Tried a new sealer on some MDF shelves

Last week I sprayed shellac on a set of MDF shelves before painting. Never done that before. The paint came out super smooth, no fuzz at all. But it cost me an extra 45 minutes per shelf in drying time. Anyone else bother with pre-sealing MDF for painted jobs?

3 comments

3 Comments

anna_ross1921d ago

Oh man, I gotta push back on this! I tried pre-sealing MDF once and honestly I think it's a waste of time for most projects. I've painted plenty of MDF shelves without any sealer and just used a good quality primer instead. The extra 45 minutes per shelf adds up quick if you're doing a whole room of built-ins, plus the cost of the shellac itself. Sanding the MDF lightly with 220 grit before priming gives you a perfectly smooth finish without the extra step. As long as you don't soak the primer on thick, you won't get that fuzzy raised grain people worry about.

jana11921d ago

Have you tried doing a heavy build coat of MDF with shellac and then sanding it smooth though? I was totally against it too until I did a bathroom vanity with MDF doors and the difference was night and day. The shellac seals the fibers so tight that your primer goes on like butter and you don't get any of that weird bubbling or orange peel later. Plus you only need one thin coat of primer after, so it balances out time wise for me.

wright.lisa16d ago

YESSSS thank you for saying this! I did the shellac thing once on a set of cabinets and felt like such a sucker after. Sanding with 220 and just using a decent primer has never let me down, and I've done a ton of MDF shelves and desk tops. The shellac route just feels like overkill unless you're doing something super glossy maybe.