Can you paint IKEA furniture? Our paint experts share top tips for a personalized but professional finish

When you think of affordable, high-quality furniture, it's likely that Swedish stalwart IKEA is the first place that springs to mind. But, what if the furniture you want isn't available in the color you want it?

Luckily, say our paint and furniture pros, IKEA furniture can be painted, allowing you to flip your furniture on a budget and customize it with your individual space in mind.

Here, they shares their tips on painting wood furniture fresh from the store, including how to prep, sand and seal.

Can you paint IKEA furniture?

Luckily, says Carr Lanphier, CEO of Improovy, the answer is yes, you can paint IKEA fu

If you have got your hands on some gorgeous, budget-friendly IKEA pieces that will not date, you can indeed give it a lick of fresh or fun color.

'You can definitely paint IKEA furniture,' Carr assures. 'I've seen this done quite a bit as a DIY refresh on an older, or even a new, piece.'

It's a great way to make furniture look more expensive, achieve an antique finish with paint, and even spruce up your outdoor IKEA items by painting garden furniture.

Mike Fretto, furniture expert and creative director at Neighbor, adds, 'Yes, you can paint most IKEA furniture. In fact, it’s pretty popular for people to do this so that they can customize their pieces and make them appear less cookie-cutter.'

But, as Carr highlights, there are some significant, and very important, mistakes to avoid when painting wooden furniture.

How to paint IKEA furniture

As with any DIY project, preparation is key if you're planning on painting your IKEA furniture. 'I’ve seen some of these DIY jobs fall apart pretty quickly due to failing to prepare the piece correctly,' warns Carr.

This, as Mike advises, includes disassembling the furniture, usually made easy by the flatpack nature of IKEA pieces, and cleaning it thoroughly.

A microfiber cloth and all-purpose spray, such as the Seventh Generation Multi Surface Cleaning Spray available at Walmart, or warm soapy water, will usually do the job. For particularly tough stains and marks, a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, available at Amazon, is ideal.

Next, says Carr, 'IKEA furniture is usually laminate, so it has that smooth finish paint won’t adhere to without priming.'

For this reason, if you're looking for a quick and easy affordable DIY weekend project, he recommends purchasing a primer specifically intended for use on laminate.

The Rust-Oleum ZINSSER Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer/Sealer available at Amazon, which bonds to all surfaces without the need for sanding, creates a mold and mildew resistant film, and is guaranteed to work with any paint.

This can be applied with a roller, included in the BETTER 6-Piece Paint Mini Roller Kit available at Walmart, or with a paint brush, such as the Double Thick Chip Paint Brush, available at Amazon.

'Apply the primer and allow it to dry completely before painting over it with your furniture paint of choice,' adds Carr. 'Otherwise, you can sand down laminate to remove that smooth finish and provide a rougher surface for your paint to adhere to.'

This can be done using simple sandpaper, such as the Sand Paper Variety Pack available at Amazon, which includes 12 different grit assortments, or with something a little more heavy-duty, like the bestselling HYCHIKA Detail Sander, also available at Amazon.

Mike adds, 'I would also recommend applying a sealant at the end to really lock the paint in place.'

We recommend the Minwax Polycrylic Protective Wood Finish available at Amazon for this.

Furniture painting essentials

All prices were correct at the time of publication.

FAQs

Can you vinyl wrap IKEA furniture?

Another great way to update your IKEA furniture on a budget is with vinyl wrapping, such as the Abyssaly Wood Grain Contact Paper available at Amazon.

Proper preparation before adhesion is still recommended.

Meet our experts

Carr Lanphier

Carr is the CEO of Improovy, a Chicago-based painting company, founded in 2019, that believes as we evolve, the way we manage home renovation projects should too.

Mike Fretto

Mike is the creative director at Neighbor, a modern furniture company founded in 2020.

There are plenty more DIY projects that will elevate your home without any high costs, from adding texture to walls to building DIY built-in bookshelves.