Painting MDF units

markdraper · 06-06-2008, 10:09 AM

I have made some units for the av gear, I painted it with mdf primer twice, then started with gloss, but it didn't cover the edges properly, so sanded it down and used smooth filler, sanded it again, then painted with matt emulsion, that look awful all the brush strokes showed, so then used vinyl matt paint and that just looks as bad.

What do I do to get a smooth finish.

ukbootlegs · 06-06-2008, 10:25 AM

can you spray it

markdraper · 06-06-2008, 10:43 AM

only with a rattle can maybe, but it would need a lot of sanding to get it back to a really smooth surface.

Para · 06-06-2008, 12:16 PM

an air brush would be the best bet as even cans are prone to inconsistant paint splodges. You can get your local car spraying place to do this to if you wish..

Failing that how about stick on vinyl?

Sofa-loafer · 06-06-2008, 1:02 PM

Use a radiator roller... its a small version of a wall roller costs about £2.50.

Use this will eggshell emultion for a smooth finish.

markdraper · 09-06-2008, 4:01 PM

I will give a roller a go I think, hopefully give a better finish.

jolly · 09-06-2008, 5:47 PM

It's sounds to me like the edges have not sealed properly, I tend to seal using unibond(wood glue), when dry sand and then do the same again

Paints just the same as the rest of the mdf then

markdraper · 10-06-2008, 8:24 AM

It is not the edges, I have sorted them with a slim skim of filler, it is the overall paint coverage, it looks rough and not very nice to look at.

KobeoneHD · 10-06-2008, 9:52 AM

i built my own AV unit out of MDF and i painted it with and MDF gloss one coat paint from ronseal and has given me a brush stroke free finish. Looks really good and a lot of my friends thought i bought the unit from a shop. Its available from B&Q for bout £13.

Hope this helps

KobeoneHD

KobeoneHD · 10-06-2008, 9:53 AM

check out my thread for the unit...http://www.avforums.com/forums/archi.../t-706627.html

KobeoneHD

markdraper · 10-06-2008, 11:12 AM

Looks a good finish, what I want.

Cheers Kobeone, I will have a look into that ronseal paint,

Is it a shiny gloss paint?

KobeoneHD · 10-06-2008, 11:55 AM

Hi Mark

Yeah it is a shiny gloss finish, and i even used it to redo the fire surround which had a vinyl coating.

Hope it helps.

KobeoneHD

markdraper · 10-06-2008, 1:21 PM

did you paint it on with a paint brush or a roller?

Cheers

KobeoneHD · 10-06-2008, 3:40 PM

Hi mark

Its quite a thick paint so i used a brush to put it on and it still had a great finish. The strokes do go away leaving a nice smooth finish.

Ill get the product details from work tomorrow (B&Q) for you.

KobeoneHD

markdraper · 16-06-2008, 10:14 AM

Hi KobeoneHD

I have brought some of the paint and I will see how it looks, any tips of the prep of the unit before I do anything, remember what I have done so far

Albopalbo · 16-06-2008, 10:01 PM

I remember reading on some other forum that you can apply your final gloss coat with a roller then sand it back with wet n dry paper until it's smooth but obviously rough. Then you polish it with some car cutting in paste on an orbital sander in order to get smooth n glossy. Lot of work and you have to make sure your first coats are sanded properly, but the results are spot on.

BiscuitThief · 17-06-2008, 1:01 PM

Yep. As long as you have enough Lacquer/varnish on there and have left it go cure fully, you wetsand it with 1500/2000 wet and dry (soak the sandpaper over night in a bucket of water and washing up liquid).
You are then left with a smooth but dull surface that needs polishing up with an abrasive compound.
Lots of effort but really worth it