ᐅ Which types of paint are suitable for IKEA Hemnes furniture?

Hello everyone,

I plan to redesign my IKEA Hemnes furniture and am currently looking for suitable finishes that work well with the type of wood and surface of these pieces.
I am especially interested in durable and environmentally friendly options that neither damage the Hemnes wood nor significantly alter its characteristic appearance – so nothing too glossy or fully opaque.

Which paints or coatings would you recommend? Are there any specific preparations or primers that should definitely be considered before working with, for example, chalk paint, acrylic lacquer, or wood oil?

I would appreciate it if you could also share your practical experiences, especially regarding adhesion, everyday durability, and how easy the surfaces are to clean afterwards.

Thanks in advance!

GUKU48 schrieb:
Which paints or finishes would you recommend?

That’s a great question because I recently repainted my Hemnes dresser myself. I was quite unsure whether chalk paint is truly durable, especially for furniture used every day. My experience: with a good topcoat afterward, it works really well – I used hard wax oil, which gives a more robust protective layer.

I understand wanting to consider environmental impact. Acrylic paint might actually be more durable, but it is also more chemically intensive. Personally, I chose a mix of chalk paint with natural wax, and the result feels very pleasant.

If you’re uncertain, I would definitely test small areas first, including on the inside edges, to make sure the paint adheres properly before painting large surfaces.

GUKU48 schrieb:
Are there any special preparations or primers that should definitely be considered before working, for example, with chalk paint, acrylic lacquer, or wood oil?

Very good question, especially with Hemnes, since the surface is lacquered and not raw, you absolutely need to take that into account. You should sand the furniture thoroughly before painting to roughen the glossy lacquer layer – this greatly improves adhesion.

Afterwards, I always recommend cleaning the surface with a degreaser (e.g., denatured alcohol). Usually, chalk paint does not require an additional primer, but with acrylic lacquers, a primer is highly advisable because it helps the paint adhere better and prevents chipping.

Wood oil, on the other hand, is typically applied to raw or only lightly sanded wood. So with Hemnes, you first need to remove the old lacquer if you want to use oil. This is a bit more work but worth it for a very natural finish.

Depending on the look you want, careful preparation is therefore crucial. I also recommend following the instructions for the respective paint and its associated products carefully.

Chalk paint is very popular with Hemnes. Important: sand thoroughly and then seal with hard wax.

Acrylic lacquer also holds up well when used with a primer.

You only need wood oil if the lacquer has been completely removed.

angel schrieb:
Wood oil is usually applied to raw or only lightly sanded wood. With Hemnes, you need to remove the old finish first if you want to use oil.

This is a critical point. I personally tried just sanding the Hemnes surface and then applying oils – but it didn’t last in the long term because the old finish prevented the oil from penetrating.

After several attempts, my recommendation would be to either use a very fine chemical stripper or completely sand down the finish; otherwise, you will quickly see chipping.

Regarding cleaning: with chalk paint and wax, you get a matte but relatively durable surface that can be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Acrylic paint tends to be a bit more prone to scratching but offers better water resistance.

In general, I would also recommend choosing a matte or satin finish for paint, as gloss looks somewhat unusual on Hemnes and shows small imperfections more clearly.