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How to paint particleboard cube unit?

How do I go about painting these particleboard cube units? Do I have to sand it - can I do it without a sander?

Any specific types of products I need? Bonus points if I can keep the price low!

I feel like after asking around I’m still not getting a clear answer!!

I’ve been told I have to sand it, then told I shouldn’t sand it.

AND been told I can only use a specific type of paint/primer, then told I don’t have to prime , then told I can use any paint.

AND I’ve occasionally been told painting it wouldn’t end well at all and not to bother.

PLEASE HELP

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MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @charmspider. It's amazing to have you join us and many thanks for your question on painting a cube unit.

The first thing to determine when painting is what the surface actually is. It could be painted particleboard, but more than likely it’s particleboard with a laminate or plastic coating over the top. That’s what most cube storage units are. So instead of painting over painted particleboard, you’re really painting over laminate or vinyl.

The issue is that paint does not stick well to laminate or vinyl directly. You can put it on and it might stay for a while, but as soon as something hard scratches across the surface, like fingernails or sliding an object, the paint will delaminate and peel away. There just isn’t a strong bond. If it was a painted surface, you could simply scuff it up and paint over it, but with laminate or vinyl you’ll need to use a specific primer designed for those surfaces. Kitchen cupboard primers are a good example, since cupboards are usually laminate too. If the coating is hard laminate, you’d first scratch it up, apply the laminate primer, and then finish with your top coat. That’s a proper system, but it can get expensive because those primers and paints are premium products made for longevity.

Since you’re looking for a budget-friendly approach, there are some alternatives, like multipurpose primers designed to stick to a variety of surfaces like ESP primer, which is a wipe-on type. Once it dries you can paint over it. Still, painting particleboard with a coating is always tricky, and you may actually find spray paint to be the cheapest and easiest option. Spray paint can adhere better to laminate or vinyl than brush-on paints, though it’s best to do a test patch on the underside of the unit first to see how well it holds.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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