Has anyone painted their wood effect fitted wardrobe doors?

[SwedishEdith]

We have some a bit like this which I hate. Look like 90s office furniture. In an ideal world, I'd rip them out but that = lots of knock-on extra work and hassle. Is that Frenchic paint any good for this type of thing? I don't want a rough looking effect. I'd want them to look smooth and as though they were meant to be white. Thanks

I did ours in our old house - they were horrible orange pine effect, so anything was an improvement!
I just used regular satinwood with a foam mini-roller for a smooth finish - think I used some basic primer underneath. It looked fine, though it did chip quite easily. I expect you’d get a better finish with specialist paint.
Good luck!

Have a look at the few chic hashtag on Instagram, there's loads of reviews and before and after pictures

Sorry, didn't proofread autocorrect Frenchic

Yes. We painted ours - they have the usual roller texture to them like you get when you paint walls, but they look great. You could use spray paint if you wanted a smoother finish. Not sure if spray paint needs primer - we used Owatrol ESP and the colour looks like new after 3 years.

Never heard of Owatrol - thanks.

Found a blog post where someone used 3 coats of Zinsser first plus 2 of eggshell. Might practise on the back of a door first with a variety of methods as really don't want them to chip/look rough (which I worry about with the Frenchic stuff)

I haven't painted wardrobe doors, but I have painted a whole wardrobe and other Ikea furniture in Frenchic paint. I'm on the Facebook group for the paint and there are many examples of painted wardrobe doors just like yours that you can take a look at. Definitely recommend this paint over satinwood any day.

I did some horrible white melamine ones - a whole wall of them, with drawers, too. Did them in a pale cream cupboard paint and changed the handles - they looked so much better.
Had to empty everything out first, sandpaper and two coats, but it was well worth it.

There was nothing really wrong with them except that they looked horrible - we’d been quoted £3500+ to replace them!

The cost of paint and all new handles (good old Wickes) was £65. 🙂

Yes we did. I think we'll get a good few more years out of them.

Yes last weekend! Mine were almost identical to yours too. I washe really well with sugar soap then used wilko primer for melamine x 2 coats then wilko cupboard paint with a foam roller. Was really easy and looks so much better. I need to give it another coat still.

@SwedishEdith

Never heard of Owatrol - thanks.

Found a blog post where someone used 3 coats of Zinsser first plus 2 of eggshell. Might practise on the back of a door first with a variety of methods as really don't want them to chip/look rough (which I worry about with the Frenchic stuff)

3 coats of Zinsser - I coat should suffice then 2 coats of eggshell should suffice.

I was going to get quotes from a respray company (they do kitchens and bedroom furniture) for almost the same wardrobes as the OP.

Those that have done DIY can you post a picture? And would you say you are good at decorating in general? I'm ok at walls but rubbish at woodwork so I'm worried I'll end up with a dog's dinner

Yes and used frenchic + foam roller so none of the bubbles etc like PP has said. Love the colour and finish, solid colour so not shabby chic looking and has stood up to a toddler without scratches etc. Debating putting a layer of frenchic finishing coat over them to make them a bit more glossy, but not sure yet and not needed.

My kitchen is similar style to your wardrobe and used wilkos own furniture paint for that (not the chalk stuff) and it's also come up great, toddler proof too!

If you have a look at the frenchic Facebook pages and search wardrobes I'm sure you'll find some before and afters of similar wardrobes

This is my kitchen units done a few months ago with the wilko paint, same colour etc as your wardrobes originally.

I had never heard of Frenchic so looked it up - the reviews are not great! www.trustpilot.com/review/www.frenchicpaint.co.uk?page=4 Some people are talking about 5 coats!
If you use Zinsser you can paint it with any eggshell you want. You can have Farrow and Ball or Little Greene mixed up in Johnston or Leyland if you want to save money.

Yes, zinisser primer then Wilko furniture paint. From a distance looks great, but you can tell if you look close up.

Looks considerably better than the previous orange line effect.

Yep, we also have some very similar and painted them white using satinwood. Left the inside. They look a million times better and still looking fresh 2 years later.

I did, and they chipped really easily and then looked shit a couple of years later. Ended up getting rid and new fitted ones put in.

I had never heard of Frenchic so looked it up - the reviews are not great! www.trustpilot.com/review/www.frenchicpaint.co.uk?page=4 Some people are talking about 5 coats!

Yes - 5 (usually 3 - 4 though) very, very thin coats - this paint really goes a long way and the results are long lasting. But once it has cured it is solid. And if you paint it correctly (thin coats) you will get no brush marks, (although I prefer to use a smooth roller). Look on the Facebook page - so many amazing paint jobs.

This is mine, it needs another coat. I did it white and I’m not sure if it’s a bit white so I’m just living with it at the moment so I can decide between, off white or a darker colour. The wilko paint was great, it doesn’t feel like it’ll be easy to chip.

Oh, thank you. More positive (mostly) stories and some good pictures. The Wilko paint sounds like it's good. Presume they deliver?

They are open but do delivery and click and collect. I really rate their DIY stuff.