[johndrew]

I made some megaphones from MDF for the cheerleaders to hang on their door. Now I want to paint them red. What do you recommend?

1. Sandpaper grit before primer?. I have seen from 100 grit to 400,
2. Type of Primer? How many coats? Zinzer,Kiltz,
3. How do I seal the edges?
4. Type of paint recommended. Acrylic,Enamel, Alkyd, Latex, Lacquer? Any addative to help with flow.
5. How many coats?
6. Any top coats? Sand between coats
7. Drying time on primer,paint

 

[ToolSeeker]

I made some megaphones from MDF for the cheerleaders to hang on their door. Now I want to paint them red. What do you recommend?

1. Sandpaper grit before primer?. I have seen from 100 grit to 400,
2. Type of Primer? How many coats? Zinzer,Kiltz,
3. How do I seal the edges?
4. Type of paint recommended. Acrylic,Enamel, Alkyd, Latex, Lacquer? Any addative to help with flow.
5. How many coats?
6. Any top coats? Sand between coats
7. Drying time on primer,paint

1 NO only on cut edges should you need to sand
2 Oil based any good brand
3 Your primer should do that
4 Enamel should hold up better But some else may have a better idea.
5 2
6 I think you mean like varnish, poly don't need over enamel
7 Oil takes a little longer to dry so don" rush it but a lot depend on where your doing it at. This time of year heated un heated inside outside temp but it's not that long.
Maybe someone else can help.

 

[joecaption]

Zinzeer 123 one coat and And two coats of latex enamel will dry faster and give you a tough finish that will not need a top coat of sealer.
Using a foam roller for the flat surface will give you a glass smooth finish.
If you add three finish nails to the back side just tacked in place befor painting it will give you a handle to hang on to and when drying will keep it up off of what ever your setting it on so it does not stick.

 

[ToolSeeker]

Really Joe I was always taught on unprimed MDF to use oil. You get good results with WB

 

[jsheridan]

I believe that latex primer can swell MDF.

 

[johndrew]

I used one coat of Zinger 1-2-3 and Semi-Gloss Valspar Acrylic Enamel using a foam roller with two coats. It was difficult to cover the white primer and the flow of the paint did not result in a smooth finish.

Any suggestions as to how to get a glass finish. I still have 29 to go.

 

[chrisn]

I used one coat of Zinger 1-2-3 and Semi-Gloss Valspar Acrylic Enamel using a foam roller with two coats. It was difficult to cover the white primer and the flow of the paint did not result in a smooth finish.

Any suggestions as to how to get a glass finish. I still have 29 to go.

get a better quality paint:yes:
which means a trip to an actual paint store

 

[ToolSeeker]

Sand lightly between coats with 220 paper. And to cover better with red get your primer tinted light gray or buy a qt of gray oil based and try it. The water based primer may be reacting to the surface of the MDF, for the lack of a better term.

 

[johndrew]

Thanks, I will get them to tint my Zinzer and sand and retry. Should I try to spray rather than use the foam roller or add Flowtroll. Flowtroll says its for latex and I have Acrylic Enamel would it be compatable?

 

[Matthewt1970]

Really Joe I was always taught on unprimed MDF to use oil. You get good results with WB

I believe that latex primer can swell MDF.

As well as the glues in the MDF can bleed through latex primers. If you are also going to paint red then use a gray primer. You also mentioned hanging them on the door. If these are small enough just get a can of spray paint.