Painting a beloved, but perhaps slightly dated, piece of laminate furniture empowers you to easily freshen up your space — without spending a lot of money.
Can you paint laminate? Yes — and it’s actually quite simple. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to paint laminate furniture, including project-specific tips for painting laminate cabinets, desks, coffee tables, bookshelves and dressers.
Key Watchout
You cannot stain laminate, since it is not real wood. However, you can easily paint it, as outlined in the steps on this page.
Supplies Checklist: Painting Laminate Furniture
Rag Water Dry cloth Medium-grit sandpaper (220 or finer)
Paintbrush or fine finish roller INSL-X® STIX® Primer or Fresh Start® High-Hiding All Purpose Primer ADVANCE® Interior Paint
What is Laminate
Often called “fake wood,” laminate furniture is made of a synthetic material, usually plastic, that is used to create a thin exterior layer on furniture or other surfaces. Unlike natural, solid wood, laminate is created by layering and bonding different materials together.
Step #1: Clean the Furniture
Clean the surface of the piece you are painting thoroughly using a wet rag to ensure there is no dirt or debris on the furniture.
Step #2: Sand the Laminate
Sand the piece using 220-grit sandpaper in sweeping motions up and down the entire surface area. Vacuum the debris and wipe with a microfiber towel.
Apply an even coat of ADVANCE® Interior Paint to the furniture with a high-quality brush or fine finish roller. Make sure to let the paint dry completely before applying an additional coat or two of paint to achieve the desired smoothness of your finished piece.
Tips for Painting Different Types of Laminate Furniture
Painting Laminate Cabinets
For best results, remove doors and lay them flat to paint, as opposed to painting upright.
Remove the hinges before you start the painting process. Make sure to re-apply once the paint is completely dry.
Painting Laminate Desks
Remove drawers before painting. When painting the drawer, painting the interior is optional, but it is typical to paint the interior face of the drawer.
Place smaller pieces legs up on a workbench or other elevated surface. Remove any hardware, if possible, before you start painting. Cover the bench or surface and the surrounding floor. Work in a downward motion on a flipped piece (meaning legs first).
Painting Laminate Dressers / Bookshelves
Remove drawers before painting. When painting the drawer, painting the interior is optional, but it is typical to paint the interior face of the drawer.
Position larger pieces like bookshelves away from walls and over drop cloths. Always watch for drips and runs, especially at joints, corners and fine woodworking details.
Painting Laminate Coffee Tables / Any Table
For heavier or larger pieces, work in a downward motion toward the legs.
Laminate Furniture Dos and Dont's
Do use a powerful bonding primer like INSL-X® STIX® or Fresh Start® High-Hiding All Purpose Primer, which offers powerful adhesion properties to any surface, even shiny ones like laminate. Do use sandpaper that is finer than 220-grit. Do sand the shiny surface down to a dull finish before applying paint.
Don't try to stain it. Don't paint a dirty surface — make sure you clean first. Don't skip sanding. Laminate has a synthetic, glossy surface, so sanding is especially important. Don't oversand. Laminate is a thin material, so be gentle to make sure you don’t break through the top layer.
From a vintage piece to a brand new purchase, Benjamin Moore® products can help you spruce up any laminated piece to bring a fresh new look to your space. You can also easily paint other types of indoor furniture to freshen things up in your home.
Not sure what color to paint your laminate dresser, cabinet, bookshelf, desk or table? It’s easy to choose your ideal shade with the Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio® app, where you can match the color of your favorite scarf, sofa or other beloved piece to a paint color perfect for your laminate furniture in need of an update.
