Can you paint laminate?.....oh, YES!

I've been looking for a nightstand for myself for just about forever now.  I'm not kidding.  Most of you know that we lost a lot of our furniture in our big move from California to Colorado.  I found a great, sturdy nightstand at a thrift store several months ago for my husband and re-did it to make it look all nice and beautiful.  You can read about that HERE.

My side of the bed was still sitting empty though.  I've looked and looked but nothing has caught my eye.  I have big eyes too; it's really not that hard.  Then I spotted this little cutie at a yard sale for only $5.  Good price, cute knobs....for something else, the right size, etc....but it was laminate. 

I'm not a fan of anything laminate, but I was desperate people.  I knew I could do something with this little baby so I bought it  for five big ones and brought it home.  She came into my garage and spent a few nights among the other little projects I'm in the middle of.  I thought I'd let her get to know everyone before her makeover.

Here is her big reveal!
and once again, I LOVE it!

So to answer your question, or my question rather, Yes, you can paint laminate.  The only way this works though is to get the right kind of primer.  Primer is the key.  Here's what I did.

The nightstand had some damage and it needed to be sanded down.  I gladly got my sander out and put it to work.  I also didn't care for that bottom door so I got rid of that by taking off the hardware inside.  On this project, power tools were my friends.
 



























Once everything was sanded and the door taken off, I used Zinsser's Cover Stain Primer.  It adheres to anything, even laminate.  If you paint right over laminate, your project will look awful and the paint will easily scratch off.  No bueno. (Yes, I am bilinguel...sometimes... mostly)




After primer,  I lightly sanded down the entire nightstand with 150 grit sand paper.


Now it's time to paint! Woo Hoo!  I have no idea why I chose to use a sponge brush.  I usually reserve these cheap, disposable brushes for the final step of adding polyurethane.  Anyway,  paint using a good brush.


Here she is all dark and lovely.

I always apply polyurethane as a final step to protect the paint job. ALWAYS.

I changed the knob to match my husband's nightstand.  I found them at Home Depot for about $4.

BEFORE.

AFTER.
I know this blog is called Lewisville Love, but Lisa Loves this:

  By the way, I made the basket on the bottom for about $5.  If you want to know how, click HERE.  


Total cost: $14
$5 for the nightstand
$4 for the knob
$5 for the basket
I had all the paint supplies already.....

So the next time you find laminate but don't care for the color, just paint it!

Blessings,
Lisa

P.S.  I just noticed after posting this that I forgot to take off the white plastic piece that keeps the door closed.  Oops!

I link all my projects with some wonderful blogs.  To visit them, go to the {Link Party Love} page found at the top of this page on the {Home} bar.
Also linking to:
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Saved by Love Creations 
Miss Mustard Seed
Funky Junk Interiors
Coastal Charm 


Comments

  1. Love it looks great I have done the same thing with my buffet the top was laminate type and so far good luck with it allot of sanding but worth in the end to have a beautiful piece of furniture

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  2. You've done a great job. I loved it. By the way I'm from Turkey and became your follower:) Sibel-ish.blogspot.com

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  3. Good job. I know what painting laminate is all about. But I hate to see a piece of furniture go to waste so I've done it. I found you through Shabby Creek Cottage. I'm your latest follower and a fellow newbie. Hope you'll stop by my place sometime!

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  4. Hey there, I found you at Funky Junk Interiors. Enjoyed your post and seeing the transformation from care bear style to something a little more grown up!

    Liz

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  5. found you on HOH...i have a night stand i'm about to paint...i hate laminate also thats why i have been putting it off...i will be following you
    ashley @ creating love and joy

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  6. You did a great job, it looks lovely! Thanks so much for sharing at Sunday round Up. Hope you have a great week!
    -Kayla :)

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  7. I had no idea you could sand laminate either! I have two bookcases that need my attention using your tips. Thanks! :-)

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  8. It looks great! Nice transformation. Thanks for sharing the tips! :)

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  9. This is amazing!! Thanks for the great tutorial! It's absolutely beautiful! We are so glad you came to another week of our fun "Strut Your Stuff Saturday". Please join us again! -The Sisters

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  10. What a great transformation! I love what you did! It makes all the difference!
    Stacey of Embracing Change

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  11. LOVE the black!! Thanks for the tip, I'll have to remember that next time I see something laminate

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  12. I love it! DH always tells me "oh you can't paint that" and I'm like "you know nothing!" you can paint over pretty much everything with a good primer!

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  13. Great job! Thanks for all the tips! Visiting from Project Queen's Party, now following!

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  14. Laminate NEEDS painted - great change up! Thanks for sharing this week!
    Stacey of Embracing Change

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  15. Looks great! Wonderful transformation. Thanks for sharing at Etcetorize this week~

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  16. I have two laminate projects waiting and have been researching how to paint them and I am thrilled I found this in the nick of time. Perfect. I also always seal my paint. I hate going to all that work to see if destroyed by a bump. Thanks I can't wit to get started. : )

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  17. Wow, what a difference!! It looks great. Thanks for linking up! Hope to see you again this week.

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  18. It looks great, I don't think there's much out there that can't be painted!

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  19. So good to know. Now...what will I paint first? Thanks for linking up to Titus 2 Tuesday on Cornerstone Confessions.

    Kathy

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  20. This looks amazing! What a transformation! Looks so great without the bottom door :)

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  21. In my opinion furniture painting can make painting customization fit any lifestyle if matched of the best and most cost-effective ways to enhance the look well with the sculpture and furniture of the house of yours with the help of some home painting ideas Click Here For a FREE Paint Estimate in Vaughan

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  22. Lisa! love this tutorial! thank for sharing it. What type of paint did you use? I am looking for a great black paint to use on some of my projects. Thanks in advance!
    Sharon

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    1. Thanks, Sharon. I used black semi gloss latex paint by Rust Oleum. You can buy them in a quart and spray paint form. Hope that helps.
      Blessings,
      Lisa

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  23. I really like the projects you have done. I want to do some that are very similar. We are about to have laminate flooring in Edmonton put in, and would like to update the rest of our home too.

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