Hi,

Just peruse my signature links--Console PC, Jewel Box PC, and DIY station have all been made with mixes of material including MDF.

Painting MDF does take patience and prep. The MDF is very very absorbent, so you need quite a few layers of sealer.

Here's my basic guide for achieving a complete glossy finish:

Sand with 200 grit.
2 coats of thick paint on primer.
Sand with 200 grit.
Make sure there are is no more patterning, where the mdf is absorbing the primer.
Unfinished edges often take up to 4 coats of primer. It might be easier to use glue-on melamine trim.

After you get an even coat of paint on primer, sanded, I would then lay down 2 coats of spray on automotive primer.

Then you should have a nice even primed surface to top coat however you want.

If you were going for a complete automotive glossy finish, I'd probably do 3 coats of top coat, sand with 400 grit. Then 3 coats of clear coat. Sand with 400, 800, 1000, then buff with rubbing compound or automotive finish.


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