How To Remove Formica From Wood

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From the cabinets in your kitchen to a piece of article of furniture to a fun craft, at that place are plenty of forest items you tin paint. And one of the all-time things about forest is that it accepts a variety of paints well, whether you opt for something that's acrylic or an oil-based formula. Painting wood is an piece of cake way to modify its look and give it some new personality, but information technology'south not always clear what paint to use for dissimilar projects and applications. Here's what you need to know about the right paint to apply for wood.

What's Your Project?

First, it'due south essential to effigy out the nature of your project, meaning you'll need to determine not only what you're painting only also where it's located or going to be used. Are y'all painting shingles on the exterior of your home? Or are you painting an outdoor deck that'll see a lot of human foot traffic? How virtually kitchen cabinets that people volition touch often, or a bathroom shelf that'll be exposed to loftier humidity from the shower?

Knowing things like whether or not it's going to get wet, how often someone's going to use it or touch it and what overall upshot or look you want to achieve are all essential for determining what paint you should use for the projection. Wood accepts a very wide range of paints and stains, but each of those tin have differing levels of durability and protection. Some paints are better than others in certain situations, and you'll need to know your item state of affairs earlier y'all make your choice.

Pigment Types and Formulas

The great thing almost woods is that, equally long as you lot apply primer to it in most cases, any type of pigment works well on it, depending on what function y'all need your projection to serve. By and large speaking, paints to utilise on wood are water-based or oil-based. Acrylic and latex are the two most common types of water-based paints, while oil-based paints fall into two categories: synthetic or natural. Each of these is better than others for specific applications.

Latex paint is quick-drying, easy to clean and better for the surround than other types. It's also less likely to discolor over time. However, it's not the most durable choice, every bit information technology can scratch and scrap easily. Information technology's all-time for indoor wood items or surfaces that you won't touch or use very oft, such every bit rarely used furniture, storage chiffonier doors, stair spindles and film frames. Latex paint is ofttimes the most affordable type.

Acrylic paint is ideal for dwelling exteriors, although yous tin also use oil-based paint here. If the outside is made up of different materials, such as rock and wood, you're better off choosing acrylic. Materials like stone and masonry demand breathable paint to let moisture and water vapor to pass through, and oil-based paint prevents this. Acrylic craft paints are also widely bachelor and easy to use and clean upwards if y'all're doing a simple DIY arts and crafts project using wood.

Synthetic oil paint, which is besides called alkyd, is the best choice for applications where you need a lot more durability. Think everyday article of furniture that'll get used and jostled often, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, interior trims like baseboards and door frames that'll get kicked and touched oft, and flooring indoors and out. Oil-based paints are more rigid than flexible, water-based types so they're less likely to chip — even when people are walking on them — and they're too easier to wash make clean because of this.

Natural oil paint, called linseed, is best for arts and crafts projects on which you want to create a warm, aged patina. It's typically much more expensive than the synthetic variety, which is why information technology's all-time for smaller projects.

Prepping for the Project

To aid the paint adhere well and to ensure the cease looks its best when everything is dry out, information technology's important to prep your wood to get information technology ready. If you're painting an outside surface or item, give everything a thorough launder to brand sure there isn't any dirt, dust, moss or algae, all of which can keep the paint from sticking to the surface. If you're painting wood deck furniture, a table or something else for the outdoors that people will touch frequently, it's a wise idea to sand it before painting to give the paint something smoothen to adhere to. Splinters and cracks tin also keep the finished production from looking its best, and they're uncomfortable to sit on. Let the surface or or detail dry out fully before applying the paint, and give information technology a few days to dry and kickoff curing before you use it. It's all-time to practise outdoor wood-painting projects while the weather is nice.

If you're repainting an interior surface or article of furniture such as kitchen cabinetry or a dresser, have a look at the existing paint or end. If the item's current paint isn't chipped, cracked or bubbling, you tin commonly pigment correct over it; simply sand the wood areas briefly to requite the surface more texture for the paint to stick to. If y'all don't demand to remove cabinet paint, it's still a good idea to make clean the doors with a heavy-duty solution like TSP to eliminate all traces of grease and grime. If y'all practice demand to remove a little flake of pigment, such as a few chipped areas, you can sand them down. However, yous may need to use paint stripper for items with paint that's very damaged. This is a production that softens the old pigment and so you lot can scrape and wipe it all off.

A word of caution here: If your cabinets or other painted dwelling surfaces were final done in the 1970s or earlier, they may contain lead-based pigment. If you utilise a testing kit and make up one's mind there'southward lead in your paint, call the National Pb Information Centre or your local health section to discover out how to proceed.