How to prime particle board?

NaniStef

Hello!

I picked up a table from an op shop which had its melamine wrap/vinyl peeling off.

I've removed it all using a hot glue gun and scraper.

The table surface had dents in it and I filled them with Earl's All Purpose Multfill - because other fillers were too 'wet' and I didn't want to warp the particle board.

Where the particleboard was a bit swollen/warped I got it back to smooth with a hand planer.

The drawers of the table are also particle board but seem rather rough/chunky. I've sanded all the surfaces down to as smooth as I can get them.

What's the best way for me to proceed now? Is there another filler I can use to get the drawers smooth? Earl's Multfill was great but expensive - I was happy to use it for the table surface, but am less fussed about the inside of the drawers being perfect.

Also, I have Dulux precision surface prep max strength adhesion primer - but it's water based so I'm not sure it's the right thing to put straight on the particleboard!

So, the advice i'm seeking is: 

1) what filler to use on the drawers?

2) which primer to use all over?

I've attached a photo of the table surface with filler on it and another 2 of one of part of a drawer which is rougher in texture and needs filling I think!

Thanks so much!!

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @NaniStef. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about paint chipboard.

It looks like you’ve done a great job salvaging and prepping the particle board. You're right to be cautious about using water-based products directly on raw particle board, as it can swell easily. 

For the drawer filler the Earl's product doesn't appear to be much more expensive than our other fillers. You could use Poly 390g Interior Timber Filler but that appears to be more expensive than the Earl's, which you found to be of the correct consistency. It's probably stick with the Earl's.

For priming, the Dulux Precision Max Strength Adhesion Primer you have is actually quite good—it’s designed for difficult surfaces like laminates and glossy finishes, so it’s perfect for areas where you still have any melamine left. While it is water-based, it’s made to have strong adhesion and minimal swelling on tricky substrates, including particleboard. That said, to be extra safe, you might consider sealing any freshly exposed raw particleboard first with a coat of shellac-based primer (like Zinsser BIN) if you’re really concerned about swelling. Once that’s dry, you can follow with the Dulux primer for an even base.

After priming, you can paint as usual. Just make sure everything is fully dry and lightly sanded between coats for a smooth finish.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell