Seeing the “before and after” of a DIY project is always inspiring, but it is also very important to know how it has evolved and behaved over time and daily use. More than two years ago it occurred to me paint melamine furniture with tile paintkeep reading if you want to know how my experience was and if I would do it again.
It’s been more than two years since I decided paint with tile paint my Billy libraries (you can see the step by step in this link). As I have recently received several queries about whether it is an effective solution to paint melamine furniture without having to use a previous primer, I wanted to make this post to clarify all doubts.
Features of tile paint
Experience has taught me that the best way to work with a material is to know it thoroughly, so first of all we are going to see the characteristics of tile paint.
Tile paints are made up of modified alkyd resins that give it great hardness, shine and adherence, dissolve in white spirit and resist bad weather and chemical products.
Among its main advantage stand out:
– Fast drying (between 2 and 4 hours and repainting after 6 hours).
– Good resistance to humidity and intermittent exposure to water (for example, the wall of the shower or bathtub).
– Good resistance to mild chemical products and alkaline detergents (for example household cleaning products that are not very aggressive).
On the contrary, it has some limitations:
– Its resistance to water is not sufficient to be in permanent contact with it (for example, it is not suitable for painting the bathtub).
– Strong solvents (ketones, chlorinated solvents, etc.) soften tile paint.
– It does not resist well to alkalis (ammonia, hydroxide, peroxide, etc.).
Characteristics of a universal primer
Pre-priming is the process by which a surface is prepared for subsequent painting. Thanks to the primer you can seal, improve adherence, protect and isolate the furniture and object to be painted.
Universal primers are normally composed of vinyl resins that facilitate the grip of synthetic and water-based paints and enamels. Between his advantage stand out:
– Very fast drying (one hour or less and recoating after 18 and 24 hours).
– They have good flexibility and resistance to abrasion.
– They outperform alkyds in color retention and even in the duration of their useful life.
– They have a very high chemical resistance.
In contrast, among his disadvantages stand out:
– Its permeability is low.
– They do not resist strong solvents such as ketones.
– Most vinyl products dry so quickly that their outer layer sometimes dries before it adheres well to the surface.
– Low temperature resistance (approximately 60 degrees Celsius).
Paint melamine furniture with tile paint or primer+paint
After painting the tiles in my bathroom (you can see the step by step in this link), it occurred to me that if the tile paint could be applied directly on the tile without prior primer, I could also paint the melamine with it.
The truth is that I thought more about the time I was going to save than about researching the most suitable formula for painting melamine bookcases: directly with tile paint or primer+paint. After more than two years of use I have it clear: I will never paint melamine furniture with tile paint again for these three reasons:
1º.- Shortly after painting the bookcases he began to chipping paint on some shelves as well as on the baseboard by blows with the vacuum cleaner.
Now I know that this is because, due to its composition, a universal primer has a better grip and a longer lifespan than paints made with alkyd resins. For this reason I have obtained a better result in the melamine furniture that I have painted with primer + paint.
2º.- I did not take into account that the use of a bookcase is not the same as that of a tiled wall. Each type of paint has properties that make it more suitable depending on the material, situation and use, for example tile paint is better prepared to withstand moisture, while a primer is specially designed to seal and provide good grip.
A bookcase needs a primer that makes it resistant to abrasion (placing and removing objects, knocks when closing doors, etc.), while a wall covered with tiles needs a paint that is easy to clean and that can withstand occasional contact with water and humidity.
3rd.- Tile paint smell is quite strong and it lasts (and lasts) several days and even weeks. Taking into account the great variety of water-based paints that are practically odourless, for me it is a great advantage not to be feeling that penetrating aroma for days and days, especially when you want to paint the doors of a melamine cabinet that is in a bedroom, as it can be quite annoying.
Despite these three reasons that for me are fundamental in my decision to do not repaint melamine furniture with tile paintit is true that it also has its advantages and, although in my case they do not have enough weight to tip the balance in their favor, I list them so that you can better assess these two options:
1º.- Taking into account the drying and repainting times, as well as the number of layers, painting melamine furniture with tile paint is faster than with primer+paint.
2º.- This type of paint has a great leveling power that provides a very uniform finish without the need for sanding between coats.
3º.- Contrary to other glossy white enamels, the tile paint has not yellowed nor have I noticed a change in hue due to the direct action of the sun.
Summarizing…
Paint melamine furniture with tile paint it can save you time but it is not the most suitable solution for this type of material. My experience has shown me that the usual formula of primer + paint is more resistant in the medium/long term, so it compensates for the time spent since greater durability is obtained.
I hope that these tips based on my experience will help you when it comes to paint melamine furniture. You can also tell me about your experience and what formula has given you the best results when painting this type of furniture.
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