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If you love getting a high-end look for less, painting IKEA furniture is a great option to achieve that. This allows you to get a custom look on a smaller budget, especially if you can purchase the furniture second-hand! Learn how to paint your IKEA Pax wardrobe, Hemnes dresser, and other items with a long-lasting finish.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Top tip for Painting IKEA Furniture
One of the most important things that you can do when painting IKEA furniture is picking the right primer. Primer is the key to ensuring that you don’t end up with scratches on your Pax wardrobe or Hemnes dresser from day to day use.
The tried and true primer that you should consider when painting your IKEA furniture is the BIN Zinsser primer. This is my go-to primer for painting furniture and cabinets because it holds up well and it hides stains, seals knots, and is a synthetic shellac.
Painting IKEA Pax Wardrobe
An easy way for you to get a high-end look for less is by painting your IKEA pax wardrobe. It doesn’t matter what IKEA Pax doors your pick you need to prime with BIN Zinsser Primer. Using primer is the first step that is critical to your project! It is not necessary to sand the wardrobe prior to painting it but you should ensure that it is clean and dry.
You’ve picked a paint colour but you don’t know what paint sheen you should use? Learn all about paint sheens and which one you should use for your project here.
You should use a foam roller to apply the primer to the IKEA Pax wardrobe to ensure you get a smooth finish. This primer is a little messy so be prepared to throw away the roller that you apply it with. Paint in a well-ventilated space and read the instructions for more application details.
Once you have primed your wardrobe, you should pick a paint colour. There are two paint sheens that you should consider using for painting your IKEA Pax wardrobe: Pearl or Semi-gloss. Learn more about the perfect sheen for your project here.
Thinking about adding moulding to your pax wardrobe but want to keep it white? I would recommend that you paint the moulding only. Have the pax wardrobe colour-matched and pick a pearl or semi-gloss finish. For the FORSAND Pax doors, Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is a great match. This means you get to keep the IKEA factory finish but still have a high-end look that the moulding gives.
Want to learn more about upgrading your IKEA pax wardrobe? Learn more here.
Painting IKEA Hemnes dresser
Another way to upgrade your IKEA furniture is by painting your Hemnes dresser. IKEA furniture acts as a great building block for any project. Painting your IKEA Hemnes dresser is another easy upgrade and is similar to painting a Pax wardrobe.
If you have not built your IKEA Hemnes dresser, I would recommend painting it first. If it is already assembled, remove the drawers first before you paint it.
Start with BIN Zinsser Primer to ensure that your finish does not scratch and chip. Apply the primer with a foam roller to ensure your finish is smooth. Then pick a Pearl or Semi-gloss finish for your hemnes dresser. This will make it easier for you to clean and maintain a smooth finish over time.
PRO TIP: For a higher end look, add moulding to your IKEA pax wardrobe or Hemnes dresser before painting! Then, swap out the hardware.
FAQs
YES! With the right primer, you can achieve a high-end-looking wardrobe on an IKEA budget.
The perfect primer is key to painting your IKEA pax wardrobe, I would recommend a shellac base primer like BIN Zinsser.
Yes, IKEA units can be painted. To ensure your furniture doesn’t scratch, use a good primer before painting.
There are many different whites used on IKEA products. The Pax units are a great match for Benjamin Moore Simply White in pearl finish. The Pax door “FORSAND” matches well with Benjamin Moore’s White Dove.
Refer to the instructions on the can of primer. If the piece of furniture has a very high gloss to it, it would be a good idea to give it a light sand before painting. Ensure the furniture is smooth before priming so that the primer and paint go on smoothly.
More home decor ideas
- Pax Wardrobe Hack
- Pax Wardrobe Hack 2.0
- IKEA Sektion: Built-In Wardrobe For Sloped Ceilings
- The Perfect Greige Paint Colours
- The Best Off-White Paint Colours
Do you need to sand the ikea hemnes dresser first if it has a shiny finish? I have an old one from 15 years ago which has a glossy finish. Can the bin primer work on that? Thanks for your help. Love your work 🥰
Author
I don’t think it’s necessary, but I’d just do it a bit to dull the finish. Give it a light sand but nothing too intense. Just to be safe!
Can you use your wall paint to paint over the primer or does it have to be a specific paint? Want the colour to match the walls so wondering if I can use the same one?
Author
It probably wouldn’t be the best choice because likely the paint sheen on your walls is something around eggshell and for a wardrobe or other furniture you would want Pearl. I am not sure the brand of paint you are using, but I usually ask the paint department when they are mixing the colour for me. I just tell them what I am trying to paint and they recommend a paint line that would work best!
For the FORSAND Pax doors, you noted that Benjamin Moore’s White Dove is a great match if you just want to paint moulding. what sheen did you use?
Author
I’m not sure it’s a perfect match but I found it matched really well considering I already had some on hand! I would do a Pearl finish!
Hi Emma, great website. I wondered if you have come across Lakeland paints. They are completely VOC free and they do more than paints. As I am passionate about protecting the environment and peoples health and i have used Lakeland for many years they used to be called ECOS paints. On a recent renovation I introduced the painter and decorator to them and she is raving about their stuff, she says the paint is amazing. Everything is solvent free, so doing a job like painting or varnishing a floor or putting knotting solution on pine is no longer a health hazard.
Author
Hi Anya, Thank you so much! I have not heard of it, but upon a quick search, it looks like a UK-based company, so that might be why! I’m not sure I can get it in Canada. Looks like it might be a great solution if you can get it though!
Hi Emma, can you stain IKEA furniture instead of painting it, to give it a wood look?
Author
Sabrina, Some IKEA furniture such as the hemnes line is solid wood, so you can sand and stain it. I have a post about this! If it isn’t solid wood, then its a little more difficult. I recently came across a product called Retique It Liquid Wood which might give the wood look you’re after. I don’t have any experience using this though!
For the FORSAND Pax doors, I found Sherwin Williams Pure White to be a better match.
Hi Emma,
Love the article! Can I ask would you paint the wardrobes before they are assembled or after ?
Author
I think it might be easier to paint before assembly but you’d have to be careful putting it together once it was painted which might make me hesitate!
Can I ask what doors you have on your wardrobe? I can’t seem to find the ones that look like yours and they are exactly what I want!
Author
Hey AJ, both of my pax wardrobes were ikea hacks, so I altered the doors! I have blog posts on both.
The white one: https://emmacourtneyhome.com/pax-wardrobe-hack/
The green one:https://emmacourtneyhome.com/pax-wardrobe-hack-2-0/
I hope this helps you find what you’re looking for!
Hi Emma. Would this method (with sanding included) work on the high gloss finish pax doors? Slightly worried as the foil has been wrapped on the front so not sure if sanding and priming would work the same. Many thanks
Author
Yes! I have high high gloss bathroom vanity cabinets and I used this a year and a half ago and I haven’t had any chips, scratches, or issues at all! It’s used daily and in a room with humidity, so I think your pax would be fine! I also think one of my Pax hacks was high gloss, but I don’t use it daily so I think the bathroom cabinet is a better comparison.
I have pax sliding door wardrobe. The sliding doors are Hasvik. Can I use the same method as described above (using Bin Zansser Primer etc) on these doors?
Author
Joe, Yes this primer should work for this! Just ensure that the doors don’t hit when they slide past each other.
Thank you for this article! As for the Ikea Bergsbo doors can they still be painted if they are white-stained oak effect rather than just white?
Author
Yes, if you use the right primer, you can still paint the door!