Expert: Eileen Cronk - 2/4/2012

Question
My daughter has a l950's chest that originally was painted with oil based paint.  Years later someone painted it with a latex paint.  Chipping has occured all over it.  What do we do before painting it again with latex paint?  TSP?  Spray painted primer?  Help!  Thank you.

Another question...different piece:  Is there something we can do to a laminate top so that paint will adhere?

Answer
Hi Julie
Nice to hear from you.
You are on the right track Julie.
First give the chest a good scrub with TSP mixed according to directions.
Let dry really well.
Then sand the heck out of the old paint with 120 grit paper.
If you have a palm sander, bonus, use it.
Pay particular attention to chipped areas. Feather out the chipped areas with the sand paper or they will show through.
Next is a coat of primer. Lightly sand primer after it dries well.
Then 2 coats of your final paint.
Its so strange that I often get questions about certain jobs just when I am doing the same thing. I will be painting a laminate top this week. Great minds think alike or what LOL.
As you already know, we can paint laminate tops.
But you also know we must prep the surface. So a good sanding with 120 grit paper after a good scrub with TSP. Thats all thats needed. I use melamine paint but the choice is yours.
Two or three coats depending on how your top covers. Light sand between coats.
Thats all I do and I've painted a fair bit of laminate over the years but some folks apply a clear coat over the paint. This in my opinion is not necessary over melamine paint but other paints it may help to keep it nice longer.
Let the paint from both projects "cure" over several days before using the top.
Two great projects.
Write anytime
Eileen