; 2070*2800 mm. As you can see, the dimensions allow, if necessary, to block the walls along the entire height.

• As for finishing their surface, the buyer always has a choice: do-it-yourself MDF painting or using sheets with a ready-made factory coating - and, by the way, it can be not only painted. Decorative cladding sheet MDF is also carried out by pasting it PVC film, lamination and veneering.
• When using such sheets, for example, for the manufacture of built-in furniture, painting MDF facades is not required at all. If you look closely at the photo above, you can see that even the edges have already been processed, and when using such a sheathing material, it remains only to decorate the cuts.

The decor of the MDF surface can consist not only in imitation of various types of wood. wall material, stylized as stone, plaster or brickwork, makes it possible to create interesting compositions in the interior, one of which we see in the above example. Sheets intended for finishing wet rooms are protected by a melamine coating.

Some features of wall cladding

Before talking about whether it is possible to paint MDF panels and how to do it: with enamel or water-dispersion compositions, we will briefly talk about the nuances of installation. After all, errors can greatly affect the geometry of the skin or structural element and, accordingly, nullify all your work.

• To prevent this from happening, it is very important that the MDF be adapted to the microclimate of the room in which it will be used before installation. It cannot be used immediately after delivery from the store and unloading. In a normal dry room, it should lie down for a day. If you have to sheathe a basement or an unheated attic, it takes at least 48 hours to adapt.

Mounting options

At this time, you can start preparing the surface of the walls, the degree of which depends on the chosen installation option. Wall decoration with sheet MDF can be done in two ways: frame and glue.

In the first case, the material is mounted on the crate. At the same time, special preparation is not required, and if the walls are uneven, the frame elements are installed on direct suspensions.

• In order to be able to mount the panels on glue, the walls must be well leveled, sanded, cleaned of dust and primed. If sheet material is used in the installation, it is glued to the base base. Small format panels can also be glued to plasterboard sheathing and even to the surface of wooden battens.

• The sawing of sheet and modular material is carried out manually or electrically. cutting tool. In order not to damage the factory decorative coating of the sheets, the following nuances must be taken into account when cutting: when using a hacksaw, you should cut from the front side, and when using circular saw- from the inside.

Note! During installation, it is very important to leave a technological gap of 2 cm between the casing and the ceiling. This is especially true for bathrooms and kitchens, where the temperature and humidity of the air changes several times a day. In the absence of a gap, the expanded material will rest against the ceiling and, accordingly, deform. For the same reason, in these rooms, it is better to install on the crate, since it also provides a ventilated space.

• Long and classic wall panels, as a rule, do not require any surface modification, including grouting. After sheathing the walls with sheet MDF, the joints are sealed by filling with a special compound, and then closed with plastic moldings.
• Sheets with a factory decorative coating can also be mounted with a gap, which looks very interesting. The necessary distance between the ends of the panels is provided by special cruciform plastic inserts. If the lining is made in the usual sheet material, who do not have decorative coating, then its surface must still be prepared.

Since MDF has high density and a sufficiently smooth surface, it is not necessary to putty it. It is simply lightly sanded with fine sandpaper and, having cleaned of dust, is treated with a pore-filling primer. But what kind of paint for MDF facades is best suited and how to apply it correctly, we will tell in the next chapter.

What and how to paint MDF

First of all, sheet MDF is a constructive material. Along with drywall, it is used for interior wall cladding of frame-panel houses. But compared to GKL, MDF is more durable and has high thermal insulation properties, so there is every reason to use it.

• Is it possible to paint MDF panels so that they are indistinguishable from a plastered surface? Yes, you certainly may! Take a look at the example below and you will see a beautifully painted half-timbered frame house interior.

In this case, the design involved bearing structures at home, but even if this is not possible, you can use molded products from the same material as the sheathing for decorative wall paneling. The main thing is to invent interesting design, and then you can already think about how to paint MDF.

MDF products for painting

As for natural wood, and for all its derivatives - whether it be chipboard, OSB or MDF, similar types of paints are used. Just before painting MDF doors or the same panels, make sure the paint is designed for wood or is an all-purpose paint. In this case, the label will say: "For all types of surfaces."

• The main thing here is not even the type of paint, but the correct primer. It is important that it be made from the same substance as the paint. That is, if used polyurethane paint for MDF, then the primer must also be polyurethane.

• Paint for MDF doors, as well as molding material, which are called "for painting", is selected in accordance with the type of primer already applied at the factory. Most often, this is a white acrylic primer paint, which replaces not only the adhesive impregnation, but also the first layer of paint. So, for finishing painting, you also need to purchase acrylic paint.
• But its color can be any, and not necessarily white. In general, doors primed for painting are a budget option. They are chosen mainly because of the lowest cost. In such a situation, the question arises before a person: “How to paint MDF doors so that the coating looks no worse than in the factory version?”.
• If you want to get a high-quality surface, you need to forget about brushes and rollers, and use an airbrush. Painting MDF panels, facades of home-made furniture and door blocks will turn out in this case the most uniform and accurate.

• This is especially true for doors - it is generally better to paint them first, and then install them. Firstly, they won’t get dirty with paint door hinges, accessories and especially glazing. And secondly, when the door is installed, it is much more difficult to paint over its ends, layout, panels.

It is good if white paint is applied on white ground. And if it is a different color, in some places bald spots will still be visible.

With a brush, it is generally difficult to paint even a smooth surface with high quality - what can we say about such a design as a door. On request: "MDF: painting technology" you can watch one or two videos, where this process is explained and shown in an accessible way.

The nuances of painting work

It is much easier, of course, to paint an MDF product that is already prepared at the factory for painting. And if you have to ennoble sheet sheathing that does not have a decorative coating? We have already mentioned that such a surface is polished before painting.

Why is this done if the surface of the MDF is already smooth:

• The fact is that during the production process the material is covered with a protective wax layer. This is what needs to be removed, otherwise the front surface will not have any adhesion to either the primer or the paint. Grinding of sheathing material is best done not with sandpaper, but with a machine - but it all depends on the amount of work.

• It is very important that this be done with high quality, over the entire plane of the sheet. Otherwise, when painting, it will turn out that in some places the paint does not stick to the base. If you decide with manual router apply a relief on the panels, special attention should be paid to these places when grinding and priming.
• In general, before painting MDF facades, they first apply primer to the relief or overhead elements, then prime the edges, and only after that they begin to cover the entire plane of the product. When working with the spray gun, the nozzle should move in parallel rows, with a fifty percent overlap on each other.
• First, longitudinal rows are applied, then transverse ones. Coatings are applied in the same manner. If you need to paint the facade of built-in furniture, then this is done on both sides. First, the back side is painted, and after it dries, the front side.

• Next, you need to let the product dry completely, then it will have to be sanded again to remove the pile that has risen during the primer. In this case, the most important thing is to correctly calculate the effort and not completely remove the soil layer, having reached the MDF. At the next stage, a covering paint-primer is applied.

For painting furniture facades, polyurethane-based paints are used. They create the most durable surface, and the furniture is subjected to constant mechanical stress. Well, for wall cladding it is best to use water-based paints - especially since they do not have such a toxic smell as polyurethane enamels.