Painting IKEA Furniture

Posted on Categories:furniture paint, Interior Paint, Painting guide
painting ikea furiture

Ah, IKEA. One of the UKs favourite shops. With nearly 500 stores worldwide, it’s safe to say they’re well-loved in many other countries too.

Although their Swedish meatballs are legendary, IKEA is best known for it’s simple but reliable flat-pack furniture. When you have a new home, or want to make some changes, IKEA is the go-to for the majority of people.

Another way to liven up your home is by applying a fresh coat of paint. When you do, you want your furniture to match. Instead of buying a fresh set of your IKEA furniture, there’s a way to make your home look fantastic at a fraction of the cost.

Can you Paint IKEA Furniture?


You certainly can! Most IKEA furniture is made from solid wood or particle board – two materials that can be painted easily if you know the right way to do it.

IKEA wardrobes, bookshelves, bedframes, and other pieces of furniture are coated with a laminate, giving them the smooth look that people love. However, this smoothness means that some interior paints won’t be able to cling to the surface, even if you apply a primer.

Like with many interior painting projects, prepping the surface correctly is crucial to success. This is the most time-consuming part of the process (and arguably the least fun!) but it’s one you should never avoid.

Before you paint IKEA furniture, you need to clean and sand the surface. Cleaning will remove any dirt or scruffs, which can show through even multiple layers of paint. Sanding removes the smooth laminate without damaging the wood underneath, giving the surface the roughness needed for the paint to cling properly.

We recommend using a medium grit sandpaper for this job. You can either do it by hand, giving you more control but taking longer, or using a sander. The latter is ideal for larger pieces like wardrobes and dining tables.

If you like the smoothness of the laminate, you can use a gloss or semi-gloss paint to replicate it.

The Best Paint for IKEA Furniture


There are a few interior paints that work well on IKEA furniture. These include:

Emulsion, milk, and chalk paint are all relatively specialist – often recommended for furniture painting. However, in this context we recommend considering chalk paint as it gives you a great finish, but it’s far from the only option.
Acrylic paint and oil-based paints are much cheaper and give you fantastic results if you A. prep the surface properly, and B. use a quality primer.

Should you use Primer for Painting IKEA Furniture?


When you’ve splashed out on some high-quality paint, you want to get the most out of it.

Preparing the surface correctly helps a lot, but painting directly onto some materials can create a thinner finish than you’d like. By applying a layer of primer first, you create a barrier between the surface and the paint.

Primer soaks into a porous surface, filling in any gaps paint would find. This can save you an entire extra layer of paint and make the final result better.

Paint clings to primer better than anything, and thanks to its smoothness, you get a faultless finish. This means the perfect sheen, and the colour you’d chosen much bolder.

Speaking of which…

The Best Colour for IKEA Furniture


IKEA furniture comes in a range of colours. From bright colours suitable for children to something a lot more muted and universal, there’s a lot to choose from.

However, we’re all different, with different tastes and our own favourite colour schemes. IKEA uses its own colour palette, with shades that don’t have standard RAL codes. This is great if you like one of the options available, but if you have a very specific colour in mind, painting IKEA furniture is the way to go.

Because IKEA furniture is mostly simple in design, you have a lot of flat, straight surfaces to work with. This not only makes them easier to paint but gives you a nice canvas to paint onto as well.

We love painting furniture bold colours. Because most wooden furniture can only be a handful of shades of brown, as well as white or black, a bright colour makes them really unique. If you really want to add the ‘wow’ factor to your home, consider painting your IKEA furniture a bold colour.

If you have a strict colour scheme in mind already, and have committed to painting interior walls, ceilings, flooring, and more, you want your furniture to match. This can be as simple as tweaking the shade to reduce clashing or changing it completely to suit your style.

Most of our interior paints are part of our colour system. Simply enter a British Standard or RAL code at checkout and we’ll mix the perfect shade. For most painting projects, this is all you need to do. However, since IKEA’s colours aren’t RAL codes, you may have to go to a painting specialist so they can colour match the furniture pieces for you and give you the right code.

How to Paint IKEA Furniture – IKEA Furniture Painting Guide


Now that you have the best paint for the job, in your chosen colour, it’s time to get to work.

As always, give this guide a thorough read before you begin, so you can plan your time accordingly. You’ll also need plenty of room to work with, especially if you’re removing drawers, or other parts of your furniture, to paint separately.

Wherever you paint, make sure the room is well ventilated, with doors and windows open to prevent any harmful VOCs – important to avoid if you’re using an oil-based paint.

As there are a few types of paint for the job, always consult the manufacturer’s instructions for exact advice and drying times. This guide will be as generic as possible to cover all types.

Here’s what you need to paint IKEA furniture:

STEP ONE – How to Prepare IKEA Furniture for Painting

First, lay down your dust sheets around and under your piece of furniture. This will catch any drips and splashes. If you aren’t able to clear the room, cover up any other furniture pieces before you begin.

As we mentioned earlier, preparing the surface properly is essential. Use your cleaning supplies to remove any marks, scuffs, dust, and dirt. If there are stubborn stains that soap and water can’t remove, we recommend using a degreaser.
Once it has been cleaned, it’s time to sand the surface. Take your time to make sure every inch is covered (even parts you won’t see) and the surface is even.

When you’re done, use your cloth to wipe away any dust.

STEP TWO – How to Prime IKEA Furniture for Painting

Next, apply a generous amount of primer to the sanded surface. Remember, some wood is porous and will absorb some of it.

For this part of the job, a paint brush is best. Try not to overload it and overlap each stroke so no parts are missed.

Primer is essential for extending the lifespan of your furniture. Even if you don’t use it very often, it will wear out over time. Primer adds years of life to your furniture and makes it harder to scratch or dent.

STEP THREE – How to Paint IKEA Furniture

Now for the fun part.

We always suggest testing your paint on an inconspicuous area first, so you can see how it will look when dry.
Depending on the size of the furniture piece, a combination of paint brush and paint roller is usually ideal. Use your roller for large, flat parts, and your brush for edges and the hard-to-reach areas. Try to match the amount of paint you apply with your painting accessories.

1-2 layers may be enough, again depending on the type of paint you use, but don’t be afraid to add a third if it’s looking a little thin.

STEP FOUR – Admire your Work


Once the final layer has dried, take a step back and admire your freshly painted IKEA furniture. How does it look?
We hope that whatever colour you picked looks fabulous, and the sheen is just right in all lights.

If you have any paint spare, keep it in a cool, dry place for future touch-ups or your next painting project.

The UK’s Most Trusted Paint Supplier

Painting IKEA furniture is very satisfying and a great way to improve your painting skills. Everyone loves IKEA, but if you want to make your pieces stand out, painting them is a great way to improve how they look.

We’re the no.1 choice for tradespeople, with large quantities of paint available at competitive prices, and we’re loved by domestic painters too!

Check out our blog for more information, advice and guides about all things painting. If you have any questions about any of our products, please get in touch.

We look forward to hearing from you.