Can you paint a table top?

[Horse with no Name]

I think it is formica--it has a faux woodgrain?

[yy4me]

1. What will the table be used for in the future? You can paint

almost anything but with a surface that is very smooth, you will have to sand lightly and de-gloss before any paint will stick. I'd use a series of grits, ending with 220 or so. Use a palm sander if you have one, it is a great tool. De-gloss(this will also clean the top) and prime before painting. If this table will get hard use, I doubt it will stand up very well. I am assuming that only the top is Formica. What is the base made of?

[Horse with no Name]

2. Dining room table

seldom used, but occasionally.

[yy4me]

3. Occasional use should not be a problem, and I assume you

would be using place mats or a tablecloth. Heavy use directly on the wood would cause a lot of stress on the paint and probably leave lines, indentations and the like all over the surface. I would also use trivets for hot items as very hot dishes could possibly blister the paint.

[Stinky The Clown]

4. Primer is the key

I strongly suggest you visit your local Sherwin Williams paint store. Tell them exactly what you have (maybe even bring a table leaf with you) and what you want to do and they can direct you to the product you need.

I use them when ever I have a paint project and they've never let me down. I've even painted on old high gloss 60's-era formica with great success thanks to them.

[DrDan]

5. ditto

I got XIM primer from Sherwin Williams. They claim you could paint glass using XIM if you so desired.

The XIM dries very hard - making it easy to sand smooth with a 220 grip paper. I used it on formica cabinets with great success.

Also - I used a high-quality Sherwin Williams oil-base paint over the primer. Made for a very hard surface - but easy to clean with soap and water.

A table would be a bit different depending on its use, but I think this would be the way to go.