As a professional furniture painter, I've encountered numerous issues over the years, but the one that always annoys me the most is when my primer doesn't stick to the surface!
I recently was refinishing a dresser and ran into adhesion issues with the primer. I found that it stuck to some parts of the dresser, but easily scratched off in other areas. Whenever I prime a piece of furniture, I like to do a scratch test with my thumbnail to make sure the primer is adhered well. If the primer easily scratches off with my nail, then I know that there is an issue I need to fix!
Read on for a few reasons as to why a primer might not adhere well to a furniture surface.
1. Improper cleaning
The furniture wasn't cleaned well before priming. Oils, dirt, and dust can settle on a piece of furniture over time and prohibit primer from sticking. Before I start sanding and priming a piece of furniture, I always make sure to give it a good cleaning first. A simple mix of water and white vinegar works well, but for extra dirty pieces I will add a drop or two of Dawn dish soap.
I also have tried numerous cleaning products over the years that have worked well. You can shop some of my favorite furniture cleaning products here:
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2. Cleaning residue wasn't rinsed off well.
While it may not always be necessary to rinse off the cleaning product you use, it is definitely a good habit to wipe off the piece with clean water and allow to dry before priming.
3. The surface wasn't sanded.
There are paints and primers on the market that claim "no sanding necessary", but I have found that it's good practice to at least give a light sanding, especially on very slick surfaces. Regular 150 grit sheets of sandpaper work well!
When I first began refinishing furniture, I used sheets of sandpaper and sanding blocks. Once I began refinishing furniture to sell, I invested in two different fancy electric sanders. While it certainly is not necessary to use expensive sanders when refinishing furniture, they can definitely help save time and ensure a more professional finish.
I use a 5" Festool orbital sander for large, flat surfaces. I use a SurfPrep 3" x 4" sander for detailed sanding and between coats of primer and paint.
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For slick surfaces such as laminate, it's important to use a bonding type primer. There are several water-based bonding primers available. Oil based primers or BIN shellac based primer can also stick securely to slick surfaces.
Here is one bonding primer I have used with good results.
So....what went wrong with the dresser I was working on? To be honest, I'm not exactly sure! The surface was very shiny and slick. I cleaned and sanded before priming. I tried a new-to-me primer that claimed to be a bonding and stain blocking primer. I allowed it to dry overnight, but then found that several areas scratched off easily. So, I then primed with BIN shellac based primer, but still had a few spots that scratched off. I finally used Sherwin Williams Extreme Bond primer which did adhere well in some areas, but unfortunately it easily scratched off the surface in several spots I tested.
My thought is that this piece may have previously been cleaned with a product such as Pledge (anyone else grow up in the 80s and remember spraying Pledge on everything?!) The silicone based nature of Pledge makes it difficult for a new finish to adhere.
What did I do to solve the issue? I used my orbital sander to remove the primer from the sides of the dresser where I found adhesion issues. Then I wiped down the entire piece with Acetone and allowed to dry before applying a bonding primer one more time. Phew! Thank goodness that worked!
After checking that the primer did indeed adhere to the dresser, I mixed together a few colors of Benjamin Moore Advance paint to create this beautiful shade of blue. I love the new look of this piece, and I'm so glad that I persevered through all the primer issues I encountered!
Have you ever had an issue with primer sticking to a piece of furniture you were trying to makeover? What did you do to solve the issue? Were you tempted to give up? Leave a comment to share your story, or feel free to ask me questions about an issue you encountered!
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