Varnishing IKEA furniture

[CluelessAboutBiology]

Our lounge furniture is all from Ikea, and whilst the shape and size is practical, we don’t like the colour. We could replace most of it with the same item in a different colour, but we can’t get the tv unit in the right size.

Is there a way of changing the colour? I know it’s MDF so I can’t sand it down but would using a primer and then a varnish work?

I considered using Fablon to cover it, and the top and sides would (in theory) be easy, but covering the front edges of the dividers would look messy.

Yes, there's a primer called Zinsser Bin that works.

I misread the title as vanishing IKEA furniture and wondered where it was going.😂

Just as I pressed “enter” I looked at the title and worried I’d written “vanishing”!

@GarlicHoundThank you. Would I just buy normal varnish from B&Q to use over the top? I want to change from the orange-y beech to oak. I can replace all the Billy bookcases with the oak equivalents, but not the tv unit. The other ranges have the right colour but wrong size.

Oh, sorry OP, I thought you wanted to paint it. I think I know the products you need, though. Is it laminate?

Assuming it is laminate:

Prime with Polyvine Multi Surface Lacquer in matt or satin, then apply an oak-coloured satin varnish. You can get a 'dark oak' colourant for the Polyvine, which is clear, but it would probably be easier to get one that's already tinted.

@GarlicHound thank you very much, I shall google them now.