Painting Wood Veneer Cabinets

The first coat of paint will act as a primer coat.

Painting wood veneer cabinets.

By the way veneer is slightly different from laminate. Most veneer surfaces are sealed with polyurethane for a glossy finish and this surface does not accept paint easily. Veneered wood is a similar concept but instead of a plastic layer on top of plywood it has a very thin layer of actual wood called a veneer. Wood cabinets are ideal for painting but any surface that can be scuffed with sandpaper can be painted.

Paint the cabinet areas and sand. Apply paint to the veneer evenly using smooth strokes and always follow the grain of the area. Wood veneer is created when very thin slices of wood usually less than 1 8 inch thick are glued on to wood panels or particle board. Cabinets with wood or laminate veneer require special painting attention.

Unlike solid wood wood veneer is delicately thin and can be easily chipped and damaged if subject to aggressive sanding and stripping so extra care is required in refinishing a wood veneer piece. On alternative home improvement projects gloss is sanded off for better paint adhesion. Special cabinet paints are available that provide a smooth finish but any high quality paint should work. Laminate cabinets require a special bonding primer.

Only paint in a well ventilated area. When painting or priming always wear protective safety gear to avoid skin contact and inhalation. The key is prepping it correctly and using the right primer. Allow the first.

The dos and don ts of painting laminate cabinets prime your laminate cabinets for the perfect paint job with these tips for surface preparation paint selection and application. Painting wood veneer is not hard. Choose a high quality paint. If you are painting a veneer wood piece of furniture i recommend the method outlined in my original cabinet painting post.