Paint Laminate Furniture with Ease & Durability

It’s the second Tuesday of the month and that means it’s Trash to Treasure time! What is that you say? A super fun day where my blogger friends and I put together a group of makeovers and DIY fun to inspire you. My project for today is this vintage Mid Century Modern dinette set I found at the thrift store. Will you just look at those lines? mmm… Bummer is that the top is laminate, but the rest is gorgeous oak. Time to show you how to paint laminate furniture easily so that it is durable to stand up to daily use. Let’s get our DIY on!

When I walked into the thrift store looking for a piece of artwork to stage with, I gasped when I saw this dining set sitting there. Yes, farmhouse and rustic is my thing, but I do love most any era, particularly the lines of the Mid Century style. I did a bee-line to it and pulled each chair out to sit on it and test them. I also crawled underneath to see if there were any markings. It even came with two extra leaves.

It totally looked like a Lane or Broyhill set, but I haven’t found the markings yet. What I did find, however, was original upholstery and the worn laminate top. Many ask, “Why would they use laminate??” Well, it’s durable and many thought to be superior to a wood veneer, and it’s also easy to maintenance.

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Problem is, you can’t find modern furniture built this well to last the test of time. I bought it and then, thankfully, had the store deliver it for free since I live close by. Mama had a happy dance!

Many turn their noses up at laminate furniture, but I take it on full bore. I have done many Mid Century pieces you can see HERE that have had the laminate and they are awesome to work with. To paint laminate furniture, it’s all about two things: (1) prep work and (2) priming. I’m going to layout the steps for you, but you will be amazed there’s not much to it. I be you’ll be grabbing up those laminate pieces the next time you see them. tee hee!

First, I use my sander with 120 grit paper on it to get rid of any scuffs, etc and to give the surface tooth. Many will say that you don’t need to sand, but I tend to disagree even though I’ve done it both ways. I say that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to surfaces like this table top that will see much daily action. Since it doesn’t take much time, I say, why not?

Once sanded, I use a special product called White Lightning Cleaner to clean it. This stuff works wonders on prepping a piece to better hold paint. It gets rid of any gunk or film that may be present, even on wood, and creates an awesome surface to adhere to. All you do is dissolve a bit in warm water, dip in your rag and ring it out, then wipe down the surface you’re wanting to prepare.

Let the surface air dry and then it’s time to prime. Now, in the past I’ve only used a product called Gripper by Glidden. It does amazing things! You can see it recently used on this Broyhill Hutch Desk. However, Dixie Belle has come out with their own version of the product I am aiming to try. Can’t wait to see how it compares.

In most instances, I would be using my favorite sprayer to apply the primer. However, just to show you that even a great end result can be achieved without a sprayer, I chose to use my other go-to method, a micro foam roller. I roll out the primer in nice even coats, and then let cure for about 2 hours. Easy-peasy.

TIP: to make clean up easier, I line my paint tray with a plastic grocery store bag making sure it is turned inside out to prevent any ink from getting into my paint or primer. I just tape it in place for a snug fit, and when done I recycle the bag. Less mess and less waste to the landfill.

While the primer is curing, I tackle the upholstery. One of my favorite handy tools is this stapler puller that only costs a couple of bucks. It saves my knuckles and hands, and make the job go SO much faster. You gotta get one for upholstery or any project that involves staples.

I have to say this is one of the bluckiest upholstery removals I’ve had because of the foam underneath had disintegrated into nothing and the fabric was kinda gross. It felt so good to pull it off! Now with a blank slate I cut my new fabric, foam, and batting. You can read how to easily update basic upholstery in this post I created for you over here.

Another must have is my stapler. For years I used a basic handheld kind and it killed my hand and wrist. Not so with this cordless gem. I had these seats knocked out in 30 minutes from starting with fabric cutting and attaching it all to the seats. Woot!

Before I reattach the seats, I clean up the chair frames and table skirt and legs, then touch up with some stain to cover the knicks. No need to paint that gorgeous wood.

Now back to the table top and moving on with our paint laminate furniture tutorial. {{fist pump!}} To make a neutral surface that will fit into most any decor, I chose to use Gravel Road. A nice deep color that is mostly gray with a hint of brown.

All I do is switch my micro foam roller to a new one, and line my tray with a new bag to keep it all clean. I apply two coats with a 2 hour cure time in between, making sure to roll it out smoothly.

For the last step, I use a Gloss Finish in two coats as well, letting cure 2 hours in between. During that cure time is when I can get other things done, like reattaching the seats, and doing and final check to make sure the set is ready to go, or even housework, errands, etc. So easy to paint laminate furniture!

Are you ready to see this set renewed? I am!

We said goodbye to dated and dingy, and HELLO to modern chic. I love it! The top came out just as I had planned looking so refreshed and ready to go.

My favorite part is the Eco Canvas arrow fabric I purchased to update the chairs. It is a gray with cream. Light enough to brighten it up, but will stand the test of time. I even gave it a Scotchgard treatment as an added protectant.

Time to show you how this beauty really opens up. Woot!

With both leaves in this gem can seat six easily. I love a versatile piece of furniture, don’t you?

Gotta love the lines of this set. Mmm… Since I have a family of 8 and my home is mainly rustic, this Mid Century dinette set is now available in my shop along with the other things seen in this staging, like my plant stand and the wicker centerpiece. (Table set is SOLD)

My goal is to inspire you to not turn down, but try to paint laminate furniture. It really is easy and so affordable to do. Do pin and share to inspire others to give it a DIY try.

Up next, I’m get organized and showing you what I do with this thrifted cart I found recently. Looks kinda sad, doesn’t it? See the transformation HERE.

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Check out these makeovers for more inspiration. Each one is a must see!

1. Confessions of a Serial DIYer
2. Artsy Chicks Rule
3. Girl in the Garage
4. Bless’er House

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