ᐅ Which types of paint are best suited for IKEA BESTA furniture?

Created on: 10 Sep 2023 12:17
K
Kinno
K
Kinno
10 Sep 2023 12:17
Hello everyone, I want to repaint my IKEA Besta furniture and I’m wondering which types of paint are best suited for this. The surfaces of the Besta fronts are mostly melamine-coated or made of MDF with a foil, so I’m wondering whether it’s better to use traditional synthetic or acrylic paint, or rather water-based acrylic paint, in order to achieve a durable, smooth, and scratch-resistant finish.

Which types of paint have you used on the Besta carcass and especially on the doors and fronts? I would appreciate specific recommendations, especially regarding the process (preparation, priming, sanding) and what protects best against damage. Are there any special paints that work particularly well on the usually quite smooth melamine surface or the foil fronts?

Thanks for sharing your experience!
K
KLO-KA
10 Sep 2023 13:03
For BESTA, I recommend acrylic or 2K water-based paint. Important: sand thoroughly and apply a primer before painting. Melamine hardly adheres without a primer. For fronts: 2K paint is scratch-resistant and durable.
S
Siflo
10 Sep 2023 14:11
Painting IKEA BESTA furniture requires careful preparation.

- Melamine surfaces must always be lightly sanded, ideally with 240-grit sandpaper.
- After that, I recommend a special adhesion primer designed for plastics to prevent the paint from peeling.
- For the type of paint, a two-component (2K) acrylic or polyurethane (PU) paint is advisable, as these offer increased scratch and impact resistance.
- Water-based acrylic paints are more environmentally friendly but usually require several coats and longer drying times.

The choice also depends on how much time and effort you want to invest. For hobby use, water-based acrylic paints are often sufficient, while 2K PU is more suitable for professional applications.
T
tutan
10 Sep 2023 16:42
Hey, about a year ago I refinished my BESTA shelves using water-based acrylic paint.

The advantage? It has a low odor and doesn’t require special ventilation. It’s important to sand the surface properly; otherwise, nothing will adhere well.

Apply one coat of primer, followed by two to three coats of paint, sanding lightly between each coat – then you’ll end up with a perfectly smooth finish!

Sure, two-component (2K) paints are harder, but I wanted a more relaxed process without strong chemicals, and the result has held up perfectly to this day.
B
BOMILAN
10 Sep 2023 18:27
For the best results on BESTA, I use 2K acrylic lacquer.

- Very durable
- Easy to apply
- Ideal for fronts

Sand well beforehand and prepare with a primer. Done.
F
FLONE41
11 Sep 2023 08:54
I have thought about this for a long time and can fully understand your concerns. With my BESTA cabinets, I experimented with both water-based acrylic paint and 2K (two-component) paint. The water-based option made the application somewhat easier, and I didn’t have to be as strict about ventilation, which is definitely a plus in my small apartment.

However, it turned out that the surface is a bit more sensitive.
KLO-KA schrieb:
For BESTA, I recommend acrylic or water-based 2K paint.

I can quite agree with that, although I would personally choose a somewhat harder 2K paint next time if I don’t mind the extra effort.

Do you already have specific paints or brands in mind?

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