How to cover mdf doors. How to paint a mdf door. How to paint the surface of MDF

MDF interior door is one of the most common and affordable options. Let's discuss what it is, what performance properties a canvas made of this material has. How and how to paint an MDF door. The article provides reviews of the owners and recommendations for installation by one's own hands. For convenience, the material is provided with a video instruction.

What are MDF doors

The material consists of dried wood fibers and binders, the main of which is lignin. This is a natural raw material, at a price much lower than solid wood. This is largely due to the popularity of MDF doors. The structure of the leaf consists of a wooden frame, a honeycomb core enclosed in it and sheets of chip material on both sides. In addition to the democratic cost, the doors demonstrate the following positive characteristics:

How the MDF door leaf is arranged

• Resistance to mechanical damage;
• Durability;
• Immunity to fungi and mold;
• Possibility of installation in a room with a humid environment;
• No deformation during temperature changes;
• Ease of installation;
• Light weight;
• fire safety;
• Do not contain toxic substances.

MDF door panels can be decorated to look like stone, imitate wood texture, etc. Often they are painted in a variety of colors. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the thickness of the sheet used in the design. This indicator should be at least 3-5 mm. The thickness of the MDF is important for strength and sound insulation. In addition, the internal filling of the structure also affects the ability to protect against extraneous noise.

Important: Corrugated cardboard inside the door leaf does not provide good sound insulation, while polyurethane foam does an excellent job of this function.

How and with what to paint an MDF door

The result of staining directly depends on the chosen paint. For MDF, the following options are suitable:

• Nitro paint;
• acrylic;
• Alkyd;
• Water-dispersion;
• Oil enamel.

When working with most dyes, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation, airing, it is advisable to use a respirator.

One of the significant disadvantages of MDF doors is the complexity of restoration. A damaged canvas made of this material is extremely difficult to restore. Therefore, most often a new door is purchased instead of a failed one. You can save a lot by buying not a laminated version, but a cheaper one, for painting. In this case, with minimal financial and labor costs, you can get a door that fully meets the entire color scheme of the room.

If it is decided to update the old door by painting, it must be prepared. The canvas is removed from the hinges, the old coating is completely removed from its surface. This can be done using special washes, a grinder or heating with a building hair dryer. Next, the canvas is sanded and, if necessary, puttied.

Before work, all surfaces that are not to be painted are carefully sealed with molar tape. Directly painting is recommended to be done from top to bottom. The ends are tinted last. Most coloring compositions are applied in two layers. This achieves brightness and color saturation.

DIY installation

Installation of MDF doors differs little from similar structures made of other materials. It is necessary to prepare the doorway by cleaning it and adjusting it to size. The box must be firmly inserted into the opening and securely fastened. MDF is able to sag under the pressure of expanding foam. You can avoid this trouble by using special brackets during installation. Or you can place strong plates between the canvas and the box to prevent deformation. Sometimes a fully assembled door block is mounted.

Advice. When installing an MDF door, it is advisable to use low expansion foam. This will reduce the risk of deformation of the box.

Although the material itself is moisture resistant, manufacturers rarely laminate or paint the back of the box. This becomes a weak point as moisture seeps in from there. To protect the box from deformation, you must independently coat its inside with silicone or impregnation.

The next step is fixed, the canvas is hung. Be sure to use the level. All distortions are eliminated. Then they are installed, fittings crash. Getting started is informative to watch a video that clearly shows the process.

Owner reviews

Interior doors made of MDF have earned mixed reviews. Most of the negative characteristics are associated with unscrupulous manufacturers or sellers. After all, under a beautiful facade it is impossible to see the inner content. So, after the purchase, it turned out that the thickness of the plate is only 2 mm. Which is not enough for a door leaf that is under constant load.

Sometimes thick cardboard is used instead of MDF. The service life of such structures is minimal, the quality is low. A manufacturer who saves on all stages of production can offer a very attractive price. However, it is precisely because of non-compliance with manufacturing technology that MDF doors have a bad reputation. The owners write that they swell, scratch badly, peel off, etc.

However, doors produced in accordance with the rules and standards have earned flattering reviews. They were purchased from reputable sellers. The owners characterize them as easy to care for, durable and really resistant to high humidity. But their price is no longer as low as most consumers hope.

Approaching the choice of MDF doors wisely and carefully, you can buy a durable and beautiful thing. Caring for a quality product comes down to removing contaminants from the surface. The installation of such a block will not be difficult. The weight of MDF is small, it is easy to work with it.

How to paint an MDF door with your own hands: video

After purchasing an apartment or after a certain period of time living in one place, you may want to make cosmetic repairs. If everything is clear with wallpapering, rearranging furniture, replacing flooring, then how to update door panels. Not every person knows how to paint MDF interior doors.

MDF is medium density fibreboard. It is made from wood chips, which can be large, medium, small fractions. It is pressed using special equipment. To bond the chips, adhesives (urea resins) are added.

The peculiarities of this material are that, due to its heterogeneity, MDF absorbs a large amount of the coloring composition. In addition to this, it is required to choose high-quality paint, otherwise, under the influence of environmental factors, the decorative layer will be covered with cracks. Due to the addition of urea resins for gluing plates, the environmental friendliness of the material is deteriorating. In order not to harm the human body, it is required to choose only environmentally friendly coloring compositions.

Necessary tools and materials

It is important to know not only how to paint, but also how to paint MDF doors at home. Initially, it is required to prepare tools, materials, additional devices that will be useful in carrying out the planned work.

Instruments:

1. Brushes. They are necessary for coloring inaccessible and patterned places. The roller cannot catch them. The main thing when choosing brushes is to check the condition of the pile. It should not crumble and climb during work.
2. roller. When buying this tool, you need to choose a terry or wool working part. Foam rollers leave empty spaces when painting.
3. Tray for coloring composition or primer. Its size is suitable for applying the coloring composition to the working surface of the roller for further work.
4. To stir the paint, you can use any metal stick or an electric drill with a mixer.

These were the main instruments. You will also need a set of screwdrivers, a screwdriver or a mount. They are needed to remove the door leaf. Plus, masking tape, scissors, a sharp blade for sticking decorative elements. Stencils are useful for creating artwork. The question of whether it is possible to paint MDF doors coated with PVC film often arises. In this case, it is required to initially make smooth plastic rough. To do this, you need to buy fine sandpaper.

Paint selection

Before you start painting the door leaf, you need to pay special attention to the choice of coloring composition. There are a number of requirements that you need to pay attention to when choosing a coloring composition:

1. Choose paints that smell less. These include water-based formulations.
2. It is important to choose formulations without the addition of toxic and harmful components to the body.
3. When choosing a paint, you need to pay attention to wear-resistant compounds. Doors are used all the time. Not every coating can withstand heavy loads.
4. Choose quick-drying paints and varnishes. This is typical for water-based and acrylic paints.
5. MDF has a porous structure, and a matte paint composition will look ugly on such a surface. The glossy outer layer hides this flaw.
6. On the purchased container should be written "high adhesion".

Important! Pay attention to paint consumption. The normal indicator is 1 kg of paint and primer on a door leaf measuring 2000 × 800 mm.

In the markets, in construction and hardware stores, you can find various paints. All of them can be divided into three groups.

Acrylic enamels

You can find a huge number of colors. The advantages of acrylic formulations are that they do not exude an unpleasant odor and dry quickly.

Alkyd and alkyd-urethane enamels

These compounds are considered the most popular. Consumers appreciate such paints for their low price, wide range of colors. Alkyd compounds have significant disadvantages. They exude an unpleasant odor for 3 days after application and dry for a long time. Alkyd paints should not be used to cover the doors to bedrooms and paint anything in rooms where people with allergies live.

Polyurethane enamels

The advantages of these paints are durability and beautiful appearance after application. But the high price, toxicity, unpleasant odor are not suitable for all buyers.

Attention! Any type of decorative coating needs a certain time to dry before further work is carried out.

Painting process

When tools, materials, accessories are prepared, it is required to create a working atmosphere. In order not to stain the floor, you need to cover it with polyethylene. Paper is not suitable for this, as it will be saturated with paint and traces will remain on the surface. When the surface is covered, you can begin to carry out the main work.

Preparatory stage

First of all, you need to remove the door leaf from the hinges. If the door is old, a mount is used for this. It must be placed on one side under the canvas to make a lever. With pressure on the other side, the canvas will go up and come off the hinges. In new doors, the hinges are fixed to the door with self-tapping screws. You can unscrew them with a screwdriver or screwdriver.

Two people need to remove the canvas. This is due to the large weight of the structure.

It is required to clean the door with sandpaper. Sweep away debris with a brush. Decorative inserts made of metal or glass are sealed with masking tape.

Padding

When the canvas is prepared, it is necessary to apply a primer. It will hide various defects. After applying the composition, you must wait for the time indicated on the package. When the first coat is dry, inspect the surface for scratches and cracks. In total, 3-4 layers of primer are needed. This amount will reduce the absorbency of the MDF.

Painting stage

When the primer is dry, you can start painting. First of all, hard-to-reach places are stained. For this, a brush is used. The surface is painted with a roller. The first coat must dry before continuing.

After drying, you need to apply another layer, wait until it dries, and cover the canvas with the outer layer. The final layer must be applied carefully. After coating, it is necessary to check the finished surface for defects.

antique

To age the door, it is necessary to use a glaze as a finishing layer. This is a special thinner that can be purchased at the same place as the paint. It strengthens the structure of MDF, draws the structure of the material. The last layer in the work will be varnished.

When the varnish dries, you need to install the door leaf in place, remove the masking tape and throw out the trash. The varnish will strengthen the paint and protect it from mechanical stress.

To paint an MDF door, you do not need to have additional skills. It is important to know the features of this material, to perform a certain sequence of actions. We must not forget about sanding the canvas with sandpaper and coating it with a primer.

Repair in your house or apartment is quite common, although many are afraid of it, but still agree to do it, however, a reasonable question may arise - how to paint an MDF door? At first glance, it would seem that there is nothing complicated in this - take a brush and paint, but not everything is so simple - the result may be different.

Below we will talk about the most practical and effective methods, and in addition, you can watch the thematic video in this article as additional material.

What do we need

Explanation. MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard, MDF) is a medium density fibreboard.
Such material is made by dry pressing of fine wood shavings.
Melamine-modified urea resins serve as a binder there.

Tools and materials

Note. Manufacturers produce their products already primed, that is, ready for use, so it should not be primed.

• First of all, you should figure out how to paint MDF doors, that is, we mean paints and varnishes. The best, one might even say the only option for such work are water-based acrylic paints for wood products. Despite such a seemingly “flimsy” base, like water, they have an excellent saturated color, do not fade, they can be washed with a wet rag (sponge) without any problems, and besides, they are practically odorless.
• Some people try to use a substance like Zinga electrically conductive paint for this, but this is more like a cold galvanizing method and is more suitable for metal products than for lumber. But Polystil fire-retardant paints for metal, although they can be used for wood, are afraid of active exposure to moisture and are additionally covered with enamels. (See also the article.)

• To apply paint on the door surface, it is most convenient and qualitatively more efficient to use flat narrow and wide paint brushes. Panels, of course, are more convenient to paint with wide brushes, but if there is glass in the door, then, of course, a narrow brush will be much better. When buying them, you should pay attention to the working part and check if the bristles are climbing, otherwise you will have to constantly remove the hairs from the surface or you may not even notice it, and after drying it (the hair) will leave a mark. (See also the article.)

• If you have an ordinary door with two panels, then for the speed of painting work and to save paint, you can use a terry or woolen roller, and already paint the recesses with a brush. Just do not use a foam roller, as it slips and the coating is obtained with bald patches.

Getting to the "painting"

So, apply the first layer of paint with your own hands with a brush or paint roller, or using both tools and do not be afraid to paint the ends. The fact is that poorly painted door ends are a fairly common occurrence, because if there is an extra thin layer there, after a while problems begin to arise - the door stops closing normally - it rubs against the box.

After that, it is often necessary to sink the canopies or break the box with spacers.

This does not happen with a water-based acrylic coating, as the liquid soaks into the wood and the film is completely unimportant. After you have applied the first layer, you can rest for 15 or 20 minutes - during this time the door will be dry, but what you see may upset you - the surface will change little (especially for light colors) and besides, it will stains and stains!

But don't let this bother you - after all, you have to apply the next layer - and you will do it, and in addition, such actions are provided for by the instructions that are printed on the package (jar, canister).

After the second coat has dried, carefully inspect the surface so that it does not leave flaws in the form of spots or uneven tone. If you do not notice anything of the kind, and everything suits you, then you can use it, but if necessary, it is better to apply a third layer, which will certainly be the last.

But even now the canvas is subject to inspection after drying, because you could simply skip any of the sections, and this is not surprising, because at this stage the shades will merge strongly and it will be possible to distinguish fresh from old only by brilliance.

When everything is ready and the door is completely dry, you can start the operation process and forget about the roller and brushes for several years, and this is quite normal, but there are people who have a creative gyrus hidden somewhere deep in the brain, which always haunts, even when everything is fine.

Well, then you can add a little variety that won't catch your eye, since it's a pure classic - look at the photo above - it uses regular bronze and a thin brush.

Conclusion

Now you know how to paint an MDF door and understand that it is quite simple and, one might say, even pleasant, since you won’t even smell it during the process. Just do not neglect the instructions and do not use other paints, then your door will turn out beautiful and will last you a long time!

If you decide to make a budget repair, while you need to replace interior doors, MDF interior doors will be the best option. The popularity of this material (translated from English - medium-density fibreboard) has won due to its strength, low cost, as well as a wide range of surface structures: they can be with a “wood-like” texture, smooth, with flannels, not textured, etc. .d. Thanks to such a wide range, they will perfectly fit into any interior, you just need to choose the right one and paint them. In today's article, we will tell , How to paint an MDF door yourself.

For interior design styles such as minimalism, hi-tech, modern, smooth, plain MDF doors are perfect, which should also be painted in plain colors. In this case, the color can be almost anything: from snow-white to dark brown. It all depends solely on the tone of the apartment, as well as the wishes of the owners.

How to paint MDF interior doors

Painting MDF interior doors practically does not differ from painting wooden doors, however, it has some features. If the interior MDF door that you need to paint lacks panels and texture (i.e. it is completely smooth), it is best to paint it with a roller or spray. Embossed surfaces are painted exclusively with brushes. If you have no experience with spraying, painting MDF doors in this way is strongly discouraged.

Before starting painting, the brushes must be prepared: combed out and soaked in water. You can also use a special brush for varnish - it differs from ordinary brushes in a more durable fastening of the pile. Note that it is recommended to pass any paint, primer intended for coloring through filters with a diameter of 50-100 microns. If you are going to paint glossy MDF doors, such filtering is a must.

How to paint an MDF door

First, you should paint the ends, then proceed to painting the upper left corner - from it the doors are painted a quarter. After that, they start painting the same rectangular sections from left to right, gradually going down.

Painting MDF interior doors white is considered universal: this color blends harmoniously with almost any color scheme indoors.

If the MDF doors are fan-shaped, painting starts from the sidewalls of the felenki, after which they move on to painting the protruding parts, horizontal transverse racks. The most recent paint the vertical parts of the canvas. The paint must be applied with vertical movements. Often, the coloring is done in several colors, emphasizing the originality of the felt.

If the MDF door has a wooden structure, it can be painted in such a way that it is almost indistinguishable from an expensive solid wood interior door. To do this, the varnish must be mixed with paint, the resulting mixture should cover the surface twice. The result is a water-repellent surface, with the desired "wooden" tint.

The same effect, however, in a different way, can be obtained, if the MDF doors are smooth. First you need to choose a paint color close to wood, while the paint should be 2 similar shades. A brighter tone is applied first, and until it dries, it is necessary to make stains on it with a special brush that will resemble the patterns of a cut of a tree. This is not as difficult as it might seem: to get the hang of it, just practice a little on an unnecessary piece of MDF. After the first layer has dried, you can apply a darker paint.

Painting MDF doors , like any other, it should be done in warm weather - so that the room can be well ventilated. The temperature inside the room should be in the range of 19-25 0 C.

Share this post on social media

How to paint a white wood door? The loss of an old wooden door of its original form is not a reason to part with it.

It can not only be restored without resorting to significant costs, but also improve the appearance of the door by applying a pattern imitating a wood structure to its surface. But before painting the door with your own hands under a tree, you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of doing the work that this article offers.

When painting interior doors in an apartment, the following are taken into account:

• Specific wishes of the household.
• Availability of materials.
• The general style of the interior of the apartment.

Interior doors can be painted using several options:

• One color with the floor.
• To match the wall decoration.
• For existing furniture:

1. kitchen set from MDF;
2. wardrobe in the bedroom;
3. wall or upholstered furniture in the living room.

• Decorate antique.
• Use the contrast of individual details, which is especially important for the design of paneled models.
• Apply a pattern to the painted surface.
• Pay attention to the structure of the tree.

Wherein:

• Bright and monochromatic options fit perfectly into modern design, as in the photo.
• By emphasizing the wood structure or painting the door with an antique effect, you can decorate a classic or country style interior.

Tip: If there is any doubt about the independent performance of complex work, you should stop at the universal option - paint the door white, which fits perfectly in any room.

What paint to choose for the door

The type and color of paint is selected depending on the type of work being done.

It can be:

• Highlighting the natural beauty of wood on the door leaf. In this case, you need to use:

1. colorless varnishes;
2. stain;
3. oil impregnations;
4. varnishes for toning.

• Hiding an existing pattern by applying a new one that looks like wood fiber. To do this, choose such paints under the tree as:

1. Acrylic.
2. Oil.
3. Polyurethane.
4. Perchlorovinyl.

Tip: When choosing paint for doors, preference should be given to water-based acrylic. They are perfect for brush work, they have the most suitable consistency for this.

When painting bath doors or those installed in damp rooms, it is better to purchase alkyd paints that perfectly repel moisture.

Influences the choice of paint and type of coating, for example:

• Wooden (see. Painting wooden doors: how and with what to do) and laminated doors can be painted with any composition.
• For MDF and veneered surfaces, aggressive components cannot be used.

Features of painting a wooden door

A wooden door is the easiest to paint.

For this:

• The surface is pre-cleaned from a layer of old paint. This is done:

1. grinding machine;
2. sandpaper;
3. building hair dryer;
4. spatula.

• Selected coverage. You can take paint or stain, which includes special impregnation and varnish.

When painting a panel or paneled wooden door, work must be done in a horizontal plane.

Wherein:

• Shield canvases are painted from top to bottom, and then from left to right in small squares.
• On paneled canvases, painting begins with recesses, and then the protruding parts are painted in the direction from the center to the edges.

Wooden doors are painted with a roller (see), and protrusions and small details are worked out with a brush.

When decorating an antique surface, you need to prepare:

• Two different paint colors.
• Ordinary sandpaper.
• Furniture wax.
• Appropriate antique fittings.

How to paint a veneer door

Painting doors made of veneered MDF is a little more difficult than a simple wooden one.

However, this may be required if:

• The specified service life of the coating has expired.
• The need to repaint a new product.
• During the repair, the coating was damaged.
• Not quite satisfied with the previous color of the coating.

For painting veneer doors, water-based compositions are used:

• Polyurethane.
• Glyphthalic.

Tip: When painting a veneer door, do not use nitro paint. Due to the presence of toxic components in it, the veneer is covered with matte spots, which are difficult to hide even with a glossy varnish.

To preserve the structure of the veneer, it is better to use a tinted varnish.

The instruction for painting an interior veneered door offers:

• Remove the top layer of varnish. If necessary, the surface is corrected, with the composition for the floor directly on the previous coating.
• All irregularities are eliminated with a special primer.
• An even layer of paint is applied.
• The veneer is varnished.

How to paint a laminate door

In order for the coating to last for a long time, the surface must be properly prepared. You can paint a laminated door with any composition.

How to paint a laminated door:

• The canvas is placed in a horizontal position.
• The varnish layer is removed with a grinder or sandpaper with fine grit. Most often, it is enough to remove only the top layer, using wax dirt-repellent impregnations.
• A layer of paint is applied to the surface with a velor roller or spray gun (see Types of spray guns: how to choose the right one).
• After the coating has dried, another layer of paint is applied.
• The surface is left to dry for at least 24 hours.
• The door is covered with a transparent protective varnish.

Tip: Do not grind too deep, as this may damage the coating, which will open the chip layer of the material.

How to paint an MDF door

The MDF surface requires careful selection of paint.

It could be:

• Acrylic composition on a water-based basis.
• Paint containing tone and varnish.

You can paint MDF doors with a roller, but it is better with a spray gun so that the composition is distributed more evenly over the surface.

So that there are no irregularities on the MDF, you need a surface in advance:

• Remove old coating.
• Remove dust.
• Eliminate existing roughness.
• Filter the paint.

Tip: When painting an old antique or wood effect door, we must not forget that some compounds are toxic when evaporated. You need to take care of the ventilation of the room and use personal protective equipment.

How to create an imitation of wood fiber on the surface

You can make a drawing under a tree on any surface. At the same time, technologies will differ only at the preparatory stage, and drawing is carried out in the following sequence:

• The canvas is painted with light paint, you can white.
• A layer of liquid soap is applied to the entire surface. Before painting a white door under a tree, time is given to dry the layer of base paint applied to it, which is indicated on the package.
• A darker coat of paint is applied, creating curls that will mimic wood fibers, and the liquid soap is washed off.
• After this procedure, the dissolved paint dries, creating a pattern that mimics the natural look of wood.

The high price of doors made of natural wood does not always allow you to purchase them. To do this, you can consider the stages of creating a wood pattern on relatively cheap plywood.

Wherein:

• A special brush is purchased.

• The tool moves along the surface with movements resembling the process of combing.
• The door is painted after such a procedure in different colors. In this case, the dye spreads and creates a pattern resembling wood fibers due to changes in the structure.
• For staining, several dyes should be used immediately, which will form the required pattern due to the presence of different penetrating abilities in the compositions.
• After the dyes have dried, the entire surface of the plywood is sanded.

When creating a door, a wood pattern can:

• Underline.
• Create.

Despite the difference in technologies and materials for their implementation, the common points are the choice of materials that should fit together.

For example:

• When creating a clearer image on the finished wood structure, it is necessary to use various impregnations.
• When used as a finishing coat of lacquer, the impregnation should be stain, not drying oil.
• Many materials have good absorbency, which requires the surface to be treated with paints and impregnations several times.

What kind of wood grain paint for doors is best suited, how to apply it on surfaces, you can find out in the video in this article.