Painting MDF

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46
Location
Mobile, AL
Okay I need PRO help. I'm building some custom drawers for my wife's sewing patterns, I say custom because they're sized for the pattern envelopes. Anyway, the drawer fronts are 3/4" MDF with a 1/2" roman ogee edge and are going to be painted. I know I can't just paint the MDF cause the edges will just soak up all the paint then swell like a sponge. What can I use to seal the edges before painting? I read somewhere that you can seal the edges with drywall mud, but I question that since the mud is water based. Any advice would be helpful.



Thanks, Bill
 
mdf

Bill I have heard of finishing with drywall mud but i gave it a try a while back and found it to be a pain in the butt. I believe I ended up sanding down to 220 grit and sealing first with an oil base primer then painting and it worked out great. Also recently a friend of mine told me he used an automotive primer i beleive a spray can and he said he had good results sealing with that after sanding of course.
 
Bill,
It's not that the edges will swell so much as it is the amount of finish it soaks up and sill leaves a rough finish. I know many like to use spackle on the edges. It's cheap, easy to sand and fills in the voids.
Myself, I like shellac (as Bob suggested) because it makes the edge harder when it wicks in. I mop it on the edge, then when dry (shellac dries fast) hit it with fine sand paper. If the finish is high gloss, I'll hit it again just to make sure.

FWIW, Wes
 
Another option is glue sizing. Mix white or yellow glue about 1/1 with water, brush it on, let it cure, then sand. Repeat, if necessary until smooth.

Personally, I use shellac. Spray on a good layer, let it dry completely, then sand and repeat until smooth. I used this method on a project, then topped with a pigmented lacquer and it looked great.
 
sand mdf to 320, oil primer, 220, oil primer, 220, paint of your choice.

That worked like a dream Doug, thanks. Picked up a spray gun from HF for around 20. Thinned down some oil base primer and went to spraying, wow what a nice finish. Pics will be posted a soon as projects are complete.
 
your local auto part store that mixes paint carries a high solid primer. I spray a few coats of that then a light sand. We used it on cars to fill sanding scratches. A few coats of that and you can sand it smooth as a babies butt.. I like to spray a little sealer on before paint so the primer does drink up the paint. If you getting by with what your doing stay with it.

Bill :D
 
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