Can you paint wardrobe doors

With a little preparation it is easy to decorate your wardrobe doors to your own design. MFC paints are available in two main formulations. The first consists of a base coat or primer and then to paint your melamine wardrobes an MFC top coat or finishing coat. The second option is to use an MFC primer which allows for a water-based or solvent-based undercoat to be applied. Afterwards you can paint on the top coat of your choice. The doors are relatively simple to dis-assemble and put back together, however, we recommend reading the following article prior to dis-assembling your doors: How our sliding wardrobe doors are put together - coming soon.

Please note: Wardrobe Doors Direct will not be held responsible for any damage or subsequent malfunction of the doors should you decide to take the doors apart. There are some fantastic wallpaper designs available nowadays. You can wallpaper individual wardrobe door panels to create a design feature.

For example our Modena Collection could be a great choice to create a stunning design by adding a wallpapered narrow band across the width of the wardrobe. Alternatively you can blend the wardrobe into the wall by wallpapering the wardrobe doors with wallpaper to match the walls. We recommend that you wallpaper on matte white wood panel wardrobe doors. These can be ordered from Wardrobe Doors Direct.

Prior to applying a wallpaper finish we would advise that the doors are wiped down with sugar soap and a soft cloth to clean and degrease them. For the best results cut sections of wallpaper that are approximately 5mm larger on all sides than the wardrobe panel area to be covered. For four years we lived with some doors not having any handles!

I just used a cloth and soapy water to clean all the wardrobe doors and dried them with a towel. I left them to dry for 24 hours after cleaning them before I painted them. First, I put down a painting cloth on the floor before starting this step as I wanted to protect the floor. Next, I used Zinsser primer and applied two coats using a roller for the main parts of the laminate wardrobe doors and a small brush for the grooves.

It can be tricky to see where you have painted when you are painting white on white so I always followed the same pattern. Start at the bottom of the door and painted the grooves first of the whole door and then rolled the paint onto the main parts of the door. I painted the grooves first with the pink paint. Then I used the roller to roll the paint onto the rest of the door.

Yes it does take a while to paint laminate wardrobes. This allows the new paint to adhere more easily. Use a brush to apply a thin, even layer of interior-grade latex primer to all surfaces of the door. Depending on the style of the door and whether you are painting it in place, you might need a variety of brush sizes to reach all parts of the door.

If your paint color is bright or dark, such as a red or purple, choose a tinted primer in the same color family. Allow the primer to dry overnight. The method you use for painting depends on the style of door. Flat doors take well to paint rollers, while doors with panels, decorative insets or slats are best painted with a brush.

Even if you choose a roller, keep an assortment of paintbrushes nearby for the detailed work around the door hardware. Use smooth, even strokes in the direction of the wood grain.

Slightly overlap each stroke to prevent lap lines. Finish one side of the door before taking a break. Frequently step back to look for drips or runs, and use a small paintbrush to catch them when they appear. Allow the door to dry for 24 hours before using it, and wait 72 hours before hanging anything from it.

Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer specializing in disabled adventure travel.