Laminate Hutch Makeover
Are you wondering how to apply chalk paint to laminate furniture? Well, I have a fun makeover to share that features a large MDF board hutch. This hutch was not real wood and was finished with a white slick laminate. For this laminate hutch makeover I used an all-in-one furniture paint and changed its’ look completely!
This hutch went from pretty drab to fab, so let’s get into the details of this makeover! A little secret – it involves decoupage and texture paint for a fun twist! And if you are new to painting furniture and would like to some basic help, check out Chalk Mineral Paint Basics.
Other Helpful Furniture Painting Topics
- Furniture Painting Supplies – A helpful post on best supplies to have on hand.
- Best Brushes For Painting Furniture – My most recommended brushes and why I love them!
- How To Stencil Painted Furniture – If you are like me and love to use stencils, this post is for you!
- Five Chalk Paint Tips – Helpful tips, especially for beginner furniture painters.
Laminate Hutch Makeover “The Before”
I found this hutch on Facebook Marketplace. It was quite heavy and bulky as most MDF board pieces are. The laminated board had a white finish that was pretty rough and beat up, but still slick like most laminates. And the bottom of it was quite banged up, which I didn’t notice until I got it home.
So, for starters, I took a jigsaw and cut off the bottom part of the legs so that it was even across with the base of the hutch. Then I installed large round wooden furniture feet which really changed the look of the hutch and make the base much more stable and sturdy.
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Prepping This Laminate Hutch For The Makeover
Next, I did the basic cleaning that we always want to do before we paint. You have to remove yucky grime and dirt before you apply paint. Because, even if a furniture piece looks clean, it likely isn’t! I used Dixie Belle White Lightening in a bucket of hot water and a clean rag. After wiping it down with the cleaner, I gave it a good rinse with clear water.
Since this has a laminate finish I didn’t sand or do any other repair. But given that this surface was already a bit beat up, I opted to do a textured paint finish for a cool look. As well as figuring that would cover up any already rough-looking surface areas.
How To Paint Laminate Furniture
Because laminate is slick and shiny and doesn’t typically do well with sanding, it requires a primer. A “bonding primer” will be the best for painting laminate furniture.
Bonding primers adhere to slick shiny surfaces, like laminates and veneers. These primers create a good base for your paint to stick to. Thereby, improving the durability of the painted finish.
No reason to do all the work of painting, only to have your finish easily scratch off. A bonding primer will prevent that!
There are several choices when it comes to bonding primers.
My Top Choice Bonding Primers
Here are my top four bonding primers:
Zinsser BIN Shellac-Based Primer
Zinsser BIN Shellac-Based Primer is an oil-based primer that comes in white tint. It is available in brush-on or spray formula. Usually available at local hardware and paint stores, so easy to find and purchase.
The downside to this primer is that it is oil-based – meaning you need to use with good ventilation or outdoors.
And the brushes, rollers, or rags used cannot be cleaned up with just water. The need to be dried outside before disposing. Or they can be cleaned with paint thinner or mineral spirits.
Also, oil-based products cannot be used around heat because they are flammable. So you must use precautions with this product.
But, the upside to this primer is that it’s great for covering stains and it dries super fast, like 15 minutes!
Bulls Eye 1.2.3 Primer
Bulls Eye 1.2.3 Primer is a water-based primer so it has low-odor and you can clean up brushes with just water and soap. It sticks very well to all surfaces, including slick laminate.
It comes in spray and brush or roll-on formula. And this product is typically available at local hardware and paint stores. Another bonus is that this primer comes in both white and gray tints.
Wise Owl Stain Eliminating Primer
Another great primer that I have been using recently is Wise Owl Stain Eliminating Primer.
I really like that it comes in clear, light and dark gray, and white. This product is water-based and low-odor, low VOCs. The dark gray works great under darker colored paint.
It goes on smoothly with a brush or roller and self levels, but it can be tricky to find. If you don’t have a local retailer, you will need to order online.
Slick Stick by Dixie Belle
Lastly, the final primer I’ll mention is Dixie Belle Slick Stick. I’ve used this primer for years for slick items, like laminate, glass, metal, and hardware. It is a really good bonding primer that is water based.
The downside to this primer is that it is only available in white currently. Available through your local retailer or online through Etsy or Amazon. Find your local Dixie Belle retailer here.
The Textured Paint Finish on This Laminate Hutch Makeover
After I primed this hutch with a bonding primer, I moved to the next step, the texture paint finish.
First I painted a base color of Country Chic CutARug, a nice neutral gray color. It is no longer available, but I had a jar that was purchased a while back and felt it would make a good base color.
To create the textured look, I mixed some of the CutARug Paint with a scoop of Dixie Belle Sea Spray Texture Additive to make it thick and chunky. On the Sea Spray package there are directions for mixing with paint. But, after adding my paint to a bowl, I added a bit at a time to the paint and stirred, adding more until I reached my desired consistency.
Once the texture paint is mixed, apply this thick pasty paint in a dabbing motion to form small peaks. The brushes I use for this are chip brushes. I like the Dixie Belle Premium Chip Brushes but any chip brushes will do for this project. Once this coat dried you can sand back the peaks formed by dabbing or you can apply your next coat of paint.
Next Apply The Main Paint Color
Next, for the final color of this hutch, I used Dixie Belle Silk in Desert Rose. It is a beautiful deep mauve pink color. I used a Dixie Belle Synthetic Flat Medium Brush to apply this coat.
Because of the texture surface formed with Sea Spray you will likely not get full coverage. But I prefer this slightly distressed look.
After you apply this final coat of Desert Rose, you can either leave it as is or sand back a little here and there to distress the finish, showing a bit more of the gray paint underneath.
Since I used Silk Paint for the topcoat I did not apply a topcoat or sealer. Silk is an all-in-one paint so no topcoat is needed! Makes it so easy! To learn more about all-in-one paints, read my post here: Best All-In-One Paint For Furniture. And to learn more about Silk Paint specifically, check out: my Dixie Belle Silk Paint Review Post.
The surface of the two shelves also got two coats of Silk Paint in Anchor, a true black, to stand out against the Desert Rose.
Other Silk Painted Furniture Makeovers:
- Silk Green Painted Table With Stencil Design
- Silk Paint Deep Seas Nightstand Table With Decoupage & Stencil
- Silk Midnight Green Dresser Makeover With Kacha Transfer
- Twin Headboard Makeover With Colorful Stripes, Stencil and Decoupage
Adding The Decoupage Rice Paper
To add a little pizzazz and style to this hutch I added a decoupage rice paper. This Art Deco Bird Decoupage Rice Paper by Dixie Belle is so pretty. The pattern has a black background but the other colors compliment the Desert Rose Silk Paint color so nicely.
I used Decoupage Matte Gel by Redesign as a medium to apply the paper. And this gel also served as my decoupage paper topcoat.
Painted Moldings To Accent The Hutch
And finally, to even further accent this laminate hutch makeover, I added some moldings. These moldings were made with the Redesign With Prima molds in Blossoming Spring and Kingsbury Medallion designs.
To make the moldings, I used Alumilite Amazing Casting Resin. This resin hardens quickly so it is perfect for quickly creating mouldings. Because the moldings made with resin are slick, I prime them with a bonding primer before I paint them. Then they were painted with chalk paint and accented with a dark wax. They turned out so pretty!
For this project, I used Dixie Belle Slick Stick to prime the moldings before painting. But a spray primer, like Zinsser BIN Bulls Eye 1.2.3, would work great and also be quicker. Once primed and dry, I painted the moldings to match to colors in the decoupage paper.
To attach the moldings to the hutch, I used E6000 adhesive glue. Just a small dab will do when using the product. Apply your glue adhesive to the back of the molding, then apply the molding where you want it. Then tape it in place with painter’s tape to prevent movement for about 24 hours until fully dry.
Summary: Hutch Makeover
I hope you enjoyed this simple laminate hutch makeover with textured paint finish, decoupage, and moldings. It was a such a fun makeover.
My two big takeaways from this project are:
-remember that a textured paint finish is a great option to hide flaws and rough spots.
-don’t be afraid to paint laminate furniture. Just use a good bonding primer and you will be set!
This hutch turned out really cute and it was such a transformation. If you have any questions or comments, please let me know!
And if you’d like to see a few other fun makeovers go to:
- Silk Paint and Decoupage Nightstand
- Vintage Vanity Makeover with Ballet Decoupage
- Morocco Inspired Table Makeover
- Chalk Mineral Paint Nightstand with Mediterranean Flair
XOXO,
Abbey
