How to paint premium dressed pine?

Question

Hello I bought some premium grade dressed pine planks to mount as shelves. I want to paint them and hope to make the finish as professional as possible. Any tips much appreciated for this newbie. Do I need to sand (I can borrow an orbital sander) and prime? Or just paint straight onto the boards? Thank you!

MitchellMc · Answer

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @nellieblundell. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about painting dressed Pine.

The finish on those boards is very smooth, and I wouldn't suggest sanding them at all. They are already finished to a level where further sanding would not significantly affect the overall appearance. If any spots feel rough to the touch, you might want to go over them lightly with some 240-grit sandpaper.

To coat them, apply one or two coats (if needed for full coverage) of primer and after it has dried your paint. For application, I recommend using a short nap roller such as the UNi-PRO 180mm Enamel Paint Roller Kit 5mm Nap. The short fibre length on this roller will give you a much better finish than one with 12mm.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell