Can You Sand Laminate Wood

Wipe the furniture down with a tack cloth to remove any fine debris from sanding.

Can you sand laminate wood.

For a richer color than laminate finish you can paint your laminate flooring instead. Do not oversand which can easily permanently damage the thin laminate surface. If you just paint the laminate you can usually just use your fingernail and scrape the paint off. Sand the surface lightly just to scuff it up a little to make the stain adhere better.

If you select a. You ll just need to do some extra preparation before you get started. Pick laminate paint that mimics the desired finish cherry maple or honey for example for a strong color that s similar to wood stain. You can sand prime and paint laminate as if it were a solid wood piece of furniture.

If you paint a piece of real wood furniture or cabinetry the wood will absorb some of the paint or primer into its pores which creates a tight bond and helps the paint stick to the wood. A laminate floor should be treated like a no wax kitchen floor. Hardwood floors can be sanded stained and coated with polyurethane. Laminate on the other hand does not have a porous surface so it s harder to get paint to stick to it.

Never sand it or the look of the floor will be ruined. Laminate is not wood but rather plastic printed to look like wood. Laminate can t be stained but it can be painted. As much as you may find prep work annoying there s no better way to a good finish.

You can buy polyurethane based paints online or from most home improvement stores. But while you may be well versed in painting most any old wood furnishings from side tables to pantry doors laminate is another beast altogether. Even though it s not solid wood you can still update your laminate furniture with a few coats of fresh paint. You must install padding under laminate floors to reduce noise and even so it sounds hollow when walked on.

If you don t know whether a surface is laminate or wood try sanding a small patch. Unlike hardwood flooring which can be sanded or buffed laminate is difficult to repair when scratched chipped or otherwise damaged. Do sand the cabinets. It s easy to skip the sanding step because sanding is a drag but it s especially important with laminate.

If you see wood grain it s not laminate. With a high grit sandpaper and an oil based primer you ll be ready to paint over the laminate on your furniture so it looks updated and new. Sanding the laminate gives something for the primer and paint to stick to and a primer meant for laminate will bond to it and give a more durable finish.