Plywood is a building material made from several sheets of veneer glued together. It is used for finishing premises, constructing various structures, furniture, etc. Over time, plywood loses its original appearance, becomes dark, and may become covered with fungus and small cracks. To make the material in question last longer, it is painted.
Let's consider how and what is the best way to paint plywood and preparatory work.
Preparing plywood for painting
The entire cycle of work consists of sanding, coating the surface with acrylic primer, drying, treating with acrylic-based putty, re-sanding, priming, drying and painting.
When carrying out all of the above operations, the highest results can be achieved, but the preparatory work does not always include the points discussed. For example, a layer of alkyd primer helps protect plywood from moisture and the spread of fungus. If the surface of the material does not have cracks or roughness, then it is not necessary to go through all the stages; priming and painting is sufficient.
Sanding with sandpaper, first coarse-grained and then fine, allows you to remove all irregularities. The first operation, with coarse sandpaper, is performed perpendicular to the wood texture, and then proceed to sanding with fine sandpaper, along the texture of the material. The edges of the plywood are planed from the edges to the center, sanded and the ends are coated with acrylic paint.
After sanding, a layer of acrylic primer is applied to the surface of the material using a brush or roller. This material is necessary to level the surface of the wood, close all cracks, and protect against mechanical damage. After the surface has dried, you can proceed to painting it.
What paint to paint plywood
The type of paint will depend on the operating conditions of the plywood. For example, when using the material in residential premises, experts recommend covering it with water-based acrylic paints. Such paints are environmentally friendly, dry quickly, and cover the surface well. If plywood is used outdoors, it can be painted with enamels or pentaphthalic paints. If the material was in damp areas, it is dried and then dyes are applied. When operating in a humid environment, the plywood needs to be painted on both sides in several layers.
Paint is applied to the surface using a paint brush, roller or spray.
To protect plywood from various influences, you can use clear varnish. First, the surface of the material is sanded, dust is removed, and then varnished. Varnish is often used to create a shiny surface. For this purpose, it is applied to dried paint.
Plywood is one of the most popular finishing materials. It is chosen not only for its low cost and attractive appearance, but also for its strength and reliability. To increase the service life of such material, it is coated with special compounds.
How to cover plywood? This question probably arose among many who finished the floor, ceiling and walls with sheets of glued veneer. Why paint plywood at all? Thanks to painting, such material will not only last a long time, but will not be afraid of moisture.
So, before you figure out what to coat plywood with for moisture resistance and how to do it, you need to decide on the future use of the product: it will be furniture, wall covering or flooring, and what humidity will accompany use.
Preparatory work
Before answering the question of how to cover plywood from moisture (what pigment to choose), it is necessary to perform a number of simple works. What is this for? This is necessary in order to achieve a perfectly flat and smooth surface. It is worth noting that the list of children below is approximate.
Surface preparation process:
- Dry material processing. Sanding is carried out using sandpaper.
- Then the coating is primed.
- Drying process.
- Processing the material with putty.
- Drying process. In other words, before proceeding to the next stage, you need to wait until the putty dries.
- Sanding is carried out using sandpaper.
- Apply a layer of primer.
- Once the primer layer has dried, you can begin painting.
Important! In order for plywood to last a long time, it must be primed with alkyd substances. If this is not done, the material will be vulnerable.
On a note! Apply alkyd primer using a roller. Afterwards it is painted over with acrylic paint.
Why do you need to grind the surface?
This must be done in order to eliminate all irregularities from the surface of the material. Sanding is carried out using coarse sandpaper (optimal option No. 80). Grind perpendicular to the direction of the grain. If you are going to apply varnish rather than paint to the surface, then in this case, additionally treat the surface with fine-grained sandpaper.
How to process the edges?
The edges of the sheet of glued wood veneer are trimmed (from the edges to the center). After the edges are trimmed, they are sanded using sandpaper. Then the ends are coated with acrylic paint. It is worth noting that plywood coated with plastic also needs edge processing.
Primer is the most important step when painting plywood sheets.
The surface of the plywood must be primed in order to avoid the appearance of mold, mildew and the proliferation of microorganisms. Due to this process, the material will not swell from exposure to moisture. Apply the primer to the previously sanded surface.
Painting
Painting will protect the sheets of glued veneer from delamination due to moisture. Thanks to the dye, the material will last for many years. Most often, plywood needs painting if it is used to decorate rooms with high humidity. In this case, the sheet of glued veneer is not only painted on both sides, but special attention is also paid to the edges.
Important! The edges are covered with a dye in several layers.
After you have prepared the surface, you should think about what you can use to cover the plywood?
What paint is suitable for plywood?
Before covering the plywood on the wall, you should choose the right paint composition. The main task of painting is to protect the material from the formation of fungus, microorganisms and mold, that is, the plywood should be protected from moisture.
For interior work you can use:
- Water-based dyes. These include latex and acrylic dyes. These pigments are excellent for painting pre-treated plywood. The advantages of such dyes include the absence of odor and simple application (the paint does not spread and lies flat). It is also worth noting that they do not dry for long.
How to cover plywood on the floor? If you decide to tear up the floor and ceiling with paint, then acrylic compounds are the best choice for this. Such pigments will not crack due to temperature changes.
- Pentaphthalic/enamel pigments. Such compositions penetrate well into the fibers. They, like acrylic dyes, are easy to apply. They dry quickly.
For street work use:
- If you are going to cover plywood that is exposed to weather conditions (rain, snow, cold, heat), then the material should be impregnated with drying oil and then painted with red lead. Afterwards you can apply acrylic/enamel compounds.
- In this case, impregnations based on oils/varnishes are also suitable. Of course, such impregnations cannot be called paints. However, with their help you can well protect the material from the effects of natural conditions. It is worth noting that such impregnations not only protect the material, but also make it attractive.
- Sometimes outdoor plywood products are painted with enamel pigments. In this case, the glued veneer should be thoroughly dried.
Is it possible to varnish plywood?
Before coating the plywood with varnish, it is necessary to treat the surface: sand it with sandpaper. Then the dust should be removed. Afterwards, coat the surface with diluted varnish. As a rule, varnish is applied in several layers.
It is worth noting that the varnish should only be applied to dry plywood.
On a note! Varnish can be replaced with glossy paint. The shine effect will be the same.
There are several types of varnishes that can be used to paint plywood sheets. They are distinguished by the way the layers appear. The first group includes those whose layer is formed by removing the solvent. As a rule, such varnishes are produced on an alcohol/nitrocellulose base.
The second group includes those varnishes that form a layer due to polymerization and polycondensation. The layer of such varnishes is usually much harder. They are produced on an oil/urea-formaldehyde basis.
What can you use to paint a plywood sheet?
Perhaps, when choosing a tool for painting, many people asked the question, what is the best way to paint plywood? The construction market offers many different items with which you can apply pigment/varnish to plywood. Most often, either a brush or a roller is chosen.
When purchasing this or that tool, there is no need to save on it. The appearance of the sheet of glued veneer depends on the quality of the roller/brush.
Painting can be done using a foam/fur roller. If you purchased a low-quality fur instrument, then after dyeing you will notice fluff on the surface. A foam roller does not leave such marks.
A brush is most often used to paint hard-to-reach places and edges. Like a fur roller, a low-quality brush can leave lint behind.
Plywood is a very common material used in construction; furniture is also often made from it. Therefore, the question of how to paint plywood very often arises for many people.
The advantages of plywood cannot be overestimated; it is not only a durable sheet material, it is also well protected from moisture, because during the manufacture of plywood, each layer is impregnated with moisture-resistant glue. The degree of protection depends on the brand of plywood:
- FC – average moisture resistance.
- FSF – increased moisture resistance.
- FB is a special plywood for use in places of high humidity.
Painting plywood is used for several reasons:
- Improving the appearance of the plywood surface
- Additional protection
- Customized to suit your style
Before you start painting plywood, the material must first be prepared.
Preparing the plywood surface for painting
Sanding the surface of plywood.
Surface preparation must be performed in several steps. First of all, you need to sand the surface with fine sandpaper, sanding should be done perpendicular to the wood grain. Of course, this work can be done manually, but it is best to use special tools - grinders. If you are interested in a review of such a tool, then you can read about it -. If the volumes of plywood are large, then you cannot do without mechanized labor.
Grinding is carried out in order to remove various defects from the surface such as knots, chips, scratches. Also, when carrying out the procedure, the plywood must be dry; if for some reason the plywood is wet, it must be dried and only after drying should sanding be carried out.
When sanding is done from a material, dust and other possible contaminants must be removed, otherwise all further actions will be performed with poor quality.
Priming the surface of plywood is necessary in order to remove surface defects that sanding could not cope with, and also so that the paint lays stronger and more evenly on the surface to be painted. Also, a primed surface becomes more durable and prevents the development of cracks, increasing the moisture resistance of the material.
It is best to use acrylic primer, it fits well on the surface and dries quickly, and it is also more harmless than other types of primer.
As an example, we can cite such acrylic primers as:
- Primer Eunice Primer Universal Acrylic
- Primer Optimist G102
- Primer Bergauf Primer Universal
In large construction stores, the selected primer can even be tinted to match the desired color.
You can apply the primer in a variety of ways, it can be a roller or a brush, some even use spray guns to speed up this work. It’s probably difficult to say which method is better, because it largely depends on a person’s skills.
After priming, the surface must dry, usually acrylic primers dry very quickly, some manufacturers even indicate a time of about several hours. The primer must be applied in several layers, taking a one-hour break between each layer.
Once the plywood surface is prepared for painting, you can move on to the final stage.
For your information, the paint must be applied with the same base as the primer.
In our case, we chose a water-based acrylic primer, so we need to paint it with this kind of paint.
The advantage of this choice is obvious: these are modern paint options that do not emit harmful substances and are easy to apply. When applied, they do not emit any pungent odors, so applying them indoors is very convenient.
Can be applied in several ways:
- Counting
- Roller
- Pulverizer
Of course, using a spray gun is preferable since the paint will lay down in a more even layer. But such a tool is not always at hand, so the standard option is to use a paint roller.
After this, the question of how to paint plywood will no longer arise for you., because you will gain your own experience in this matter.
Painting video
Types of paints for wooden surfaces
You can paint plywood and other wooden surfaces with other paints, it all depends on the conditions under which the material will be used.
Acrylic paints– dry quickly, do not fade in the sun, and do not emit strong harmful odors when painted. Therefore, they can be used for both internal and external work.
Alkyd enamels– are not afraid of temperature changes, the color is rich, the surface is smooth. But unfortunately, when painting, a strong toxic odor is released. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out such work with alkyd paints in the fresh air or, if indoors, use protective equipment.
Polyurethane paints- appeared not so long ago, but have already become popular. They do not fade in the sun, are not afraid of low temperatures and protect the surface well from external influences.
Nitro paints- also a very good option for painting, the paint material dries quickly and has a durable protective film. Also, the popularity of this paint is maintained due to its lower price. The main disadvantage is toxicity, so it is best used for outdoor use.
Oil paints- This is a fairly old type of paint that has been used everywhere for many years. But due to many disadvantages such as toxicity, long drying time, fragility. All this led to the fact that oil paints became very rarely used.
Advantages of acrylic paints
Recently, acrylic paints have been increasingly used to paint the facades of wooden buildings. They appeared quite recently but have already begun to be in great demand, and this is due to one significant advantage of such a building material:
The composition of the paint is vapor permeable, which means that the surface painted with water-based acrylic paint breathes freely, and at the same time it is reliably protected from external influences.
Other advantages should also be taken into account:
- The paint dries very quickly.
- It does not fade or crack under the sun.
- The surface of the paint layer is durable and elastic.
- Dilute with water to the desired consistency.
- The paint does not emit harmful substances
- Large range of colors
Plywood is a universal material that can be used for laying floors, finishing walls, and mounting ceilings. Under the influence of sunlight, humidity, temperature, untreated plywood loses its original appearance over time, delaminates and collapses. To extend its service life, it is necessary to carry out painting work.
It should be remembered that painting a plywood ceiling will preserve the natural appearance of the wood structure.
How to paint plywood on the ceiling? Options may be different, both in terms of pricing policy and decorative ones.
First, let's dwell on the issue of choosing plywood for cladding the ceiling. GOST provides for the classification of five grades of produced plywood. However, some of them are better suited for finishing the ceiling.
Material characteristics
Based on the impregnation method, plywood may be marked:
- FKM - plywood with increased moisture resistance. In the manufacture of this type of plywood, melamine resins are used, which are harmless to health. This plywood is used for finishing and making furniture.
- FC is plywood that has moisture-resistant properties. Carbide resin is used to glue the layers. This type of plywood is perfect for interior finishing work.
- FOF - laminated plywood. Used for interior decoration. It has a wide choice of colors and does not require additional painting.
By processing:
- NSh - unsanded plywood;
- Ш1 - plywood, sanded on one side;
- Ш2 - plywood, sanded on both sides.
The cheapest plywood is unsanded. However, for finishing the ceiling it is better to choose plywood processed on one side. There is no point in overpaying for polishing on both sides, since one side of the plywood still faces the ceiling.
By type of wood:
- from coniferous species;
- from hardwood.
You may ask: why consider classifications if we are talking about how on the ceiling? The fact is that understanding can simplify the choice in favor of one or another paint coating.
For example, softwood plywood should not be stained. The resinous structure prevents liquid from penetrating into the wood. Even worse, stained plywood will look uneven: the resinous areas will stand out. Then you will have to repaint the plywood with other paints and varnishes.
Return to contents
Features of substances
Plywood is a material that is very easy to paint. By performing these works, depending on your design decision, you will be able to:
- preserve the natural appearance of the wood structure;
- paint with opaque paints and varnishes that will completely hide the base.
Using various stains, you can emphasize the structure of wood and imitate the color of different types of wood.
There are stains:
- water based;
- alcohol based;
- nitromordants;
- dry mixes.
To make the color more saturated, plywood can be coated with several layers of stain. In order to achieve a more even color when staining, it is better to slightly wet the surface of the plywood, and for deeper penetration into the depths of the wood, the stain can be heated. The first layer should be applied along the fiber structure, the second - across.
You can apply the stain using a swab, a hard brush or a spray. Please note that a wet surface will look darker than a dry one.
After painting, the plywood must be dried. Water-based stain dries within 24 hours, while alcohol-based stain dries in 15-30 minutes.
Staining performs only a decorative function. To give plywood moisture-resistant properties, it is necessary to additionally coat its surface with varnish or drying oil.
When staining occurs, the wood fibers swell. After drying, you can feel that the surface has become rough. Therefore, before varnishing, plywood must be treated with fine-grained sandpaper, and then wipe the sheet with a dry cloth or vacuum to remove small particles.
Return to contents
Application of paint
You can also paint the plywood on the ceiling. Their selection is very wide. Paints can be divided into different types.
According to invoice:
- Glossy. They look beautiful, but if the surface being coated is not so ideal, then defects will be visible;
- Matte. Perfectly hides minor defects.
By type of thinner:
- Alkyd. Paints based on this are quite durable and retain their appearance for a long time. Negative properties include the fact that white spirit, turpentine, and drying oil, which have a pungent odor, are used as solvents. Paints based on this material are not environmentally friendly and are best used for exterior painting.
- Water-dispersed. These paints are diluted with water. They are environmentally friendly, practically odorless and, after drying, form a fairly durable thin film.
Water-dispersion paints are divided into such groups as: water-based, latex, silicate, silicone, acrylic, polyvinyl acetate.
Water-dispersion paints, in turn, can be divided into groups:
- Water-based paints. Can be easily applied to almost any surface. Resistant to temperature changes. Any other types of paints can easily be applied to them. Non-toxic.
- Latex paints are the most expensive among water-based paints. They have high moisture-resistant properties and abrasion resistance. Surfaces painted with these paints remain “breathable”. Their high covering ability allows you to cover cracks up to 1 mm. It is this paint that creates a glossy finish. The disadvantage of latex paint is its “intolerance” to low temperatures: fungus and mold can form on the painted layer.
- Silicate paints. Their advantages include low cost and fairly durable coating. Negative aspects: the paint contains alkali, which requires compliance with safety measures when working with it; “intolerance” to high humidity; incompatibility with other types of paint.
- Silicone paints. They have many advantages compared to other types of water-dispersion paints. The highly elastic coating can hide cracks up to 2 mm. Durable. They have high water-repellent properties. Resistant to large temperature changes. The disadvantage is the high cost.
- Acrylic paints. After drying, they form a durable layer that is resistant to moisture.
- Polyvinyl acetate paints are a cheap option for rooms with low humidity. Over time, this paint acquires a yellowish tint.
