Painting MDF panel

[gjh119]

Looking for suggestions on painting MDF panels used on raised panel doors with poplar stiles & rails. I have an Apollo sprayer which I haven't used yet and have checked into General Finishes but would really like to hear from the the folks who have had good and bad experiences. Thanks!

 

[overanalyze]

Just the flat surface or do you have any exposed edges?

 

[gjh119]

Mostly flat surface, but I do have the cut from the router bit for the edge where it goes into the stile/rail

 

[overanalyze]

The flat surface will paint up great. The exposed edge needs to be sealed and sanded to look good. It will probably take a couple coats. Sherwin Wiliams Kem Aqua surfacer works well. Also the alcohol based Bin works great. Most latex primers will just swell the edge more.

I have also brushed on watered down wood glue to the edges with ok results but it doesn't sand as easliy as the other options mentioned.

 

[bkharman]

Zinsser BIN shellac.

I just made over 25 doors with MDF raised panels. A couple of coats of BIN and I am a happy camper. There was another thread about this lately. Same advice and the guy was very happy with the results. The denatured alcohol won't cause the MDF to swell as well as it dries to the touch in 15 min and sands to powder and ... And ... And. 

Love the stuff.

Cheers. Bryan. 

 

[gjh119]

Bryan,....did you brush on the BIN or spray? Also, I'm guessing it's ok to cover the poplar with the BIN?

 

[bkharman]

Bryan,....did you brush on the BIN or spray? Also, I'm guessing it's ok to cover the poplar with the BIN?

I use a foam brush. I have bags of them as they are one time use. On the flats I use a decent 2-3" roller.  I put the bin on maple frames with MDF panels. It is a joy to work with.

Not the cheapest stuff. Has a slight learning curve (it is very thin material) and the smell is strong but goes away very quickly. Best thing is that if you mess up, you can sand it off to powder within the hour. No gumming up.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[mart6061]

I have used BIN with good results. Either sprayed or foam roller. Brushing isn't much fun with BIN but can be done if sanding afterwards. Seals MDF very well and allows a good painted finish afterwards.

 

[Acrobat]

Bryan gave me great advice on using the zinsser Bin paint product. I used it to seal rounded shapes of mdf and all the "edges" sealed and painted up very well. I painted it with a foam roller, goes on easy and dries in 15mins. Use good ventilation if you are adverse to any smells. I did learn to lightly sand it with very fine abrasive once dry. It gives a better smooth top coat finish. I did 3 top coats but depending on opacity you may get away with just 2.

 

[bkharman]

Bryan gave me great advice on using the zinsser Bin paint product. I used it to seal rounded shapes of mdf and all the "edges" sealed and painted up very well. I painted it with a foam roller, goes on easy and dries in 15mins. Use good ventilation if you are adverse to any smells. I did learn to lightly sand it with very fine abrasive once dry. It gives a better smooth top coat finish. I did 3 top coats but depending on opacity you may get away with just 2.

One other piece of advice. If you know what the topcoat is going to be, BIN can take a tint from the paint store.

Cheers. Bryan.

 

[pennygeez]

I've used Ilva, http://www.ics-ilva.com/index.php , polyester and polyurethane primers on MDF for years. 60% of the time it works every time... Actually it works every time.

Anyone else use use/have an issue with this type of product?